Skoda has launched the third-generation Octavia. The new version of the car is sharper looking with more modern styling - and it still retains that big boot that seems to have gotten bigger.

The Octavia has been the flag carrier for Skoda in Ireland. We seem to like saloon cars with a big lockable boot. Skoda offers us a compromise with a big boot that comes with a hatchback design - the best of both worlds.

The car has proven so popular here and elsewhere that Skoda has retained the core design in the new model, although the styling has changed inside and out. The dash area is fresh but not radical while still retaining a practical and easy-to-use feel.

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The new Octavia is 90mm longer and 45mm wider than the second-generation Octavia. And the extended wheelbase, which gives more comfort, has grown by 108mm. That may not seem like a lot, four inches in old measure, but that's a huge difference in terms of a car's wheelbase. The end result is a car that rides the bumps better while offering more interior space.

In practice, it's difficult to measure the extra inside space. What you do feel is that using a combination of new fabrics and design, the latest model feels more airy. The rear seat and legroom seem to have grown to make it an easy car to get in and out of. There is good rear headroom and wide opening doors with lots of side storage areas. The big boot is an important feature and it contains a space-saver spare wheel. The boot is massive compared with the competition.

I had the entry-level diesel-

engine model in Ambition specification on the road. It's one step up from the entry Active model and uses the same 1.6-litre turbo-diesel engine. The entry price at €22,195, £18,040 in NI, is reasonably competitive, but it seems as if Skoda prices have started to creep upwards. That's probably because Skoda is offering more options from the Volkswagen stable in the range and as car buyers we tend to take to them, especially when safety is involved.

The new Octavia brings economy benefits too. This 1.6-

litre engine is more economical than the older 1.9-litre version by more than 30%. It also comes with a stop-start system. While the Skoda-rated economy figure was 23km/litre, my driving style meant that I was getting almost 900km on a full 50-litre diesel tank. That's a good performance giving about 18km per litre ,or about 25% poorer than the rated figure, but I'm still happy with that from a practical driving experience.

Skoda fits a five-speed gearbox to this Octavia version, and it's economical. I think a six-speed version should be fitted to give lower cruising revs, delivering an even better figure.

Compared with the 1.9-litre model, this new offering is faster. The acceleration figure at 10.3 seconds for a 0 to 100km/hr race is impressive, even compared with the Audi competition.

The new Octavia has a five-star Euro NCAP rating due to the high level of safety features. These include driver and front passenger airbags, driver's knee airbag and Isofix and TopTether anchorage points to fasten a child's seat to the outer rear seats.

Skoda now offers more in terms of extras than in the past. The entry price has jumped a little (the entry price was €21,095 for the 1.9-litre model in 2009). In terms of purchase price, the new Octavia is on par with similar offerings like the Ford Focus or Toyota Corolla, but keener than the Volkswagen Jetta. It's just there are now more Octavia features in the extras list for this solid and spacious car that scores well in reliability tests.