New vs used hatchbacks: Skoda Octavia or Mercedes A-Class?

While the humble hatchback has fallen a bit out of favour in recent years due to the might of the SUV, many of these models still perform tremendously well as family cars. In some cases, their smaller stature can make them a bit cheaper to run, too, as well as easier to manoeuvre and park. There aren’t quite as many hatchbacks on the market as there once were, but many of the ones that remain offer plenty of tempting qualities.

For a budget of around £26,000, you can pick up a brand-new Skoda Octavia — which just so happens to be our reigning Family Car of the Year — and this offers oodles of practicality and comfort all wrapped up in a very sensible package. However, if you prefer a bit more pizazz and prestige from your car, you could pick up a three-year-old Mercedes A-Class for around the same price.  

So, new or used, which option is the best? Our expert road testers have given their verdict on both options in order to help you pick the very best buy. 

New: Skoda Octavia

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• Our pick: Skoda Octavia 1.5 TSI SE Technology  
• Price: £25,748
• Standard kit includes: Heated front seats, LED headlights, eight-speaker audio, sat-nav  
• Key stats: 54.3mpg, 119g/km CO2, 10.4secs 0-62mph  
• Road tax: £220 in first year, then £190  
• Insurance group: 14  
• Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles

Used - available now

2022 Nissan

Qashqai

16,221 milesAutomaticPetrol1.3L

Cash £22,490

View Qashqai

2020 SEAT

Leon

42,743 milesManualPetrol1.5L

Cash £13,995

View Leon

2023 Mercedes

A-Class

41,065 milesAutomaticPetrol1.3L

Cash £17,800

View A-Class

2023 Honda

Jazz

14,444 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £17,600

View Jazz

Not many cars are, in theory, ideal for the great majority of buyers, but the Skoda Octavia is one of this small bunch. It offers pretty much everything that the average car buyer wants, namely practicality, comfort, refinement, equipment, loads of carrying capacity and a user-friendly dash. But most importantly, it offers all of this while also being eminently affordable; no wonder it’s Skoda’s biggest-selling car.

The current generation was introduced in 2020 then facelifted last year with a refreshed nose, revised exterior lighting, range-wide digital instrumentation and a bigger infotainment screen. But while the Octavia isn’t quite the bargain it once was, our Find a Car service can make buying one more palatable.

Your engine choice is between a 2.0-litre diesel and a 1.5-litre petrol, both turbocharged and offering good pace with decent fuel economy. The petrol engine comes with either 114bhp or 148bhp; the car here has the former, but it feels more perky than you might expect, thanks to it being tuned for mid-range torque. 

All Octavias are front-wheel drive and come as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, although
a seven-speed dual-clutch auto is available for a bit of extra cash; this makes light work of every drive and
is very easy to recommend.

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Choose between SE Technology, SE L and SportLine trims, along with the ultra-sporty Octavia vRS. The entry-level SE Technology model that we’ve chosen here comes with plenty of kit, including dual-zone climate control, digital instrumentation and a 13-inch touchscreen. Trade up to an SE L and you’ll also get a heated windscreen and steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and ambient cabin lighting.

The Octavia was our Family Car of the Year and Car of the Year in 2021, and it shares much with a raft of Audis and Volkswagens, so it has all of the latest safety tech, which is why it can boast a five-star Euro NCAP rating.

New Skoda Octavia deals

Used: Mercedes A-Class

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• One we found: Mercedes A200 auto AMG Line Premium Plus  
• Price: £24,999 
• Mileage/year: 26,186/2022  
• Standard kit: Synthetic leather trim, heated front seats, panoramic opening sunroof  
• Key stats: 43.5mpg, 147g/km CO2, 8.0secs 0-62mph  
• VED: £190  
• Insurance group: 24

The fourth-generation Mercedes A-Class is in the twilight of its years now, having been launched in 2018, then facelifted in 2022. Early A-Classes were revolutionary with their upright stance, but buyers weren’t convinced, so it wasn’t until the Mk3 that Merc’s smallest car became a really big seller. 

The most impressive thing about this Mk4 A-Class is its superb cabin, full of user-friendly kit. While it is a tech-fest in there, the infotainment system is one of the best at any price, so it’s intuitive with appealing graphics. Even better, Mercedes threw in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard across the range from the 2022 facelift, which means this car, which was almost £37,000 new, comes with it.

Another highlight is its range of engines, which are powerful and efficient. Most models, such as this one, are front-drive but there is a four-wheel-drive option, and there are quite a few on the used market. 

With its 1.3-litre engine, the A200 might sound rather dull, but Merc has extracted a healthy 163bhp, so
it performs much better than you might expect. The problem is that as you pile on the revs, it can become rather vocal, but that small displacement means economy can be excellent; you don’t have to try too hard to get 50mpg on a run.

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All A-Class hatchbacks came in five-door form only (a four-door saloon is also available), and practicality is pretty good – although the Octavia is a very tough adversary on this score, with the Merc’s back seats feeling more claustrophobic than they are, because of the bulky front seats. But those front seats are wonderfully supportive, so they feel the part. 

It’s just a shame that the A-Class isn’t more rewarding to drive; the handling feels rather inert, while the ride suffers because the suspension is a bit too much on the firm side.

Used Mercedes A-Class deals

Used - available now

2020 Mercedes

A-Class

40,545 milesAutomaticDiesel1.5L

Cash £17,445

View A-Class

2021 Mercedes

A-Class

22,029 milesAutomaticDiesel1.5L

Cash £15,355

View A-Class

2021 Mercedes

A-Class

25,201 milesAutomaticDiesel1.5L

Cash £16,195

View A-Class

Hatchback buying advice

On paper the Octavia and A-Class are rivals, but the Skoda is 27cm longer, its cabin is more roomy and its boot is far more cavernous, especially with the seats down. 

Neither car is great to drive, but the Merc feels higher class. With excellent safety credentials, plenty of equipment and user-friendly cabins, both of these hatches make appealing buys. The Skoda is top for practicality, but the Mercedes takes gold for feeling special.

Ready to treat yourself to a new or used family hatchback? You can find all the best deals right here...