Skoda’s best-selling Octavia mid-sizer has been refreshed with a new face and updated tech. Is the entry-level station wagon still a smart choice?
2025 Skoda Octavia Select wagon
Here’s a fun fact for you. Since the demise of the beloved Holden Commodore, the best-selling station wagon in Australia has been the Skoda Octavia.
From 2020–24, the Czech brand’s medium-sized station wagon has stood tall in a diminishing field of long-roof family haulers.
The Octavia wagon has, unsurprisingly, long been a favourite of ours here at Drive, lauded for its blend of practicality, European styling and sharp drive-away pricing.
Now, the Octavia has been given a midlife update while the range welcomes the addition of a new entry-level Select grade, which brings with it a host of new equipment and some styling tweaks.
Station wagons make a lot of sense for a lot of buyers, even if sales of the traditional family lugger continue to decline. So can this updated Skoda Octavia wagon maintain the brand’s dominance in an increasingly niche segment? Let’s find out.
How much is a Skoda Octavia?
Three trim levels (Select, Sportline and RS) across two body styles (liftback and wagon) make up the Skoda Octavia range.
On test here, we have the entry-level Octavia Select wagon priced from $43,990 drive-away. Skoda, along with a handful of rival brands, has made a point of offering nationwide drive-away pricing across its range, eliminating some of the guesswork out of buying a new car where the list price is often not what the buyer pays.
Powering the Octavia Select is the brand’s 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission sending drive to the front wheels.
External changes are subtle, featuring restyled front and rear bumpers, a revised grille to accommodate new LED headlights, and a redesigned rear end with new LED taillights, as well as new alloy wheel designs.
This 2025 update also brings some new equipment inside: there’s a bigger 13.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with updated software, a 10-inch digital instrument display with updated software, and 15-watt wireless smartphone charging with ventilation to mitigate overheating.
Additional safety technologies and driver assist systems, previously only found on Octavias higher up the food chain, have also found their way into this Select grade. Things like adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function, lane-centring assist and emergency assist are all now standard with this update.
There are no options to be had on the Octavia Select, other than a lone coat of $770 Velvet Red paint. The other six shades of the seven-colour palette are no-cost options.
It’s a small sandpit the Skoda Octavia plays in, with direct rivals thin on the ground, especially since the demise of the Mazda 6. That means looking to the medium SUV play pit for alternatives – hardly surprising in this day and age where SUVs make up the bulk of the new car market.
The Subaru Forester is one contender, priced from $38,690 before on-road costs, while closer to home, the Skoda Karoq medium SUV starts at $38,490 for the entry-level Select variant.
The new Volkswagen Tiguan 110TSI Life, which shares the same powertrain as the Octavia Select, starts from $44,990.
| Key details | 2025 Skoda Octavia Select wagon |
| Price | $43,990 drive-away |
| Colour of test car | Brilliant Silver |
| Options | None |
| Price as tested | $43,990 drive-away |
| Drive-away price | $43,990 drive-away |
| Rivals | Subaru Forester | Skoda Karoq | Volkswagen Tiguan |
Skoda Octavia best deals
If you’re in the market for a Skoda Octavia, you’ll find new and used Octavias for sale at Drive Marketplace.
And if you want to check out the Octavia in the metal, head on over to your local Skoda showroom. You can find your nearest Skoda dealer here.
If you’re looking for more pricing, specifications, and latest offers on the Skoda Octavia range, click here.
How big is a Skoda Octavia?
Skoda has always managed to blend cabin practicality with clever design, offering spacious interiors belying its overall dimensions.
For the record, the Octavia wagon stops the tape at 4698mm long, 1829mm wide, and 1468mm tall sitting on a wheelbase of 2686mm. That translates well inside, the Octavia’s cabin a spacious and comfortable place to spend time in.
The cloth seats are pleasingly comfortable and supportive, finished in what Skoda calls ‘Lodge’ fabric accented with synthetic leather. They’re manually adjustable in this entry-grade model including lumbar support. That Lodge fabric design is carried through onto the dashboard and door inserts and adds some visual flair.
The flat-bottom steering wheel is wrapped in perforated leather and feels pleasing in hand, the thickness of the rim just right.
There are plenty of little storage nooks including a pair of cupholders in the front centre console, a small but serviceable storage bin with padded lid, as well as felt-lined door pockets that can take bottles.
The wireless smartphone charging pad, fore of the stubby gear selector, features ventilation, a clever touch that helps keep devices cool when charging. It also offers 15-watt power for faster charging.
The second row is best described as comfortable, if not outright spacious. The outboard seats feel supportive and nicely cushioned, and provide decent space, certainly behind my own driving position set for my 173cm height.
The middle seat feels firmer in the seat and the seatback, and foot space is at a premium thanks to a large transmission hump. Additionally, the Octavia is now also fitted with a removable storage bin that sits over the transmission tunnel and equips the second row with two additional cupholders as well as additional storage space for smaller items.
