2024 Skoda Octavia Sportline review

The Skoda Octavia Sportline is a car that – in Australia, at least – wasn’t meant to exist.

It was first shown for Europe in April 2021, with the promise of Australian deliveries in early 2022 using a 140kW 2.0-litre turbo engine that would debut a few months earlier in a Limited Edition designed to fill the gap until the arrival of the Sportline.

A lack of stock of the rest of the range, and various other delays pushed the Sportline into the second half of 2022, and then 2023, before the plug was pulled part-way into 2023 due to fears it would be too close in price to the Octavia RS, the top-selling Octavia variant.

Skoda Australia evidently changed its mind, and put the Sportline back in the plan – but with the 110kW 1.4-litre turbo engine from the cheaper Octavia Style to keep the price down, and greater differentiation to the RS.

With visual enhancements – but the only mechanical change being sports suspension – the Sportline variant Australia has finally received is no more expensive than the Style on which it is based, at $42,490 to $43,990 drive-away.

A facelift for the Octavia is due in Australian showrooms this November. Should you wait – or snap up the current Sportline while it’s here?

The Skoda Octavia range now consists of three models – Style, Sportline and RS – available in liftback and wagon body styles.

The Sportline matches the price of the Style – from $42,490 drive-away nationwide – while leaving plenty of room to the RS, which is priced from $56,990 drive-away. The wagon body adds $1500 to these prices, which are for liftbacks.

The vehicle we tested on the car’s local media launch was a liftback finished in a silver colour officially called Moon White Metallic ($770), which with no other options brings the price to $43,260 drive-away.

The field of direct rivals to the Octavia 110TSI has shrunken from eight to just two under $50,000 in the space of five years: the Mazda 6 and Toyota Camry.

About $42,000 drive-away only buys you the base-model Mazda 6 – the G25 Sport for $36,290 plus on-road costs, or $40,512 drive-away in NSW according to Mazda’s website – and entry-grade Toyota Camry Ascent petrol for $35,051 plus on-roads. The Camry Hybrid is currently unavailable to order due to a two-year wait time.

A Hyundai i30 Sedan is considered to be in the size class below, but it has a near-identical footprint to the Octavia. In 2.0-litre non-turbo Premium trim it is priced from $38,500 plus on-roads, or $42,544 drive-away in NSW according to Hyundai’s website.

However, it is worth noting the Octavia used to be even better value. When it arrived in 2021, the Style liftback was priced from $34,890 plus on-roads – about $6000 less than it costs today.

Compared to the Style, the Sportline adds 15mm-lower sports suspension, a drive mode selector with Sport setting, front sports seats, new badges, metal-look pedals, black headlining, dual exhaust tips, and gloss black exterior highlights, including a front bumper lip, and a rear lip spoiler on the liftback.

Shared features with the Style include matrix LED headlights, a 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and satellite navigation, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 18-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, fabric trim, eight speakers, dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, and a suite of advanced safety tech.

Features such as keyless entry, wireless CarPlay, and digital instruments are not standard on the base Mazda 6 – while blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors and climate control are not fitted to the cheapest Toyota Camry.

The Skoda Octavia is classified as a mid-size car, but the liftback’s 4689mm length, 1829mm width, 1470mm height and 2686mm wheelbase mean it is only 21mm shorter nose to tail and 4mm wider than a Hyundai i30 Sedan, which is considered a ‘small car’.

Sportline-specific upgrades inside focus on new cloth-trimmed front sports seats with integrated headrests. They are manually adjustable but not heated, and although they are not as supportive as you might expect, they look good and are comfortable for larger frames.

We like that the driver’s seat can be set low in the car, and the steering wheel has height and reach adjustment to let a range of drivers find a comfortable seating position.

There is a learning curve in the minimalist layout of buttons and dials on the steering wheel, but they become easy to use after an hour or two on the road – as does the separate stalk under the indicators on the left side of the steering column for the cruise-control settings.

Soft-touch materials can be found on the tops of the doors, the door armrests, and front-centre armrest – which can slide forward – and there’s fabric trim on the passenger side of the dashboard, though there is hard, scratchy plastic lower down in the cabin. There were no squeaks or rattles in the new, low-kilometre vehicle we drove.

Amenities include dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, two USB-C front charging ports, a 12-volt socket, wireless smartphone charging pad, and ambient LED cabin lighting.

The pockets in the doors are claimed to be able to fit 1.5L bottles, joining a sunglasses holder in the roof lining, two cupholders, and a modestly sized glovebox – though the centre console storage box is on the small side.

There are a number of handy touches throughout the cabin, including a clip-on rubbish bin in the driver’s door pocket, a ticket clip on the edge of the windscreen, and an umbrella stowed in the door panel.

Space in the rear is accommodating for six-foot-tall (183cm) passengers – sitting behind front occupants of the same height – with good head room, knee room and toe room, even with the liftback’s sloping roof.

