News: Skoda price rises double those of its rivals

CARS MADE by Skoda, a brand traditionally thought of as offering value for money, have some of the fastest-rising prices, according to new analysis. Since 2007 the price of its Octavia has risen almost 50%, more than double the rate of rival models.

Seven years ago the cheapest Skoda Octavia was the 1.4 Classic, costing £11,017 on the road. Today, a family would need to spend £16,255, or 47% more, to buy its equivalent, the Octavia S 1.2 TSI Elegance, according to CAP, the industry valuation experts.

CAP calculated the price rises for 10 popular models, including the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Fiesta and Mondeo, Mini, Renault Scénic, and BMW 3-series during the same seven-year period. It found they had risen 23% on average, compared with inflation over the same period of 20%.

Skoda said the price rise was a consequence of the brand becoming more mainstream and boasting better features. It added: “The standard specification has increased dramatically across all trim levels and the current Octavia has the highest level of technology available.”