Verdict
The Practical Caravan review team thought that this was a good value, capable tow car with the benefit of 4WD.
Pros
Four-wheel drive is a boon
There is a 12V socket in the boot
It has a good sized boot
Cons
Lean through curves when towing
Skoda has taken a leaf from Subaru’s book to make the Octavia Scout. Just as the Outback is a Legacy on stilts, so the Scout is an Octavia Estate with a raised ride height and four-wheel drive.
The raised ride height and four-wheel drive work well if towing over rough ground
Towing
This raised ride height and four-wheel drive work well if towing over rough ground, and it helped with the hill starts in wet weather. However, the handbrake needed a determined pull before it held the outfit on the 1-in-6 test hill.
With longer travel suspension, it’s difficult to strike the right balance between comfort and control, yet Skoda has done a good job. While there’s quite a lot of lean through bends, the car kept control over the caravan in our lane-change test, although the AL-KO ATC unit showed some very high G-forces.
Space
In terms of space, the Octavia Scout fared well. There was room for all but one item of luggage – and it was good to see a 12V socket in the boot.
Technical Specifications
| Kerbweight | 1605 kg |
| 85% KW | 1364 kg |
| Towball Limit | 75 kg |
| Maximum Towing Limit | 1600 kg |
