Skoda

Why we call ourselves 'The manufacturer of happy drivers'

You may have already read this on our site, but we make no apologies for telling you again - 98% of Škoda owners would probably recommend us to a friend (source: 2007 JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey).

We’re very proud of this stunning stat – especially since the J.D. Power survey is arguably the most comprehensive and respected in the UK. It’s conducted among owners of two to three year old cars and takes into account:

- Quality and reliability
- Vehicle appeal (including performance, design, comfort and features)
- Satisfaction with retailer service
- Ownership costs (fuel consumption, insurance and service/repair).
The JD Power survey is no 'flash in the pan' either. We’ve won an estate car-load of other awards, especially since becoming part of the renowned Volkswagen group.

Apart from the quality and value of our cars, the following story might just sum up why... A short story of Škoda service

Once upon a time in Perthshire, Scotland, a GP's Škoda was due for its annual service. Trouble was, she lived on a remote island served by a ferry that only sailed every three days – and she couldn't leave her patients for that long. Undeterred, the retailer on the mainland sent a technician across the water, armed with his tools and a tent. The technician serviced the car, then spent the next three days touring the island and camping under the stars until the ferry returned to take him back again!

This little story may be a little out of the ordinary, but the attitude of the Škoda retailer – and the technician - isn't. And we have a UK network of over 130 retailers, who are just as dedicated to looking after our drivers.

2008 What Car? Magazine - Octavia Classic Estate Best Buy Estate Under £15,000

The Octavia 1.6 FSI Classic saw off fierce competition from the likes of the Kia Cee'd SW, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra to win the 'Best Buy' accolade. What Car? editor, Steve Fowler, said "As an overall package, the Octavia is still ahead of its rivals. The boot is large, free from intrusions and quick to expand to its full size, thanks to its easy-to-fold rear seats. It's also a very comfortable car with a high-quality feel and plenty of equipment included as standard. Since it's been around for a few years now, the Octavia is also available with decent discounts to make it an ever more attractive proposition."

2008 4x4 Magazine – Octavia Scout Best Crossover Estate

The Octavia Scout beat both the Jaguar X Type AWD and the Subaru Forester. Richard Williamson, category judge, gave the Octavia 8.5 points out of 10 and said: “The Scout is well-built, good to drive, ruggedly styled, practical and priced to please. It creates a new 4x4 estate benchmark.” 4x4 Magazine is Britain’s biggest and best-selling off-roading title. 2008 Towcar Awards – Octavia Scout Best Car (£20,000-£25,000) Best 4x4 under 1,800kg

The Octavia Scout 1.9TDI, winner of two categories, was praised by judges as “an absolute delight to drive, with a willing engine, sweet gearbox and full-time four-wheel drive”. Its low running costs helped it beat rivals including the Volvo C30 and Nissan Qashqai. The Towcar Awards are the most prestigious event on the caravanning calendar, and are run by The Caravan Club, which has over a million members. 2008 Towcar Awards – Roomster Scout Best Car under £16,000

The Roomster Scout 1.9TDI beat off both the Fiat Bravo and Kia Cee’d. Judges were taken by its “roominess”, “well-sorted” gearbox and “nice conventional handbrake”. The Towcar Awards are the most prestigious event on the caravanning calendar, and are run by The Caravan Club, which has over a million members. 2007 JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey – Škoda 2nd overall, in top 5 for last 12 years

We continued our fantastic 12-year run in the top five of the JD Power Survey of Customer Satisfaction by coming second only to premium brand Lexus. The study is based on the opinions of over 18,000 UK car owners with an average of two years ownership. It includes 33 brands and 113 models and covers four broad measures of satisfaction – quality and reliability, vehicle appeal, dealer service satisfaction and ownership costs. Fabia was 2nd in the Super Mini category, the Octavia was top of the Family Cars category and the Superb was 4th in the Luxury Saloons category. 2007 Top Gear readers’ poll - Škoda best manufacturer

More than 56,000 Top Gear readers rated 152 cars in the magazine’s annual owner satisfaction survey. Škoda was the overall top car manufacturer of 2006. Top Gear called it “just reward for a decade of producing spot-on cars that press exactly the right buttons for its owners”. The Octavia was 3rd best car, the Fabia 4th and the Superb 7th. 2007 Auto Express Driver Power – New Octavia Best Car of the Year

Last year, the new Octavia came 2nd, the highest ever entry for a new model. This year, the many tens of thousands of owners questioned rated it on reliability, build quality, running costs, performance and ease of driving. David John, Auto Express Editor in Chief, said of the Octavia: “… it will be tough to beat in next year’s survey. Owners have struggled to find any faults with Škoda’s family car.” 2006 Scottish Motoring Writers – Roomster Best Family Car

The judges described their Family Car of the Year as “versatile, imaginative and superbly constructed”. The Roomster was ranked ahead of cars costing nearly three times as much. As Stephen Park, President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, explained: “Every now and again, a motor manufacturer breaks rank and offers something totally different… Škoda has increasingly thrown caution to the wind in creating desirable family transporters.” 2006 What Car? New Octavia Best Small Family Car

The Octavia Ambiente 1.6FSI won the Small Family Car category for the second year running. The What Car? judging panel described it as “more spacious and practical than any direct rival” – rivals which included the Honda Civic and Ford Focus. 2006 What Car? New Octavia vRS Best Hot Hatch

The Octavia vRS’s victory in this tough Hot Hatch category was strongly justified by the judges: “Don’t think Škoda has won here simply by offering value for money – the vRS is Škoda’s fastest ever production car.” They also praised its unique combination of sportiness and practicality, summing it up by saying “Discerning owners will gain a glow of satisfaction from knowing that their unassuming Škoda can wallop many more brash rivals.”
2006 JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey – 3rd overall, in top 5 for last 11 years
2006 Auto Express Driver Power survey – Škoda 2nd overall, 3 cars in top WHICH CARS??
2005 Car of the Year - New Octavia Silver Award and Best Small Family Car
2005 Car of the Year (Czech Rep) – New Octavia winner
2005 ADAC Consumption Test (Germany) – New Octavia Most Economic Middle Class Car
2005 Golden Steering Wheel (Germany) - New Octavia top of Compact/Mid-sized Car
2005 Automobilia (Italy) – Octavia Most Beautiful Mid-sized Car
2004 Diesel Car - Fabia vRS Best Performance Diesel
2004 Daily Express – New Octavia Best Family Car 2004 Car of the Year – New Octavia winner in Finland, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina
2003 JD Power Survey – First generation Octavia Best Family Car
2003 Caravan Club – Superb Towcar of the Year
2002 What Car? First generation Fabia Best Supermini
2002 Scottish Motoring Writers – Superb Luxury Car of the Year
2002 Scottish Motoring Writers – Fabia vRS Diesel Car of the Year
2002 Used Car Buyer – First generation Octavia Best Medium Car
2001 What Car? – First generation Fabia Best Supermini
2001 Which? First generation Fabia Safest Supermini
2001 Diesel Car - Fabia vRS Best Diesel Supermini
2001 Caravan Club – First generation Octavia Best Towcar under £16,000
2000 What Car? – First generation Fabia Car of the Year
2000 What car? – First generation Fabia Best Supermini
2000 Auto Express – First generation Fabia Car of the Year
2000 Auto Express – First generation Fabia Best Supermini
2000 Autocar – Škoda Manufacturer of the Year
2000 Marketing Week and Chartered Institute of Marketing – Effectiveness Award for Durables – Overall Grand Prix Winner, Marketer of the Year
1999 Diesel Car – First generation Octavia Best Diesel Estate