Skoda Octavia Hatchback (98-05) - Review

The Octavia shares components and engineering expertise with the Audi A3/A4, SEAT Toledo and VW Golf/Bora - which should put pay to any stale old jokes about the Skoda marque. The Czech car maker has hurtled up-market with these keenly-priced and well built medium hatchbacks and estates, which are essentially Volkswagens in all but name. These are family holdalls not status symbols. In the image department, Octavia is a big step up for traditional Skoda buyers - but are the badge and the clever advertising enough to confer kudos in the car park?