Skoda Octavia Combi Sportline review: Combining style and practicality

Think Skoda and chances are high that you'll have a practical, high-value car in mind.

The firm, after all, earned its niche within the Volkswagen Group by producing cars that precisely embody these values, and its aggressive marketing of the "Simply Clever" features of its cars has certainly aided to cement this impression among many.

Offering cars at a lower price point for the longest time for Skoda has meant skimping on frivolous design touches — hence the relatively simple boxy design of its first cars produced under the German conglomerate.

But recently, the firm has been adding a fair bit of bling into its lineup. Take for example, the fact that the Skoda Enyaq is available in other markets with an illuminated grille, or the fact that this Kodiaq RS we tested back in July of 2022 is such a looker.

This latest Octavia continues this trend of delivering style aplenty.

Black is back

It's called the Skoda Octavia Combi Sportline, and underneath, it's essentially still the same as the Octavia Combi Style we drove in June 2021.

That is to say, it's still underpinned by the accomplished MQB Evo platform and still comes powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder supported by mild hybrid technology.

But the exterior of the Sportline trim car has seen extensive changes.

The Sportline exterior package adds on an additional sporty black front spoiler, changes the grille into a black item, adds black roof rails, black wing mirrors, and at the back of the car, the brand and model badging are both now finished in black.

Further aiding to give the car a sportier look is a 15mm reduction of overall ride height.

In the cabin, the car gets sports seats upholstered in a Thermoflex fabric material, as well as a new dashboard trim, the colour of which you should be able to guess by now.

Big is best

To my eyes, the upgrades are certainly welcome.

They give the Octavia an additional touch of cohesiveness that the Style trim car now seems to lack, and the subtle bump in visual sportiness is rather fitting for this Octavia Combi — it's enough to clue others to the fact that you're not in a base-trim vehicle, yet without being so loud that it looks as if it's pretending hard to be a performance estate.

And that final note is rather important, because while the 148bhp output from its 1.5-litre unit is reasonably healthy, the Octavia still offers a ride that shuns athleticism and instead leans far into the realm of the comfortable.

For those new to the Octavia, ride comfort here is nothing short of excellent — expect to be completely isolated from even the sharpest edges and ruts on the road.

And once you're up to speed, the bassy thump generated from the tyres as they make their way over sizeable obstacles forms the only intrusion into the otherwise serene cabin — a sheer testament to the extensive work done to refine this MQB Evo platform.

Brawny and budget-friendly

All who read this and are thus considering this Skoda as their next family car will also take heart in the fact that there's good knee and leg room for those seated at the rear, and a generous total of 640-litres of boot space for all the paraphernalia that comes with a full family at the rear.

On the entertainment front, the sound system in here is also commendable, despite not being a premium-branded item.

The car should make light work of hauling all this people and cargo about as well. With 250Nm of torque on tap from a lowly 1,500rpm, pulling away at the lights always feels effortless.

And for yourself, those seats and that Thermoflex material also do a decent job of dissipating your body heat — a welcome touch as there was plenty of heat making its way into the cabin from that sunroof, even with the shade fully deployed.

At $219,900, this Octavia Combi is asking for a sizeable premium above the $169,900 asking price of the one-litre, 109bhp fastback Octavia in Style trim.

But if you're set on standing out on the road with a stationwagon, your alternatives here in Singapore won't come cheap. The Subaru WRX Wagon, for example, comes in at $245,000, while the BMW 3 Series Touring will set you back a total of $381,888 (all prices as of Dec 13, 2023).

Seen in this context, this Octavia Combi Sportline might even be said to be a high-value choice for those looking to muscle into the world of stylish stationwagons.

What we like

• Combination of style and practicality
• Cabin isolation
• 640-litre boot space

What we dislike

• Sizeable premium over the fastback Octavia

ALSO READ: The next-generation Skoda Superb is a stylish luxury value champion

This article was first published in sgCarMart.