Skoda has had a very strong following among Irish farming families over the past 10 years. Skoda is part of the larger Volkswagen group, and this is part of the reason for the upsurge in interest and sales over the last number of years. The Octavia is one of Ireland’s top-selling cars for the last five years, with many of them finding their way to an agricultural setting.

The Octavia Combi Scout is the raised up 4x4 big brother of the standard Octavia. Skoda is bringing the facelifted version of the Scout with some nice upgrades to the Irish market this summer. When they arrive, there will be two different variants available – a 2.0 TDI with 150bhp and four wheel drive, fitted with a six-speed manual transmission and a 2.0 TDI with 184bhp and four wheel drive fitted with a six-speed DSG gearbox.

Having test driven both versions recently, the 150bhp version is likely to be the big seller in Ireland. So that is the version we will concentrate on.

Road Driving

The on-road driving experience was what you would expect from a member of the extended Volkswagen family. It went about its business in a very unflustered way. It had enough power to move down the road swiftly without being in any way sporty. The ride was very comfortable both on motorways and backroads. When driven in a spirited manner, the Scout suffered from some disconcerting body roll but always seemed sure-footed.

Off-road driving

This test was undertaken on a specially laid-out off-road course designed to show off the Scout’s off-road prowess. Firstly, the car needed to be placed in off-road mode. This was done with two button pushes. The Scout proved itself very capable in all the differing areas. Most impressive was the use of the downhill assist system.

This involved dropping off what seemed like an impossible decline and releasing all the pedals, and the system then looked after you and the car’s safety with only steering inputs required. The Scout also showed that the 150bhp was more than enough to scamper up steep inclines with ease.

Interior

The interior of the Scout is a comfortable place to be and would feel very familiar to many people with Volkswagen group history. The driving position is easily adjusted with the electrically controlled seats. Steering wheel angle and distance are also easily adjusted to your liking. Once settled in, the Columbus infotainment system with its 9.2in touchscreen display, controls everything from the radio through to setting the car up for differing surfaces and off-road modes. Rear leg room is very good, and there’s plenty of room behind the driver’s seat when in position for a 6ft-plus driver. The interior plastics and trims on the test car were of OK quality, far from luxurious materials but will most lightly stand the test of time manfully.

Practicality

The boot of the Scout is a massive size, with easily enough room for four large suitcases or a few bags of meal. The towing capacity of the Skoda is 2,000kg. This is good for a car of this size and allows for most trailer work to be undertaken completely on the right side of the law.

Conclusion

The Scout is a capable all-rounder and should be considered if you are in the market for a family estate with serious off-road credentials. Skoda claims it will do 56.5mpg and the test car was not available to me for long enough to test this impressive figure. There is no doubt in my mind that the 150bhp manual is the model to go for as the larger horsepower and DSG gearbox just over-complicate what is a good honest workhorse, capable of whisking the family around and doing a solid day’s work without the price tag of a big passenger SUV.