Skoda has undergone one of the more complete changes in reputation of any car brand sold in Britain. Once used as shorthand for cheap and undesirable cars, it is now one of the strongest mainstream names in the market. Volkswagen Group ownership supplied the engineering and resources, but Skoda developed a clear identity of its own around space, practicality and value.

An Octavia or Superb often uses much the same basic engineering as an equivalent Volkswagen, but gives passengers and luggage more room while usually costing less. The same thinking runs through Skoda’s SUVs and electric cars. They are rarely designed to be flashy or fashionable for the sake of it, but they tend to be thoughtfully laid out and very good at the ordinary jobs buyers need them to do.

Skoda is not the bargain brand it once was, and its prices have risen along with the quality of the cars. Buyers should compare the numbers rather than assume that a Skoda will always be cheaper than an equivalent Volkswagen, Kia, Hyundai or Toyota. Even so, the strongest models still manage to combine space, comfort, quality and value in a way that many rivals struggle to match.

Within the Volkswagen Group, Skoda has a particularly clear role and a broad range to support it. It continues to offer familiar petrol and hybrid family cars while building a growing selection of electric models, rather than abandoning one group of buyers to chase another.

This page brings together all of our Skoda coverage in one place, including Expert Ratings, reviews, news and feature articles, so you can compare the range and see whether the cars live up to the brand’s strong reputation.