BEST BUY LESS THAN £15,000
Skoda Octavia 1.2 TSI SE

WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN huge fans of the Skoda Octavia. After all, what's not to like when it provides family car space and quality for the price of a top-end supermini?

What gave the Octavia the edge over its rivals this year (2011), though, was the introduction of the brilliant new 1.2 TSI petrol engine.

You need to experience it to believe just how smooth and flexible it is.There’s also the lure of a diesel-rivalling 49.6mpg.

As ever, the Octavia is great to drive, well made and more practical than any of its rivals. SE trim includes alloy wheels, air-conditioning and four electric windows, but you need to pay extra for stability control and curtain handbags.
Those come as standard with the Hyundai i30 1.4 Comfort, which has been our recommendation here for the past three years. It still represents outstanding value for money – with more kit than the Octavia at a lower price – and comes with a 5 year, unlimited-mileage warranty. It WAS a tough call, but OCTAVIA’s superb engine and extra space were just enough to push it to the TOP.

PERFORMANCE:
0-62mph 10.8 seconds
Top speed 119mph

RUNNING COSTS:
Economy 49.6mpg
CO2 134g/km
Insurance Group 16

LIST PRICE:
£14,215

BEST BUY LESS THAN £16,000
Skoda Ocavia Estate 1.4 TSI SE

THE SKODA OCTAVIA ESTATE proves that you don’t need to give up passenger space,decent levels of kit and driving manners just because you need a big boot.

This may all sound a little familiar to regular readers,because the Octavia Estate has been our recommended estate car at the lowest price point for 5 years running.Since 2007,nothing has managed to surpass it in terms of space,driveability and value.

This year the new Seat Ibiza ST has proven that supermini estates can be stylish as well as good to drive,but it still wasn’t enough to sway us from the Skoda.

The 1.4 TSI engine is efficient,smooth and sweet-revving,and packs just enough punch.Alloy wheels,air-conditioning,electric windows and a CD changer all come as standard,proving the Octavia is no spartan load lugger,but a great family estate.
A step in the boot floor is the only blot on the car’s copy book,although the 580-litre boot expands to 1620 litres when the seats are down,which should be enough space for all.

PERFORMANCE:
0-60 9.8 seconds
Top speed 125mph

RUNNING COSTS:
Economy 44.8mpg
CO2 148g/km
Insurance Group 16

LIST PRICE:
£15,740

BEST BUY LESS THAN £16,000
Skoda Superb 1.4 TSI SE

THE SKODA SUPERB is such an enormous chunk of car that you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve turned to the LUXURY car section by mistake.

As well as being big,the Superb is also clever,with a boot lid that can be opened like a saloon’s or a hatch.Either way,the 565-litre load capacity is immense.

The Skoda Superb is also a cut above most of its opposition if you judge it by the quality of the cabin’s dense,soft-touch plastics,classy chrome highlights and slick operating switchgear.

One aspect of our favourite Superb that isn’t super-sized is its diminutive 1.4 litre petrol engine,although the efficient turbocharger helps it pump out a healthy 123bhp and 148lb ft of torque.This means it has more than enough get up and go.

The 1.4 TSI also does an average of 41.5mpg and pumps out just 157g/km of CO2,so it won’t tax your coffers too much.

Bear in mind its list price is just £16,670 and you'll see that all this luxury comes at a cost that's far from luxury-car money.

PERFORMANCE:
0-62mph 10.5 seconds
Top speed 125mph

RUNNING COSTS:
Economy 41.5mpg
CO2 157g/km
Insurance group 15

LIST PRICE:
£16,670