Vauxhall Astra vs Skoda Octavia
Figures updated
The Vauxhall Astra and Skoda Octavia are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Astra L (2022–) and the Mk4 (2020–) Octavia on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 823,283 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Vauxhall Astra for the lower price, or the Skoda Octavia for the bigger boot, the better MOT record and more performance.
- The Vauxhall Astra is the cheapest to buy new: from £27,495, £1,010 less than the Skoda Octavia.
- The Skoda Octavia has the biggest boot: 600 litres, 178 more than the Vauxhall Astra.
- Euro NCAP safety: Vauxhall Astra 4 stars (2022), Skoda Octavia 5 stars (2025). Ratings from different years aren't directly comparable, as the tests get tougher.
- The Skoda Octavia has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Vauxhall Astra fails its MOT about 24% more often.
- Running costs are close: the petrol versions cost within £14 a year of each other to fuel at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the exhaust and emissions on a Vauxhall Astra: it fails on them 1.4 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Vauxhall AstraAstra L (2022–), 5-door hatchback | Skoda OctaviaMk4 (2020–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £27,495 to £33,995May 2026 price list (best) | £28,505 to £40,660October 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 422 litres / 1,339 | 600 litres / 1,555 (best) |
| Length | 4,374mm | 4,698mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,859mm | 1,829mm |
| Height | 1,441mm | 1,470mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 130–195 PS | 116–265 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 7.6–9.7 sec | 6.4–10.6 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2022) | ★★★★★ (2025) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Electric, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Diesel, Hybrid, Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 45.0–62.6 mpg | 40.4–65.8 mpg |
| CO2 | 43–142 g/km | 111–159 g/km |
| Electric range | 237–267 miles | – |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.4p a litre, today's UK average | £1,096 (53.3 mpg) | £1,082 (54 mpg) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | – | £1,074 (63 mpg) |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | £548 (4 mi/kWh) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £548 (electric) | £1,074 (diesel) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 99Average | 123Well above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 33.8% | 24.3% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 12.4% | 10.9% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 17.9% | 14.9% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 32.8% | 24.7% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (5.1% of tests) | Coil spring (2.4% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Exhaust and emissions (1.4×) | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 624,660 | 198,623 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,000 | 11,500 |
| On sale | 2022 on | 2020 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Vauxhall Astra or the Skoda Octavia more reliable?
The Skoda Octavia. Like for like on age and mileage, the Vauxhall Astra fails its MOT about 24% more often (reliability scores 123 and 99, where 100 is average). 24.3% of Skoda Octavias and 33.8% of Vauxhall Astras failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Vauxhall Astra or the Skoda Octavia?
The Skoda Octavia is 324mm longer (4,698mm against 4,374mm). The Skoda Octavia has the bigger boot: 600 litres against 422.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Vauxhall Astra or the Skoda Octavia?
The Vauxhall Astra: new prices start at £27,495, £1,010 less than the Skoda Octavia (from £28,505). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Vauxhall Astra or the Skoda Octavia?
Comparing petrol versions, fuel costs are within £14 a year of each other at 7,500 miles, using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Vauxhall Astra or the Skoda Octavia?
Euro NCAP gave the Vauxhall Astra 4 stars (2022) and the Skoda Octavia 5 stars (2025). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Vauxhall Astra or the Skoda Octavia?
Pick the Vauxhall Astra for the lower price, or the Skoda Octavia for the bigger boot, the better MOT record and more performance. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.