Amenities in the second row include air vents, a pair of USB Type-C outlets, two more cupholders in a fold-down armrest, while families with little ones are served by ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats complemented by three top-tether anchors on the seat backs. As they do up front, the door pockets in the second row are generously sized and capable of taking bottles.
Behind the second row, the Octavia Select’s cargo area measures in at a healthy 640 litres with the back seats in use. That expands to a whopping 1700L with the second row folded away in 60:40-split fashion, accessed via a lever in the cargo area.
Other amenities in the cargo bay include cargo nets, an assortment of hooks and tie-down points, as well as a double-sided floor mat, carpet on one side and rubber on the other for those muddy shoes and camping equipment times. There’s also a skiport through the middle seat for transporting longer items.
A space-saver spare lives under the floor, eschewing the current trend for silly puncture repair kits.
Of course, Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ touches are scattered throughout and include the obligatory umbrella located in the driver’s door, a storage tray under the passenger seat, and a small ‘rubbish’ bin in the driver’s door pocket.
| 2025 Skoda Octavia Select wagon | |
| Seats | Five |
| Boot volume | 640L seats up 1700L seats folded |
| Length | 4698mm |
| Width | 1829mm |
| Height | 1468mm |
| Wheelbase | 2686mm |
Does the Skoda Octavia have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
A new 13.0-inch touchscreen – up from 10 inches – hosts the Skoda’s updated infotainment system that runs the brand’s updated software.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (both wireless and cabled) are standard, as is satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, along with voice commands. This entry-level model does miss out on DAB+ digital radio, however.
While the updated software is an improvement, both in terms of layout and usability, there remain minor frustrations. Climate controls, as is the case across the broader Volkswagen Group, are housed inside the touchscreen.
Yes, temperature adjustment controls are permanently on display along the bottom of the screen, but to change airflow direction or fan speed requires several inputs, starting with the button located under the screen labelled ‘Clima’. That brings up the climate screen where adjustments can be made, but to then return to, say, Apple CarPlay requires further touch inputs.
It’s a frustrating user experience, particularly when on the move. Sometimes, good old-fashioned scrollers and dials really are the answer.
Adjusting audio volume can be similarly frustrating, with a touch-sensitive slider located under the screen. It lacks illumination too, meaning a bit of guesswork is needed at night in order to adjust the volume. In mitigation, the steering wheel features a good old-fashioned scroller for volume – good for the driver, less so for your passenger.
A total of five USB Type-C outlets are scattered throughout, with three in the front row (including one located in the rear-view mirror) and two in the second row.
The Octavia’s 10-inch digital driver’s display can be customised to taste and includes the facility for full-screen mapping, but only if using the Octavia’s native sat-nav. Additionally, a range of data screens showing various trip info and fuel consumption figures can be brought up as needed.
Our time with the Octavia relied exclusively on wireless Apple CarPlay, and aside from being quick to initially pair, and quicker still to connect every start-up, offered a stable connection throughout. We can’t always make that claim, across multiple brands, and even some within the broader Volkswagen Group.
Is the Skoda Octavia a safe car?
The updated Skoda Octavia carries a five-star safety rating from ANCAP (based on Euro NCAP results) issued in 2022 after the Czech brand resubmitted its mid-sizer for testing following comprehensive updates.
In Australia, this 2025 update is the first Octavia to carry the newer five-star rating, with the previously model also wearing a five-star score but based on less-stringent 2019 testing.
The Octavia was awarded scores of 89 per cent for adult occupant protection, 82 per cent for child occupant, 68 per cent for vulnerable road user, and 81 per cent for its safety assist technologies.
| 2025 Skoda Octavia Select wagon | |
| ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2022) |
| Safety report | ANCAP report |
What safety technology does the Skoda Octavia have?
The updated Octavia Select benefits from an enhanced suite of active safety technologies and driver assist systems including autonomous emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a range of lane assistance including lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and lane-centring, driver attention monitoring and front and rear parking sensors.
Missing in action is any kind of speed sign recognition, which is no great loss as in our experience across a wide range of brands, this technology is generally flawed and incapable of correctly detecting the speed limit in certain situations.
All the systems on board the Octavia Select proved nicely calibrated, working as intended and with no false positives or overly eager interventions.
| At a glance | 2025 Skoda Octavia Select wagon | |
| Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) | Yes | Includes pedestrian and cyclist detection, intersection awareness |
| Adaptive Cruise Control | Yes | Includes stop-and-go function |
| Blind Spot Alert | Yes | Alert and assist functions |
| Rear Cross-Traffic Alert | Yes | Alert only |
| Lane Assistance | Yes | Lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist |
| Road Sign Recognition | No | |
| Driver Attention Warning | Yes | Includes fatigue monitor |
| Cameras & Sensors | Yes | Front and rear sensors, rear-view camera |
How much does the Skoda Octavia cost to service?
