The new Sportline liftback variant has arrived to bolster Skoda’s midsize Octavia lineup, which takes on Toyota Camry, Mazda 6 and Hyundai i30 in the valueladen mainstream sedan stakes.

While the 1.4L turbo front drive powertrain and chassis credentials look meek on paper, the Czech fivedoor offers a keen blend of equipment, execution and European driving flair that has made this generation a past Chasing Cars Car Of The Year winner in 2022.

While the Octavia is due for a facelift soon, the current Sportline’s keen $40,580 list price makes for a compellingly affordable family car, even for buyers convinced that they’ll need an SUV instead.

Deputy Editor Curt Dupriez takes a deep dive and discovers a fine allrounder that punches well above its modest price point.

Time codes:
0:00 Intro
0:13 Pricing
0:47 Mainstream acceptance
1:10 Skoda’s traditional ethos
1:35 What is Sportline?
2:15 Specifications
2:57 Currentgen Octavia
3:38 Interior
4:04 Cabin design
5:00 Ergonomics
5:40 Digital screens
6:30 Downsides
7:30 ‘Simply Clever’ details
7:47 Row two
8:45 Boot space
9:42 On road
10:57 Performance
11:55 Sports suspension
12:40 Dynamic character
13:12 Ownership credentials
13:52 Verdict
15:02 Facelift coming soon

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