You might imagine the entry-level 1.2-litre petrol engine would struggle to haul around a car this big, but it’s easily up to the job, pulling strongly from just 1400rpm. Performance from the 1.6-litre diesel is perfectly acceptable, while the 148bhp 2.0 diesel is strong and flexible. The vRS models get powerful 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines, so are effortlessly fast. For the most part, the Octavia rides comfortably enough. You feel more of bumps than you do in a VW Golf, but they don’t thump through to the cabin like they do in the smaller Rapid. The Octavia isn't quite as agile as a Ford Mondeo, but the body doesn't lollop around through tight twists and turns, and there's plenty of grip.
The Octavia’s petrol engines are smooth and quiet, although the diesels are a tad noisy compared with the same engines in the VW Golf, and you feel more vibration through the pedals. There’s some wind noise on the motorway, but road noise is well suppressed and the gear change is pretty slick and accurate.
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