Skoda Octavia vs Superb: Family hatchback showdown
March 01, 2022 by Jamie Edkins

If you鈥檙e after a no-nonsense, practical, comfortable and well made car that鈥檚 also great value, the Skoda Octavia and Skoda Superb should both be near the top of your shortlist.
Both of these cars have been popular with families for years, and choosing between them can be difficult. This handy guide will walk you through the key differences and help you decide which is best for you.
Drive and performance
The Skoda Superb and Skoda Octavia both offer a comfortable ride and enough performance for all situations. You can have petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid engines in both cars and they鈥檒l be cheap to run, too.
The Octavia sits below the Superb in Skoda鈥檚 line-up, so it鈥檚 no surprise that it doesn鈥檛 feel quite as upmarket as its bigger brother. That鈥檚 not to say it鈥檚 in any way uncomfortable though, as it deals with bumps in the road very well.
If it鈥檚 hot-hatch performance you want, then there鈥檚 the Octavia vRS.
It blends performance and practicality in a sporty-looking package, and if this is what you鈥檙e after then the Octavia is the only option here because Soda doesn鈥檛 make a Superb vRS.
The Skoda Superb is a bit more refined and comfortable than the Octavia. It鈥檚 quiet on the motorway and easy around town. It won鈥檛 excite you in the same way a BMW 3 Series will, however the same can be said of the Octavia.
Style and size
The Skoda Superb won鈥檛 set your world on fire to look at. It鈥檚 by no means ugly, but it is quite subdued. The Peugeot 508 stands out a lot more.

If you want to inject some flair into your Superb, you can have it in a bright 鈥淒ragon Green鈥 paint scheme. Go for the Sportline model and you get 19-inch alloy wheels and a slightly sportier bodykit.

In standard form, the Skoda Octavia is a handsome thing. You鈥檒l have to splash out for the vRS if you want it to excite you with some larger alloys and a more aggressive bodykit. Overall, the Octavia is the more modern looking of the two, which makes sense because it was redesigned more recently.
Interior and tech
The Skoda Superb comes with plenty of equipment as standard. You get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a virtual cockpit, driver fatigue sensor and a DAB radio. You can also have adaptive cruise control, LED Matrix headlights and a reversing camera.

The Superb is very well made with plush materials
The Octavia isn鈥檛 exactly spartan by comparison. You get automatic headlights and wipers, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear parking sensors and much more. Overall, while the Superb is slightly better equipped, the Octavia represents better value for money.

This theme continues with the interior design. The Superb鈥檚 cabin is a few years old now and it shows. It鈥檚 not too showy and everything is well built and logically laid out.
The Skoda Octavia was overhauled much more recently, and this is definitely noticeable when you step inside. It may not be as well built as something like a Volkswagen Arteon but there are enough shiny trims and interesting shapes to brighten things up.

Boot space and practicality
One area that both of these cars lead their class is practicality. There鈥檚 a reason that Skodas are popular with minicab drivers, because they offer lots of rear legroom and plenty of boot space for suitcases.

The Skoda Superb is a bigger car than the Octavia, so it makes sense that it offers more interior space. Rear seat passengers will have plenty of legroom regardless of height and headroom is decent as well.

That鈥檚 not to say the Octavia is small. It might not be quite as spacious as the Superb but tall adults still shouldn鈥檛 have too much to complain about. Three people can fit across the rear bench with enough shoulder room, too.
As for the boot, both of these cars are available in hatchback or estate forms and both will have more than enough room for a family of four鈥檚 luggage. Obviously, if it鈥檚 outright space you鈥檙e looking for then you鈥檒l want the Skoda Superb with its 625-litre boot capacity. Although, the Octavia isn鈥檛 too far behind at 600-litres.
Safety and reliability
Both the Skoda Superb and Skoda Octavia scored the maximum five stars in their Euro NCAP crash tests, so you can rest easy that they are both safe and sturdy cars.
As for reliability, there are no horror stories to report with either of these cars, and Skoda has a pretty good reputation for dependability. All Skoda cars come with a three-year warranty as well, with unlimited mileage for the first two years and up to 60,000 miles in the third for added peace of mind.
Price and running costs
Seeing as the Skoda Superb sits above the Octavia in Skoda鈥檚 lineup, it鈥檒l be no surprise that the former is more expensive. That said, both cars offer great value for money.
The Skoda Superb starts from 拢27,180. However (at the time of writing) you can save 拢2,738 on one through carwow.
The Octavia starts from 拢22,270, and you can save 拢2,065 on one through carwow (at the time of writing).

Neither car will cost the earth to run either, regardless of which engine you go for. If you want the lowest BIK rate for your company car, then both are available as a plug-in hybrid as well.
Which is better, Skoda Octavia or Skoda Superb?
So which of these two family cars should you choose? Well, the Skoda Octavia represents the best value for money. It鈥檚 around 拢5,000 cheaper than the Superb and offers similar equipment levels, almost as much space and it looks and feels more modern.
The Skoda Superb is slightly more comfortable but there isn鈥檛 not much in it. Overall, you have to really want the extra space to justify the extra cost.
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