2006 Skoda Octavia Elegance review from UK and Ireland

Faulty brake light switch flattened the battery twice before the fault was found and corrected.

Door seals caused squeaking and rasping noises. First fix was to lubricate seals with silicon spray, this only worked for 3 weeks then the noises returned. Seals now replaced.

Engine hesitation at low revs, 1,400 to 2,000 when the engine is not under load. Still awaiting the induction part which is supposed to fix the fault.

This car is now 2.5 months old and has been in the garage more times than my Civic in the 7 years I owned it.

The car is generally good. Ride and comfort were the reason I bought the car - having test-drove a total of 7 comparable cars, this one stood out. Also good value for money as the standard spec is very good.

Engine is rather noisy from the outside, but OK inside.

The DSG gearbox is a perfect compromise offering quick and undetectable changes in Auto mode, but offering a Sport Mode and Manual/Tiptronic changes when you want to exploit the power of the engine. The only downside is the inability to build the revs for a fast getaway or to pull into moving traffic.

The speedo and trip computer are rather optimistic. 70 mph on SatNav reads as 75 on the speedo, and the trip mpg tells me 45mpg whilst Fill to Fill shows only 37mpg.