Skoda has new Scout master

HAVING two articles about Skoda this week is coincidental. I was in Hamburg for the launch of the new Octavia Scout, the latest all-wheel drive contender from the Czech marque.

The Scout is competitively priced and will be launched on the Irish market at the National Ploughing Championships in September. This is appropriate as farmers will be potential buyers.

Although this 4x4 will not have as broad an appeal as its Octavia siblings — Skoda expect to sell only 60 annually here — it is very well-priced, from 33,795.