The ŠKODA OCTAVIA come with a choice of nine engines – four TSI, four TDI and one CNG. They have capacities ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 litres, and their power outputs range from 63 kW (86 PS) to 135 kW (184 PS).
What makes this particular Skoda Octavia special is the inclusion of an all-new 1.0 TSI engine, which is a direct replacement for the four-cylinder 1.2 TSI unit that has until now propped up the petrol-powered part of the range. It also means that the Octavia now follows the lead set by Volkswagen, Audi, Opel and Ford, who all use turbocharged 1.0-litre units somewhere in their family hatchback line-ups.
Thanks to its compact construction and aluminium crankcase, the new 1.0 TSI engine weighs approximately ten kilograms less than the 1.2-litre engine it is replacing.
The 1.0-liter TSI three-cylinder is unsurprisingly similar to those found under the bonnet of the Golf TSI Bluemotion and entry-level A3, with this incarnation of the engine weighing in at 78kg and producing peak outputs of 113bhp and 148lb ft.
This 1.0-litre TSI Octavia has an unsettled ride much like the rest of the range, with it becoming fidgety over broken surfaces and having a tendency to crash from pothole to pothole.
Inside, the 1.0 TSI Octavia is much the same as any other in the line-up, with buyers being greeted by a solidly built and easy to use dashboard, even if it is a little on the mundane side. The new engine is available in only two trims, entry-level S and next-rung-up SE. The former S comes with manual air conditioning, 16in alloys, heated and folding door mirrors, the 5.8in ‘Bolero’ infotainment system (including DAB radio and controls for Bluetooth audio streaming and phone), USB inputs and hill start control.
The 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine renders the Octavia a quiet, refined and gutsy car, which will more than handle both motorway driving and crawling through urban surroundings with the minimum of fuss.
The only decision to make is whether this engine has the edge over the 1.6 TDI. But while the diesel offers more lowdown grunt and emits just 85g/km of CO2 to the 1.0 TSI's 104g/km, it simply doesn't have the character of its zesty petrol sibling.