Skoda Octavia vs Superb: Family hatchback showdown

If you’re after a no-nonsense, practical, comfortable and well made car that’s 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’ll be cheap to run, too.

The Octavia sits below the Superb in Skoda’s line-up, so it’s no surprise that it doesn’t feel quite as upmarket as its bigger brother. That’s not to say it’s in any way uncomfortable though, as it deals with bumps in the road very well.

If it’s hot-hatch performance you want, then there’s the Octavia vRS.

It blends performance and practicality in a sporty-looking package, and if this is what you’re after then the Octavia is the only option here because Soda doesn’t make a Superb vRS.

The Skoda Superb is a bit more refined and comfortable than the Octavia. It’s quiet on the motorway and easy around town. It won’t 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’t set your world on fire to look at. It’s 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 “Dragon Green” 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’ll 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’t 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’s cabin is a few years old now and it shows. It’s 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’s 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’s not to say the Octavia is small. It might not be quite as spacious as the Superb but tall adults still shouldn’t 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’s luggage. Obviously, if it’s outright space you’re looking for then you’ll want the Skoda Superb with its 625-litre boot capacity. Although, the Octavia isn’t 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’s lineup, it’ll be no surprise that the former is more expensive. That said, both cars offer great value for money.

The Skoda Superb starts from £27,180. However (at the time of writing) you can save £2,738 on one through carwow.

The Octavia starts from £22,270, and you can save £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’s around £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’t not much in it. Overall, you have to really want the extra space to justify the extra cost.

Head over to the carwow configurator to get a great deal on your next car. Looking to sell your car? You can do it through carwow, and it’s quick and easy. Upload a few pictures, answer a few questions and our trusted dealers will offer you the best price for your car.