Right now Skoda is the sixth most popular manufacturer in Ireland with sales to the end of November of 9,026. The company’s most popular car — by miles — is the Skoda Octavia with a total of 3,978 units registered here in the last 11 months.

This should not work. It definitely should not work.

Škoda has released details of their most powerful Octavia RS to date, the RS 245, with a price tag from €39,865.

Prices and specifications have been announced for the new Škoda Octavia Scout 4X4. Based on the Octavia Combi estate, the first Octavia Scout was launched in 2004.

It has been pretty obvious for some time now — to me anyway — that the VW ‘dieselgate’ scandal was going to have a massive and very positive effect on two companies within the Volkswagen Group.

In something of a surprise move Škoda has announced that its new compact SUV will not be called the Yeti.

Details of Škoda’s new high powered Octavia RS model have been revealed and when the car makes its debut in Irish showrooms from this May, it will come at a price of €34,450.

Škoda will debut its first electric-study ‘Vision’ concept - which has capability for autonomous driving — at the Shanghai Motor Show 2017 next month.

Skoda has updated the Yeti SUV with the addition of two new trim levels?— the SE Drive and SE L Drive.

Škoda Ireland has announced a 20% volume growth in sales for 2016, versus 2015, in a record year. The brand delivered 9,500 new vehicles.

Declan Colley looks back on the automotive year that was 2016 and picks out the best wheels he has driven in the last 12 months — some of his selections may well surprise you.

Skoda  are entering the SUV segment in earnest with their new — and

?Skoda Ireland has announced the introduction of the new Superb Sportline model as part of their 2017 model line-up, ahead of a mild facelift for the car later in the year.

FOR people who spend inordinate amounts of time trolling the highways and by-ways of our bejewelled isle, flying under the radar is a very important element of their daily lives.

The Skoda Yeti has long been a firm favourite here at Examiner Motoring for its unique look, incredible practicality and excellent driving characteristics.

WE HAVE often talked in these columns about the “more-for-less” policies which have stood Skoda in good stead in recent years.

As a purveyor of opinion about cars, I am not actually supposed to get involved in the selling of them in case it besmirch any reputation I might have by way of fairness, impartiality, and even-handedness, writes Declan Colley

SMALL things mean a lot in life and no less so in the motoring world.

Car of the year: Volvo XC90

Four Skoda employees from across Ireland have been selected to represent Ireland as part of Team Skoda Ireland at the international finals of the Skoda Service Challenge next June.

This reviewing business being the subjective thing it is, you occasionally come across cars which either please you greatly on your initial encounter or, as is often also the case, cars which leave you stone cold right from the get-go.

It is hard to know yet exactly what effect the Volkswagen ‘dieselgate’ scandal will ultimately have on the giant German manufacturer in terms of ongoing reputational damage and the financial fall-out that will inevitably follow.

IT IS QUITE often the case in this gig that you are entrusted with certain cars which naturally excite great interest among the general public.

Skoda has announced the Irish launch of a new version of its Octavia RS model — the RS 230.

Skoda will be introducing a new engine line-up for the 152 registration period. The new range of EU6-compliant petrol and diesel engines will improve fuel economy by up to 23% and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 18%.

AFTER the fall of the Iron Curtain, I was invited, with other Irish motoring hacks, to the Czech Republic by Skoda. The company was then a source of massive local pride, even if it was an automotive joke elsewhere.

There was much excitement in the Czech capital Prague last week as the country’s native manufacturer unveiled what it described as “a new era” for ?Skoda.

Declan Colley gets behind the wheel of 2002 Škoda Octavia which has clocked up more than half a million miles as a taxi.

THERE are few more sickening things in life than making a mess of someone else’s car.

FOR a variety of reasons Examiner Motoring, along with our colleagues in various national newspaper titles, doesn’t vote in any Car of the Year contests, but we do have our own zealously studied and dictatorially awarded annual COTY prize.

FOR a while there, Skoda had me worried. After a period of sustained excellence in producing cars which were not only well priced, excellently specified and well up to anyone’s standards in every critical area from design to build quality to performance and on to ride and handling, suddenly the veil slipped and we saw worrying signs of sloppiness.

IS SKODA losing the plot? The Czech marque has blitzed the Irish market in recent years, and has become a favourite with all manner of drivers — families, farmers, taxi-men, and so on — with a range of cars that punched above its weight.

I’M sick of telling you all how good the Skoda Superb is. I’ve been saying it for years now and while many of you have been listening the message does not appear to have reached as many people as it should have.

SINCE my first introduction to the Skoda Yeti last year, I was enthralled by this most unusual contender from the Czech manufacturer. It was my car of the year for 2011 on the basis that it not only re-wrote the design manual for small, practical, family-orientated cars, but it also redefined the driving characteristics for such a machine.