The seats provide good underthigh support, though the middle passenger will have to straddle a large central tunnel.

There are no USB ports for rear passengers, but there are large bottle holders in each door, air vents, map pockets on each front seatback, three child-seat top-tether anchor points, and two ISOFIX points.

Uncommon touches include a tablet holder emerging from the cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, and extendable sunshades in the side and rear windows.

The power-operated hatchback tailgate (with kick sensor) opens to a 600-litre boot – larger than a Camry’s 493–524L, and a Mazda 6 sedan’s 474L – which expands to 1555L with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats down.

Boot amenities include bag hooks, a series of locations to clip nets or tie down items, a retractable cargo cover, illumination, a 12-volt socket, and a fold-down ‘ski port’ passthrough in the rear seat bench for longer items. A space-saver spare wheel can be found under the floor.

The Octavia’s 10-inch infotainment touchscreen is bright, contemporary in the design of its graphics, and reasonably quick, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, embedded satellite navigation, and FM radio, but DAB+ digital radio coverage is limited to more expensive variants.

The system is easy enough to use, but Skoda and its Volkswagen Group continue to place many key air-conditioning controls in the touchscreen.

There is a row of shortcuts pinned to the bottom of the screen – including air temperature – but it’s not as easy to use on the move as traditional dials and switches.

The Home and Menu infotainment shortcuts are also touch-sensitive buttons, and have not been moved to the right side in the switch from left- to right-hand drive, so they require the driver to reach over to activate.

The Octavia mirrors its VW and Cupra siblings in fitting a touch-sensitive slider control under the touchscreen, but in the Skoda it only controls the volume, rather than combining volume and air temperature into one bar, so it is much easier to use while driving – though a traditional volume dial would still be much better.

The 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster is a highlight, with a range of customisable views – including a full-screen map – and quick responses to driver inputs through the steering wheel controls.

Music fans may be underwhelmed by the quality of the audio from the eight-speaker unbranded sound system, though if you don’t run the stereo at or close to maximum volume it is acceptable.

The resolution of the rear-view camera is good, and it’s aided by front and rear sensors – but there is no 360-degree camera available.

Skoda does not offer connected services technology with a smartphone app for remote control of various vehicle functions. It has not announced a timeline for when it will do so.

The Skoda Octavia was awarded five stars by ANCAP based on crash testing conducted in 2019 by its European counterpart Euro NCAP.

It earned category scores of 92 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 73 per cent for vulnerable road user protection (pedestrians and cyclists), and 79 per cent for safety assist technology.

The rating is due to expire in December 2025.

The Skoda Octavia Sportline ticks most advanced safety boxes expected in 2024.

However, some features – stop-and-go for the adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, and lane-centring assist – are reserved for more expensive models, and speed sign recognition is not available on any model.

There are eight airbags – dual frontal, front-side, side curtain (head, for front and rear occupants), driver’s knee and front-centre – but for some reason Skoda reserves coverage for the torsos of rear outboard passengers to the Octavia RS.

Tyre pressure monitoring is also fitted, as well as a door exit warning, and low-speed front and rear autonomous emergency braking (AEB) for car parks.

The safety systems fitted work well, and step in when they are required, but are not too intrusive so the driver is compelled to switch them off.

The Skoda Octavia is backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty – one of the longest in the car industry, matching Kia, and the only European manufacturer offering this length of coverage as standard.

Servicing is asked for every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. If the owner pays at the time of each service, it is quoted at $1552 for three years/45,000km, $3027 for five years/75,000km, and $4137 for seven years/105,000km.

It’s more expensive than rivals to service. Over five years/75,000km, a petrol Toyota Camry costs $1275, a Mazda 6 G25 costs $2114, and a 2.0-litre Hyundai i30 Sedan costs $1755.

Over seven years/105,000km, these prices increase to $2423 for a Camry, $3031 for a Mazda 6 G25, and $2435 for a 2.0-litre i30 Sedan.

The cost of maintenance for the Skoda is reduced if the owner purchases a prepaid service pack, but at $2450 for five years/75,000km or $2750 for seven years/105,000km, it’s still more expensive than competitors.

The Octavia Sportline is too new to appear on our go-to comprehensive insurance calculator, but a year of coverage for the similar Style model is quoted at $1445 – compared to $1770 for a Toyota Camry Ascent petrol, or $1479 for a Mazda 6 G25 Sport sedan.

These estimates are based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Skoda claims fuel consumption for the Octavia 110TSI liftback of 5.7 litres per 100 kilometres in mixed driving – or 4.8L/100km in highway and extra-urban conditions, or 7.2L/100km in urban conditions.

On the media test-drive program – comprised of about 250km of 70–80km/h suburban roads, 110km/h freeways, and enthusiastic driving on winding roads – we observed 6.7L/100km from the trip computer.

