Here is a list of our latest awards. We expect to be adding to them soon!
2008 Auto Express Driver Power - Octavia Best Car of the Year Award
More than 32,000 independent members of the public vote in the reliability and satisfaction poll, making it a true reflection of how pleased people are with their cars. This year, as with last, Octavia owners are the happiest of the bunch. The latest glowing report means that 2008 is the fifth consecutive year that a Škoda model has finished in the top five. David Johns, Auto Express' Editor in Chief, said: "The Octavia is a deserving winner of the Best Car title in Driver Power 2008. For the second year in a row, the Octavia has impressed with its practicality and performance. Owners have once again struggled to find any faults with Škoda's family car". Škoda also ranked second car manufacturer out of 37. Škoda UK Brand Director, Robert Hazelwood is delighted, but not suprised by this latest success. "It proves yet again that we are, indeed, the manufacturer of happy drivers".
2008 What Car? Magazine - Octavia Classic Estate Best Buy Estate Under £15,000
The Octavia 1.6 FSI Classic saw off fierce competition from the likes of the Kia Cee'd SW, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra to win the 'Best Buy' accolade. What Car? editor, Steve Fowler, said "As an overall package, the Octavia is still ahead of its rivals. The boot is large, free from intrusions and quick to expand to its full size, thanks to its easy-to-fold rear seats. It's also a very comfortable car with a high-quality feel and plenty of equipment included as standard. Since it's been around for a few years now, the Octavia is also available with decent discounts to make it an ever more attractive proposition."
2008 4x4 Magazine – Octavia Scout Best Crossover Estate
The Octavia Scout beat both the Jaguar X Type AWD and the Subaru Forester. Richard Williamson, category judge, gave the Octavia 8.5 points out of 10 and said: “The Scout is well-built, good to drive, ruggedly styled, practical and priced to please. It creates a new 4x4 estate benchmark.” 4x4 Magazine is Britain’s biggest and best-selling off-roading title.
The Octavia Scout 1.9TDI, winner of two categories, was praised by judges as “an absolute delight to drive, with a willing engine, sweet gearbox and full-time four-wheel drive”. Its low running costs helped it beat rivals including the Volvo C30 and Nissan Qashqai. The Towcar Awards are the most prestigious event on the caravanning calendar, and are run by The Caravan Club, which has over a million members.
The Roomster Scout 1.9TDI beat off both the Fiat Bravo and Kia Cee’d. Judges were taken by its “roominess”, “well-sorted” gearbox and “nice conventional handbrake”. The Towcar Awards are the most prestigious event on the caravanning calendar, and are run by The Caravan Club, which has over a million members.
We continued our fantastic 12-year run in the top five of the JD Power Survey of Customer Satisfaction by coming second only to premium brand Lexus. The study is based on the opinions of over 18,000 UK car owners with an average of two years ownership. It includes 33 brands and 113 models and covers four broad measures of satisfaction – quality and reliability, vehicle appeal, dealer service satisfaction and ownership costs. Fabia was 2nd in the Super Mini category, the Octavia was top of the Family Cars category and the Superb was 4th in the Luxury Saloons category.
More than 56,000 Top Gear readers rated 152 cars in the magazine’s annual owner satisfaction survey. Škoda was the overall top car manufacturer of 2006. Top Gear called it “just reward for a decade of producing spot-on cars that press exactly the right buttons for its owners”. The Octavia was 3rd best car, the Fabia 4th and the Superb 7th.
Last year, the new Octavia came 2nd, the highest ever entry for a new model. This year, the many tens of thousands of owners questioned rated it on reliability, build quality, running costs, performance and ease of driving. David John, Auto Express Editor in Chief, said of the Octavia: “… it will be tough to beat in next year’s survey. Owners have struggled to find any faults with Škoda’s family car.”
The judges described their Family Car of the Year as “versatile, imaginative and superbly constructed”. The Roomster was ranked ahead of cars costing nearly three times as much. As Stephen Park, President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, explained: “Every now and again, a motor manufacturer breaks rank and offers something totally different… Škoda has increasingly thrown caution to the wind in creating desirable family transporters.”
The Octavia Ambiente 1.6FSI won the Small Family Car category for the second year running. The What Car? judging panel described it as “more spacious and practical than any direct rival” – rivals which included the Honda Civic and Ford Focus.
The Octavia vRS’s victory in this tough Hot Hatch category was strongly justified by the judges: “Don’t think Škoda has won here simply by offering value for money – the vRS is Škoda’s fastest ever production car.” They also praised its unique combination of sportiness and practicality, summing it up by saying “Discerning owners will gain a glow of satisfaction from knowing that their unassuming Škoda can wallop many more brash rivals.”