Skoda’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty is one of the best in the new car landscape, and certainly the best coverage offered by any European brand. It also comes with 12 months of roadside assistance.
The Czech brand offers a seven-year/105,000km service pack for the Octavia, prepaid at time of purchase. It’s priced at $3650, representing significant savings over pay-as-you-go that runs to $4321 over the same period/distance.
Paying for individual services over five years/75,000km will set you back $3234, while three years/45,000km of scheduled visits to the workshop will cost $1661.
Service intervals are scheduled every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.
For context, a Subaru Forester 2.5i AWD will cost just over $4000 in pay-as-you-go servicing over seven years. However, it’s worth noting, the Subaru’s distance intervals are spaced at every 12,500km, against the Skoda’s 15,000km.
| At a glance | 2025 Skoda Octavia Select wagon |
| Warranty | Seven years, unlimited km |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 15,000km |
| Servicing costs | $1661 (3 years, pay-as-you-go) $3234 (5 years, pay-as-you-go) $4321 (7 years, pay-as-you-go) $3650 (7 years, prepaid at time of purchase) |
Is the Skoda Octavia fuel-efficient?
Skoda claims the Octavia Select will use 6.2 litres per 100 kilometres of 95-octane premium unleaded on the combined cycle. My week with Australia’s favourite wagon returned an indicated 7.6L/100km, achieved over 490km and a variety of driving conditions – from city traffic, urban running, and highway cruising.
That’s probably a touch high against Skoda’s claim, and based on our real-world driving would see the 45-litre fuel tank offer around 590km of driving range. Using Skoda’s claimed consumption figure boosts driving range per tank to 725km.
| Fuel efficiency | 2025 Skoda Octavia Select wagon |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 6.2L/100km |
| Fuel cons. (on test) | 7.6L/100km |
| Fuel type | 95-octane premium unleaded |
| Fuel tank size | 45L |
What is the Skoda Octavia like to drive?
The Skoda Octavia Select’s engine outputs look just about adequate on paper, but that’s to do the station wagon a disservice. Because what we have here is a willing and perky powertrain that provides enough motoring oomph for the majority of buyers.
Acceleration is best described as perky without straying into silly territory.
There is a propensity for the tiniest hint of hesitation from take-off, but once on the move, the 1.4-litre delivers power smoothly and predictably.
The eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission is a good ’un, with smooth shifts that never feel out of place for the situation. Around town, shifts are smooth and refined, while asking for a burst of speed results in the eight-speed shuffling down a couple of ratios in the hunt for torque and the resulting acceleration.
The Octavia’s ride comfort is one of the highlights; a smooth and cushioning experience that gobbles up lumps and bumps with aplomb. Larger obstacles, such as speed humps, are navigated with measured calm, the Octavia absorbing the bigger impact comfortably before settling quickly back on its wheels with composure.
Out on the highway, the Octavia does show signs of road noise, especially on some of the coarser surfaces that blight our motoring landscape. But, as it does around town, the passive dampers deal with minor imperfections commendably.
The powertrain doesn’t feel overly stressed at highway speeds, settling into a nice easy rhythm and always feeling there’s plenty in reserve for overtakes.
And while a humble station wagon might not be your first choice for some more spirited driving, the Octavia behaves surprisingly well when tasked with navigating a nice ribbon of twisting tarmac. Body control remains nicely in check, while the steering is quick and accurate, if a touch on the light side.
There’s a nice weight to the brakes too, with excellent feel through the pedal telegraphing reassuring bite back to the driver. That’s confidence-inspiring when having a bit of an adventurous drive.
Of course, a car like this Octavia Select station wagon is at its best on the daily commute, traversing our suburbs and highways in comfort and with refinement. And our only minor complaint remains that ever so slight hesitation when moving away from standstill.
| Key details | 2025 Skoda Octavia Select wagon |
| Engine | 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol |
| Power | 110kW @ 5000–6000rpm |
| Torque | 250Nm @ 1500–3500rpm |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Eight-speed torque converter automatic |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 75.1kW/t |
| Weight | 1465kg (tare) |
| Spare tyre type | Space-saver |
| Tow rating | 1500kg braked 670kg unbraked |
| Turning circle | 10.4m (kerb-to-kerb) |
Should I buy a Skoda Octavia?
The Skoda Octavia wagon falls firmly into the category of cars Australians should buy but don’t. It answers a lot of questions for buyers looking for a thoughtfully designed European car with loads of practicality.
Sure, station wagons are. No longer the go-to for families, but for those who dare to defy the SUV trend, the 2025 Skoda Octavia Select delivers comfort and refinement with decent performance and handling in a neat package backed by Skoda’s seven-year warranty.
It’s not perfect, but its downsides are minor enough to confidently suggest that the Octavia wagon in this entry-level Select trim presents as a viable and affordable alternative to the swathe of SUVs dominating our roads.
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