Faults:

DPF light on, cleared out with a long drive and firm acceleration, has not been on since. I have probably done too many short journeys.

Air con stopped working, needs a re-gas.

Passenger side electric mirror a little slow to move.

Brakes and suspension parts needed at last MOT - at the age and mileage I'm putting this down to wear and tear. Timing belt and oil changes carried out in the history before I bought the car. Also detailed in the history is something about the injectors and EGR valve - unfortunately expensive common faults on all modern diesels.

General Comments:

A great car if you want reliable basic transport. The Octavia is not a car to get excited about, but it does the job and ease of ownership is excellent. Diesels are common but they are expensive when they go wrong - I'm glad mine had most of the typical work required at the age and mileage done before I bought it. Petrol version might be preferable if you do only short journeys and do not drive much.

The 1.6 TDi is decent enough, and you will get around 60 MPG if you take it easy. SE model is mid range and has some electrics, nothing fancy, but very well equipped as expected for a modern car. Interior wise the seats and space inside are OK, but the noise levels are only just acceptable. Not the most refined. To drive the handling is very grippy and gives good feedback on corners, though it is a front wheel drive family car, so not a car you would drive like a sports cat anyway. But the torque from the diesel engine is good and it never struggles to overtake.

As mentioned in other reviews on here, you'll notice these are very popular cars as taxis, I believe due to economy and space; there is little to match the Octavia as a good all rounder.

Faults:

None

General Comments:

Bought the car new as part of the Irish scrappage scheme. The dealer was very good, and I got a great deal.

The car is very light on diesel. On a mixed cycle, I am getting 100km for about 4.9 litres. Long distance driving, it can go as low as 3.8. City averages about 5.3. The engine has lots of torque, so while the top speed is not great, it gets there quickly, and pulls well in all gears.

Softer sprung than its Golf/Leon equivalent, but it rides the bumps well, and is very comfortable.

I got the Black/Grey interior, so the inside is nice and light. The boot is huge, and well shaped. Plenty of cubby holes in the cab. Seats are very comfy, and the standard air con is good. The built in Bluetooth works well with my Android phone, and worked well with an iPhone.

The dealer has been very good, until the warranty ran out. Service costs have jumped a bit, but I am now servicing it in a local garage, so the costs have come back down. Insurance costs are also low.

Overall, I'm a very happy customer, and would recommend this car to any family.