Skoda: Euro vision

Now with VW's six-speed DSG auto, Skoda's impressive Yeti is a capable any-roads car with five-star safety. Photo / Supplied

Forget seven brides for seven brothers - last week brought seven Skodas and one very busy afternoon of driving.

And what it underlined is just how good these cars are - particularly now VW's double-clutch auto has filtered down to this often overlooked brand.

What's new?
None of the cars are completely new. The compact Fabia gets a mild facelift and a new 77kW petrol turbo hatch and wagon, plus a sporting 132kW supercharged turbo for the $37,000 vRS which arrives next month, before VW lands its Polo GTI.

The impressive Yeti now has VW's six-speed DSG auto, and Skoda's mid-sized Octavia liftback and wagons feature a suite of new engines. The 90kW and 118kW petrol turbo join the 77kW turbo-diesel that gets rejigged specs, including steel wheels to allow a lower price. The range now starts at $34,500, five grand less than before.

The excellent four-paw Octavia Scout comes with a DSG auto from January, while the Superb adds an 118kW petrol turbo at a lower entry-level price and 103kW turbo diesel to both sedan and wagon, plus four-wheel-drive for the 103kW turbo-diesel.

The company line
Lots of choice, and a promise to keep ownership costs down.

Skoda NZ GM James Yates says that with today's technology and long-life oils, not all cars need servicing as regularly. So Skodas will now tell you when a service is due - after 12 months if your car frequently gets cold starts and short trips, or longer if extended runs are part of your driving mix.

Yates also says: "Skoda is trying to offset the assumption Euros are expensive," so his dealers can sell you scheduled servicing for four or six years from a rapidly increasing network of service centres (new centres are opening from Kaitaia to Invercargill and Whanganui to Gisborne in coming months).

What we say
Fabia's look is dating - but its cabin benefits from the two-tone option fitted to the car I drove, the cream and grey diverting your attention from entry-level plastics and a basic layout.

Yeti's quirky design is matched to a capable any-roads car with five-star safety that'll keep active families happy.

Octavia is handsome, its engines suited to that seven-speed DSG auto. And don't be put off the 118kW Superb; it pulls better than the on-paper figures suggest, while delivering an entry-level option to this smart, spacious sedan.

On the road
Fabia struggles to make its case against the similarly priced Polo, but Octavia's repriced range puts it on the radar for those seeking a conservative and well-priced Euro.

However, the vRS petrol turbo is mildly disappointing. The engine delivers the rush you want but handling didn't feel as sharp as expected - a bonus if you see your car as a daily commuter with an edge rather than a sports car that commutes.

Yeti benefits from the DSG, which we soon left in auto format bar the occasional downchange for sharper bends. As for Superb, its smartly appointed, capacious cabin continues to impress, as will both the entry-level petrol and diesel variants.

Why you'll buy one
The Yeti and Superb because you want the best of their type for the money.

Why you won't
The Fabia and vRS Octavia because other cars do the same thing better, for less.