2022 Skoda Octavia 140TSI Limited Edition wagon review

The 2022 Skoda Octavia Limited Edition sits at the top of the mainstream Octavia range: above the entry-level Octavia 110, but below the Octavia RS hot hatch and wagon models.

With a drive-away price of $53,990 for the wagon model seen here, it’s not quite the budget battler the $39,990 drive-away Ambition range-opener is, but the Limited Edition model packs in almost all of Skoda’s available equipment to more than make up the difference.

Exterior highlights include 19-inch alloy wheels, clever matrix LED headlights that can mask out oncoming traffic, keyless entry and push-button start, rain-sensing wipers, and a restrained styling package that preferences subtle elegance over black-pack aggression.

Across its line-up, Skoda never fails to delight when it comes to thoughtful and spacious packaging, and the Octavia is no exception.

Interior space in both the front and rear seats is incredibly generous, with enough room to carry four adults with room to spare, or five without too much disagreement from the second row.

The Octavia Limited Edition steps up presentation with leather trimmed, electrically adjustable seats. Front seats also feature heating and ventilation, while the rear outboard seats are heated.

The interior design itself is modern, logical, and like the exterior, largely understated. The look is luxury rather than performance, and it works well, with plenty of brightwork, soft-touch elements, and inviting fabric highlights used on the dash.

Some interior switchgear like climate controls and some vehicle settings buttons have migrated to the infotainment system, which makes for a clean appearance, but does cause some useability frustrations.

Interior storage space is impressive, with a large wireless charge pad ahead of the low-line gear selector toggle, a pair of well-sized cupholders, and a large lidded console with a height-adjustable armrest lid.

The door bins are nice and large, allowing plenty of carry-on storage – not to mention little Skoda-isms, like a small lidded bin that clips into the door bin and uses a plastic bag to catch your wrappers, gum or other refuse.

There’s also an umbrella tucked into the armrest on the driver’s door. Just the thing for when you’re away from home and get caught short in a change in the weather.

A powered tailgate opens to reveal a sizeable 640L boot, with up to 1700L with the rear seats folded. Those seats have a 60:40 split, with a pass-through ski port to load long items and keep window seats available in the rear.

The boot comes loaded with bag hooks, small item nets, a double-sided boot mat, and a 12-volt power outlet. Seat-fold levers also reside in the boot walls, making it easy to flip-forward seats from the cargo area.

A crisp and clear 10.0-inch touchscreen display takes care of more than entertainment functions in the Octavia, it’s the nerve centre of all of the vehicle’s functions.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, while the native system covers Bluetooth, FM/DAB+ radio, and inbuilt satellite navigation. Eight-speaker audio is currently standard owing to component shortages, but premium 12-speaker Canton audio may be fitted to some stock vehicles already in the country (like the vehicle tested here) – check with your dealer.

The system itself offers a solid user experience, and allows voice prompts for some functions. Having to use the touchscreen for things that should be quick and easy (like climate-control adjustments) might be a bit of a backwards step.

There is, at least, a volume slider below the screen, and things like temp adjustments and seat heating can be accessed at all times from Skoda’s native menus, but not during smartphone mirroring.

A 10.25-inch virtual instrument display is equally clear and crisp, and Skoda allows a range of tailorable display formats so drivers can customise the experience to suit. The steering wheel features physical buttons too, and not the haptic touch buttons found in some similar Volkswagen Group products.

The Skoda Octavia was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2019, scoring well in adult occupant protection (92 per cent), child occupant (87 per cent), vulnerable road user (73 per cent) and safety assist (79 per cent).

The Octavia 140TSI Limited Edition includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring and assist, lane-keeping assist and rear cross-traffic alert.

A suite of 10 airbags – including a central airbag designed to mitigate head clashes between front occupants in the event of an accident – cover both rows of occupants. A pair of ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tether anchorage points are fitted to the rear seat.

What’s missing? Honestly, very little. At this point, though, a 360-degree camera should be standard, so it feels like a strange omission to find a reversing camera only.

Skoda offers the Octavia with a standard five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, but also offers a prepaid seven-year service plan, the purchase of which extends the warranty to seven years.

The seven-year/105,000km servicing plan is priced at $2400 upfront. A five-year/75,000km pack is also available for a reasonable $1550 upfront. Pay as you go capped-price servicing is also available, but it’s the less economical option adding up to $2783 over five years.

Insuring the Skoda Octavia Limited Edition wagon will cost an estimated $1380 per year on a comparative quote based on a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Overall, given the size and performance on offer, after a week with the Octavia, an as-tested 8.2 litres per 100km doesn’t seem excessive. On the other hand, Skoda’s claimed consumption is a very frugal 6.2L/100km.

No doubt once the car is run in, consumption will improve slightly. It’s also worth keeping in mind that unlike Japanese rivals such as the Camry and Mazda 6, the Octavia requires 95-octane premium unleaded as a minimum.

While the Octavia Limited Edition model is offered as a fully loaded ‘one with the lot’ variant in the range, you may be just as swayed by its underbonnet upgrades as those of its equipment list.

A 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine provides 140kW and 320Nm powering the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. That’s a handy upgrade over the 110kW and 250Nm 1.4-litre engine of the Octavia Style and Octavia Ambition.

It’s also the same powertrain that will be seen in the Octavia Sportline arriving next year, the model that effectively replaces the Limited Edition in the line-up.

While the power figure may not look particularly impressive on its own, this engine is all about its effortless torque – and it’s that pulling power you’ll most notice around town, which makes for an effortless driving experience.

Is it a stepping-stone to the hotter Octavia RS? No. The 140TSI engine is still more on the relaxed side of the scale, but it has enough urge to never feel underdone.

Refinement levels are exceptionally high – be that engine, wind or road noise, the Octavia contains external intrusions effectively. Occupants get a serene cruising experience no matter the conditions.

The suspension is tuned a little towards Euro-firm, but in a way that feels controlled rather than harsh. Ratty rural roads with pockmarks and potholes can be felt in the cabin, but typical urban streets and the surface changes they carry are blotted out.

The steering has a nice direct connection to the front wheels, but there’s not too much in the way of feedback. Again reflecting the Octavia’s position as comfortable and premium, rather than aspiring to be sporty.

Call it near-plush, if you will. It’s a well-rounded and pleasing experience from behind the wheel, that’s for sure.

The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission seems to have addressed most of the bugbears of older systems, now much smoother at parking speeds, and easier to live with for uphill standing starts and the like.

Often when asked ‘should I buy…’ we’ll offer a range of qualifying questions, or issue a disclaimer before giving a recommendation. In the case of the Skoda Octavia, no such step is necessary.

The Octavia is top of its class. The best medium car in Australia’s new car landscape, as witnessed by its 2022 Drive Car of the Year, Best Medium to Large Car category win.

To get there it needed a spacious and practical interior, strong safety credentials, and willing but frugal performance, while offering it all as excellent value for money. It passes the grade with flying colours, to the point where it can be hard to find significant flaws with the overall package.