SOLID, secure and stylish hardly the first three words most people might associate with Skoda, writes David Duffy.

But the elegant Octavia is unlike anything the Czech manufacturer has produced in modern times. Clunk shut the driver's door and you realise you have entered a new chapter in the history of affordable motoring.

While the influence of new owners Volkswagen had already begun to make its effect felt on the Felicia, the Octavia takes the manufacturer into a completely new market sector.

The chrome grille and upright lights may hark back to Skodas of the 1930s and 1940s, but the Mondeo-sized Octavia is a thoroughly modern motor.

It was the first Skoda to use a Volkswagen Group platform, which it shares with the Audi A3 and new Volkswagen Golf.

From the grey and black textured dashboard to the grey, cloth-trimmed supportive seats, the classy Octavia offers plenty of space and simply oozes quality.

Quiet, with that rare blend of comfort, accurate handling and precise steering, the Octavia is a delight to drive and a pleasure for passengers.

If there are criticisms, they may stem from a desire to over-engineer some items. The seats, though comfortable, are firm to the point of BMW-style firmness. The release for the hatch also requires a distinctly powerful grip. With speed cameras ever increasing in number, I would also like to see the 30mph and 70mph marks more clearly highlighted on the speedometer.

But the good news far outweighs the niggles. The five-speed manual gearbox is slick, with the option of a four-speed automatic gearbox on more luxurious models.

All models come with colour-coded bumpers, engine immobiliser, twin airbags and seat belt pre-tensioners.

Small points of praise include the steering wheel, which is adjustable for both rake and reach; the driver's seat, which can be quickly raised and lowered and central armrests, with in-built cubby holes fitted front and rear.

It is those sort of details that give a taster of the level of care and attention that has been paid to every aspect of the car.

The long list of standard equipment extends to power steering, tinted glass, central locking and a four-speed ventilation system with an integral pollen filter.

All models also have ISOFIX child seat fixings which allow new child specially-equipped seats to be anchored directly to the chassis for greater stability. Models from the GLX up have electronic anti-lock braking systems.

The test model, a top of the range 1.8-litre SLXi, came with a sunroof as well as air conditioning. The front seats also had adjustable lumbar support and were fitted with side airbags.

Neat touches include electric windows and electrically-operated door mirrors.

The carpeted boot is spacious, with a fixing net for luggage and an area behind the rear seat back to store the parcel shelf.

There's plenty of storage space inside the car too, with an illuminated glovebox below the passenger airbag, pockets in all four doors and map pockets on the back of the front seats.

There's no shortage of choice with prices starting at 11,499, for a range of cars that includes both five-door hatchback and estate, in three trim levels and a choice of six engines. All Octavias come with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, a ten-year warranty against perforation corrosion and a three-year paint warranty.

If there is one thing I positively disliked, it was the colour of the test car. It was finished in dark brown, a colour best left in motoring's past along with those redundant Jasper Carrott Skoda jokes.