On the freeway we saw indicated fuel consumption drop below 6.0L/100km, though it is still higher than the extra-urban fuel use claim.

Total driving range is up to 938km based on the highway consumption claim or 750km based on our observations.

As with most European cars in Australia, the Octavia requires 95-octane premium unleaded petrol.

If you’re expecting the Sportline to offer an Octavia RS experience on a budget, you may come away underwhelmed.

However, that’s not to say the Skoda Octavia is a bad car to drive – or a slow one – as it does a commendable job of blending comfort around town with confident handling on the open road.

Mechanical changes for the Sportline focus on revised springs and dampers to create “sports suspension”, which sees it ride 15mm lower than the regular Octavia Style. But if you’ve never driven an Octavia before, you’d be hard-pressed to tell if this was the sports suspension tune.

On some potholed city roads it can feel busy, but it is never too firm to annoy passengers, and speed bumps are soaked up without sending a shock through the cabin. Australian Sportlines are not available with Europe’s optional adaptive suspension.

It’s composed and settled at higher speeds, and on the highway, but on a country road the rear suspension – a less-advanced torsion-beam design, rather than the independent multi-link axle of the RS – can become flustered by mid-corner bumps and push the car off its line.

On a winding road, keen drivers will appreciate steering that is light – also handy for parking in town – and does not transmit much road feel, but is direct and quick off-centre.

There is some body roll but it’s well managed, and the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 (225/45 R18) tyres deliver ample grip in the dry, but need caution in wet conditions if the car is being driven in a spirited manner.

The Octavia’s 1410kg tare mass – not much heavier than a Volkswagen Golf hatch – means the 1.4-litre turbo engine’s 110kW/250Nm outputs are more than adequate for the size of the car.

There is enough power for highway overtakes, and it never feels out of breath – with strong performance in the middle of the RPM range once the turbocharger has spooled up – though it would benefit from the 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre engine originally planned for this car.

Skoda claims a zero to 100km/h acceleration time of 8.5 seconds for the liftback, or 8.6 seconds for the wagon. Drive has previously timed an Octavia Style liftback at 8.9 seconds.

Where the 1.4-litre Sportline is better than a theoretical 2.0-litre version is the transmission. Its eight-speed torque-converter automatic may not shift as quickly as Skoda’s seven-speed dual-clutch auto, but it is smoother around town, doesn’t hesitate off the mark and has no ‘quirks’ requiring the driver to adapt.

The throttle pedal is a bit too sensitive off the mark for our liking, but the brake pedal is easy to modulate in city traffic, and provides good bite once the driver pushes hard on the pedal.

Road and wind noise are well insulated, though there is some tyre roar on coarse-chip country roads.

The Skoda Octavia Sportline has a braked towing capacity of 1500kg and an unbraked limit of 670kg, with an 80kg maximum towball downweight.

We didn’t test the Sportline’s performance with a trailer attached, but its performance unladen suggests it would be suitable for a small box trailer, though straight-line acceleration would naturally feel strained.

The tare mass of 1410kg and gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 1910kg leaves a payload of 500kg. Once a full tank of fuel (about 35kg) is added, it leaves about 465kg for passengers and cargo before the vehicle is overweight and illegal to drive on the road.

It should be enough for most owners, unless they plan to fill all five seats with people, and load up the boot with heavy items, on a regular basis.

Three years on from its Australian launch, the current Skoda Octavia – a two-time Drive Car of the Year category winner – remains near the top of the mid-size car class.

Prices of the Style model have climbed by about $6000 in three years, but it retains a generous equipment list for the money, a spacious interior, large boot, plenty of technology, and a comfortable, refined and confident driving experience.

Whether you should buy the Sportline is a matter of personal preference. The sports suspension doesn’t ruin passenger comfort over bumps, and we like the sports seats and gloss black trim – though some buyers may not.

There remains room for improvement – too many vehicle functions are in the touchscreen, it’s not cheap to service, some safety features are reserved for more expensive models, and we wish it had more power to justify the Sportline badge.

However, for the shrinking set of buyers still considering a mid-size sedan, the Skoda Octavia is easy to recommend.

Each variant in the Skoda Octavia range will appeal to a different buyer. The sporty RS is the top seller for a reason, but for buyers who don’t prioritise performance, the Style or Sportline will suit – depending on which appearance they prefer.

Skoda says there is plenty of stock in dealerships across most of its model range.

The next step on the purchase journey is to check the Skoda website for stock of your preferred Octavia variant. You can also find Skodas for sale at Drive.com.au/cars-for-sale.

We recommend taking a test drive at a dealership before signing on the dotted line. Find your nearest Skoda dealer via this link. Competing vehicles worth considering and test driving include the Toyota Camry, Mazda 6 and Hyundai i30 Sedan.

If you want to stay updated with everything that's happened to this car since our review, you'll find all the latest news here.