The laws of physics say it is impossible to squeeze a quart into a pint pot, yet Skoda’s Octavia proved that wrong. Built on the underpinnings of a Volkswagen Golf, it had the space to rival the larger Passat — without the price.

Now in its second incarnation, today’s Octavia was launched in Britain in June 2004. A raid on the parent company’s parts bin gave it some of the best bits of engineering without incurring the prohibitive costs of development and produced a car that boasts good build quality at a price that has rivals crying themselves to sleep at night.

Unsurprisingly the engine line-up almost mirrors that of the Golf. Petrol engines start with a slightly bland 1.4 litre and climb to the spicy 2 litre 200bhp turbocharged unit found in the last Golf GTI. For most buyers, though, the mid-range 1.6 will probably appeal, but a word of warning — avoid early examples of the 1.6 Classic, which had a 103bhp unit rather than the more powerful and sophisticated 115bhp FSI found in newer examples and in the Ambiente and Elegance models.

Diesel power comes in the form of the 1.9 litre TDI, producing 105bhp, and the slightly more modern 2 litre with 140bhp. Both are starting to feel their age; they’re neither the quietest nor most refined in class. A 2 litre 170bhp diesel was introduced recently.

The entry level Classic model is aimed squarely at the budget-conscious buyer. A 2004 registered car with average mileage can be bought for around £3,500, making it look good value, but you will have to make do with steel wheels and no air-conditioning. The move up to an Ambiente model sees prices start at around £5,500, with the higher specification including digital climate control, alloy wheels and electric rear windows. At the top of the range sits the Elegance, with parking sensors, an onboard computer and touches of chrome trim.

Regardless of trim or engine choice, the Octavia’s great appeal is space. With its 560 litre boot the car has more carrying capacity than a Ford Mondeo or Honda Accord. And it’s much the same story in the cabin, where a split-fold rear seat combines with the hatchback design to offer real load-lugging capacity. For those who need even more space, an estate version came on sale in 2005. Used examples fetch around £500 more than their hatchback equivalent.

The car is a pleasant drive, a little firmer than some rivals, but reasonably refined and it is able to shrug off long hauls comfortably. On diesel models look out for smoking turbochargers.

The Skoda Octavia has always made a sound purchase from new. The great news for used buyers is that, if anything, it’s got better with age.

OWNER’S VIEW

On a trip to Birmingham from Scotland I managed 63mpg in my 1.9 TDI Octavia Ambiente. It’s a whole lot of car for a very reasonable price.

Donald Farrell, Dumfriesshire

NOTE THE FOLLOWING

CENTRAL LOCKING Some owners report failure of central locking mechanism

CLIMATE CONTROL Chafed cables can cause the system to fail. Check the dials and adjustments work smoothly

GEARBOX Optional DSG gearbox is a joy to use giving lightning quick changes either fully automatically or with driver input. Expect to pay a £500 premium over the standard manual

INTERIOR Light cloth trims are prone to marks that can be difficult to remove

SAFETY Four stars for adult occupant safety in Euro NCAP tests with driver, side and passenger airbags as standard

SERVICING Variable service intervals will see the Octavia go up to 20,000 miles between dealer visits

WIPERS Optional rain-sensing wipers can be oversensitive, while other owners have reported wiper motors failing

VITAL STATISTICS

MODEL Octavia 2.0 TDI Ambiente

ENGINE1968cc, four cycliders, turbo

POWER 140bhp

TRANSMISSION Six-speed manual

FUEL 51.4mpg (combined cycle)

CO2 145g/km

ACCELERATION 0-62mph: 9.6sec

TOP SPEED 129mph

COST NEW (2005)£14,752

TAX BAND C (£120 a year)

THE ONE TO BUY A 2005 05 Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI Ambiente with 30,000 miles on the clock. Pay £7,695 at a dealer or £6,800 privately

OR FOR SIMILAR MONEY

2004 54 Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D T Spirit

2005 05 VW Golf Plus 1.9SE TDI

2005 55 Mazda6 2.0D TS2

2005 55 Honda Civic 1.7 CTDi SE

2006 06 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi 130 Zetec