First and foremost, the Skoda Octavia offers generous space for occupants and a bigger boot than most competitors from the class above, plus its plush interior and frugal engines make it a fantastic car for covering big distances in. The soft suspension makes the car feel smooth and luxurious and the Octavia is perfectly capable when it comes to corners. Its steering is precise and has plenty of reassuring weight, providing a good sense of connection to the front tyres. Helpfully, Skoda has positioned the infotainment touchscreen in the Octavia high on the dashboard so you don’t have to take your eyes far from the road to see it. All models come with a 13.0in touchscreen, Bluetooth, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, a DAB radio and built-in sat-nav. Plush, squidgy plastics are present on the top and front of the Octavia's dashboard and above the armrests on the doors. There are some harder plastics lower down, but they're pleasingly textured and everything feels solidly screwed together. SE L trim gets a faux-suede surface for part of the dashboard and a wider range of seating upholstery, lifting the ambience further. Blue, 1 owner, £13,999