insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 13 - March 2016 | Page 77

MOTORS

Perhaps as a result of this first impression, in
all honesty I never really appreciated the genius
and quality of Skoda's engineering until a few
years ago. I took a trip to the Czech Republic,
and experienced the standard of roads,
cobbled and otherwise, that such a car as the
Skoda was truly designed for. The streets of
Prague would show no mercy to my beloved,
low-ride MINI, but a Skoda, I found, glides
across the bumps and lumps with the greatest
of ease, giving a comfortable and enjoyable
journey.
The Skoda Octavia Scout is a car for people
who like to go and do stuff. Some cars are
designed to be all about the driving experience,
whereas others are designed to fit into your life
snugly, and allow you to do the things you love
doing. The Scout definitely fits into this latter
category, and dare I say, does so superbly well.

At first glance, the Scout is classic Skoda
design, efficient, stylish but in no way
ostentatious, something that will appeal to
both new and repeat customers I am sure. The
strong lines give the impression of reliability and
durability, but I think also give the car some
striking good looks.
Inside the Scout, everything is much in keeping
with the external philosophies: smart, stylish
and practical. The leather seats suit the car
well and are very comfy, the console is laid out
efficiently and ergonomically, and you get lots
of good technology and gadgetry as standard,
such as parking sensors, touch screen system,
GPS navigation, etc – great value for the price
tag. The car is well insulated, meaning it's a
cosy, road noise-free environment, and a great
place to enjoy your tunes on the excellent builtin sound system.

Designed around the characteristics of the
design classic that is the highly popular Skoda
Octavia Estate, the Scout takes things further,
creating a rugged 4x4 version, and adding
space and safety features that serve to make
this a very impressive vehicle indeed.

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The Scout comes stocked with features that
very much continue Skoda’s consistent ethos
for reliability and durability, that runs through
their cars like words in a stick of rock, and in
the Scout can be seen in features such as the
‘Rough Road Package’ (included as standard)
– giving the car under-body protection for
off-road journeys, something that will be very
much appreciated if you like a good driving
adventure!