Faults:

Water pump leaked - replaced when the timing belt was changed.

ABS sensor.

Tiny patch of cosmetic rust on the rear wheel arch driver's side.

Air con has seen better days, needs a re-gas.

And the rest was just wear and tear expected of age and miles (tyres, brakes, suspension parts, etc).

General Comments:

2011 Octavia vRS Limited in blue, stunning looking car. Best looking generation of Octavia in my opinion.

Classic 2.0 TDi with around 170bhp is a proven unit that still manages around 44 + mpg on diesel and great performance. The car is very fun to drive.

I love the interior also, still feels modern after all these years, and quality wise is holding up strong, leather has no rips or tears.

Boot space is huge and insurance is not too expensive, it is a very practical car.

Recommended - but only buy mint examples at this age, avoid abused cars with no history that have been driven/modified by boy racers!

Faults:

In my two year ownership;

Wheel bearing.

Bonnet release cable snapped.

Alarm appears to have stopped working.

That's it!

General Comments:

Silver 2011 Octavia, sharp looking car in Elegance spec. Alloy wheels, very smart.

Inside very German and functional. Comfortable seats, and lots of equipment. Smooth enough on motorways, but a little rough about town.

1.6 TDi is not very fast, but it always does over 50 mpg with cheap tax and insurance, so cannot complain!

A fantastic economy car for the money. Make sure you buy only a looked after car; as good and reliable as these are, they will break down like any car if abused. Annual oil changes are a must and the cam-belt change is over-due at this age and mileage. I'm going to do mine as I plan to keep this car long term.

Skoda have come a long way since their old days. I will likely buy another Octavia when this one's time to go comes round.

Faults:

Beyond replacement of expected consumables, this Octavia gave no major problems used as a taxi. Drive carefully and service it on time for reliability.

General Comments:

A bit rough and unrefined, but these Octavia's are popular as taxis and it is easy to see why - very economical to run. Cheap tax, insurance, and good on diesel.

2.0 TDi is the one to go for, power and economy. Not a fun car to drive, but not bad either.

Interior of this estate car is spacious and comfortable, but there is a bit too much road and engine noise. You really notice it on the road for hours each day. But the seats are comfy and this Elegance model has the lot, plenty of equipment.

Overall just a nice economy car, hard to say anything negative about it.

Faults:

Shocks, springs, brake disc and pads. Wheel bearing replaced driver side. Wear and tear for age and mileage.

Bonnet release broke, easy fix though.

Air con weak but works.

More expensive faults were the injectors failed twice. Injector No.1 then No.4 a few years later. Over £500 to fix each time. Ouch.

Kept the car serviced and changed cambelt, engine and gearbox were pretty reliable, no noises or leaks.

General Comments:

A dull but fairly dependable car is how I would describe this Octavia. Bought used back in 2019, a few expensive repairs aside, I suppose it has been OK.

1.6 TDi is noisy and slow. But you will get a genuine 60 mpg or more on average. Cheap to tax and insure as well.

The car handles OK. Not bad to drive, not exciting either.

Elegance model is near top of range, has full electrics and air con. Nice alloy wheels. Smart looking car. Refinement is average, some road and wind noise, but the ride is comfortable enough.

If you want a spacious and dependable car, take a look at the Octavia. Buy a nice low mileage car with full history and you should be OK for a few years.