The cat is well and truly out of the bag. Take a quick look at Skoda's sales figures for the last couple of years and you'll see that buyers all over Europe accept the brand and recognise it as offering Volkswagen group build quality for decidedly un-Volkswagen pricing. Of course, the sensible Skodas are still a far easier sell than those that appear to 'reach a little' shall we say, image-wise, and that should put the latest generation Octavia Estate on a very sound footing indeed.

First shown at the Paris Show in September 2004, the Octavia estate is a good deal sleeker and more rounded than its rather setsquare predecessor. Built on the same platform as the hatchback model, the Octavia estate eschews the current trend for long wheelbase estate versions and instead concentrates on offering solid value for money and practical interior solutions rather than headline grabbing gimmickry. A split/fold rear bench isn't the most exciting feature but it can free up a huge amount of space - some 1,620 litres all in - and even with the seats in place, there's 580 litres available to stuff with bags. That's fully 32 litres more than the old car despite the latest model looking a good deal sportier.

Still, you could be forgiven for thinking the latest car is merely a facelift of the previous model. Skoda and their customers were happy with the styling of the outgoing version and despite the current car being all new from the ground up, the lines are evolutionary. The grille is that little bit more pronounced and the wheelarches look more architecturally sculpted but otherwise you won't need to clock the badge on its behind to figure out that it's an Octavia.

The load bay is not only large but also sensibly shaped. Instead of the wheelarch intrusion that so many estate models suffer, the Octavia Estate features a large, flat load space, carpeted and trimmed with rails so that heavy items can be slid into place. Lashing eyes mounted on the floor ensure that heavy objects can be firmly stowed and all the fixtures and fittings look beefy enough to last the course. The sheer attention to detail is impressive. The low loading lip is thoughtfully contoured so that heavy items can be rested there for a moment without danger of slipping. Beefy gas struts keep the tailgate well out of your way so you've got plenty of room to manoeuvre.

"The Octavia Estate majors on solid value for money and practical interior solutions rather than headline grabbing gimmickry"

Launched in 1998, the original Octavia sold more than a million units. If you parked every Skoda Octavia ever built end-to-end they'd form a queue that ran from the Mladá Boleslav plant in the Czech Republic all the way to London. That's a lot of Skodas, a whole heap of satisfied customers and a big burden of expectation placed upon the broad shoulders of the latest car. Fortunately it's well up to the task.

Rather unsurprisingly given its Volkswagen Group parentage, the Octavia runs on the latest Golf chassis. Other models from this empire do so too - the Volkswagen Touran for instance - but the Octavia opts for a more comfort-oriented bias in keeping with its target market. Given that Skoda buyers tend to be a little more mature than those who favour Volkswagen and Audi products, that makes a lot of sense. The conservative styling and the high quality but low key interior will also appeal to those who no longer feel the need to be the centre of attention.

The rear overhang has been extended a little further to give the Octavia Estate better load capacity. Passenger room is similarly generous - and that's important since the prodigious luggage space of the original Octavia required rear seat passengers to pay in kind. The wheelbase of the latest model has been teased out by another 66mm, endowing it with admirable rear legroom even when long limbed adults occupy the front seats. Rear headroom is better than the swooping roofline would suggest, helped in no small part by a slightly more generous seat back recline than in many such cars. The fascia won't surprise too many, again being a development of the old car's styling themes. The 'Venetian blind' air vents and the no nonsense switchgear are recurrent themes but the quality has been improved still further. Whereas the old Octavia's dash was very well screwed together but made of noticeably cheaper materials than the Golf, the expensively slush-moulded finishes of the current Octavia bear comparison with the best in class. True, there's no soft touch damping in the grab handles but even Volkswagen and Skoda brand managers need something to get all protective and bickery over.

The Octavia drives pretty much as you'd expect - assured, comfortable but nothing too sporting. These days, even the more comfort biased chassis are so competent that it takes a genuinely hamfisted development to result in a car that's no fun to drive. The latest Octavia benefits from Volkswagen's quest to endow the Golf chassis with Ford Focus-style driving manners. Even with the wick turned down a good few notches, it can't help but feel extremely capable when stitching a series of bends together.

Engine-wise, prepare to be faced with a 75bhp 1.4-litre, a 115bhp 1.6-litre FSI, a 150bhp 2.0-litre FSI, a 160bhp 1.8 T FSI and the 200bhp 2.0-litre turbo powerplant found in the vRS if you choose petrol power. Opt for diesel and there's a 105bhp 1.9-litre entry-level TDI, a torquey 140bhp TDI and a 170bhp TDI acting as the flagship diesel engine in the vRS TDI. If you prefer your Octavia to be the bit nimbler, the 115bhp 1.6-litre FSI engine represents probably the best balance between poise and power. Of course, the 2.0-litre TDI 140 diesel is the car that many will be drawn to as it also offers a version of the VW Group's fantastic DSG dual clutch gearbox, albeit without the F1-style paddle shift. There are even all-wheel drive models with a Haldex electronically controlled multi-plate clutch that uses sensors around the car to determine the amount of drive needed for the rear wheels. If you can't run to a Volvo XC70 or a Subaru Forester, this Skoda estate 4x4 or Scout derivatives represent a very worthy alternative and they're a good deal more capable than that part time drive system would suggest.

Whichever Octavia Estate model you opt for, you're buying quality and capability. The value for money aspect is common knowledge. The secret's out.

TOP 5 OCTAVIA DEALS

The results below show the top OCTAVIA deals on buyacar

	Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI PD Scout 4x4 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £311	Saving £2,173	Price £17,712
	Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI PD Ambiente 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £245	Saving £1,577	Price £14,043
	Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI PD 170 vRS 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £298	Saving £2,139	Price £17,476
	Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI PD Laurin + Klement 5dr DSG Estate
	ETR	Mthly £355	Saving £2,483	Price £19,567
	Skoda Octavia 1.9 TDI PD Elegance 5dr Estate
	ETR	Mthly £259	Saving £1,721	Price £14,919

typical 10.52% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000