According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)**, the Skoda Octavia Estate is now the UK’s most popular estate car for company car drivers occupying 25 percent of sales in the segment.
The Octavia Estate’s success coincides with a strong year of fleet sales for Skoda. In 2015 the brand announced a year-on-year spike in sales of 22 percent among corporate and Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) clients.
Driving the Octavia Estate’s appeal is its low running costs; in particular the 1.6-litre TDI Greenline III SE Business model which offers an official combined fuel economy of 80mpg and CO2 emissions of 90g/km, placing the car into a 16 percent BIK tax band for the current tax year.
With a P11D price of £21,370, monthly tax bills for a 20 percent tax payer start from £57* per month.
Patrick McGillycuddy, Head of Fleet for Skoda UK, commented: “There is no doubt that the Octavia Estate has been a revelation in the fleet market. It has the dual benefit of offering fleet managers the compelling financial figures they like to see, whilst also giving user-choosers an impressive assortment of kit to make every day driving more enjoyable.”
Boasting a 610-litre boot, increasing to 1,740 litres when the 60:40-split rear seats are folded, practicality is one of the Octavia Estate’s stand-out features. The car also comes with numerous practical features including an ice scraper attached to the back of the fuel filler cap.
SE Business models come with plenty of essential kit ideal for business drivers including a touchscreen sat-nav system, DAB radio, Bluetooth, dual zone air-con and cruise control.
Overall 2015 was a good year for the fleet market, with company car sales up by 11.8 percent, reaching an all-time high of 1.3 million units for the full year.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “The new car market defied expectations in 2015, hitting an all-time record driven by strong consumer and business confidence. The past four years have seen a remarkable period of sustained growth, and the outlook remains positive with every reason to expect the market to hold broadly steady in 2016.”
Click here to read our full review of the Skoda Octavia Estate
*Tax costs are based on the 2015/16 tax year for a 20 percent tax payer
**The SMMT operates the Motor Vehicle Registration Information System (MVRIS), which captures data about fleet sales. Figures are taken from September 2015.
