Skoda Octavia 4x4 1.9 TDI

What’s new?
Skoda’s four-wheel-drive Estate in diesel form, on British roads. You can now add economy – 47.9mpg’s worth – to the list of qualities of a car already toting 1620-litres of storage space, ample comfort, admirable build quality, increased traction in slippery conditions, and compelling value for money.
What’s it like?
About as useful as cars get. It’s a shame that it’s lumbered with VAG’s 1.9-litre oilburner instead of the newer 2.0-litre option – the ageing eight-valve diesel is a noisy compromise to refinement by the latest standards – but otherwise this car is hard to fault.
So should I buy one?
If you like the idea of a car that could follow a proper SUV almost anywhere, with as much on board, but without any of the associated image problems, here it is. And it’s cheaper than a Forester.