The Brothers Grimm and Wilhelm Hauff—this German trinity made the Black Forest famous for its picturesque mountains and mighty black spruce trees. Perhaps the wily dwarf Rumpelstiltskin hid somewhere here, and the beautiful Rapunzel, her long locks dangling from the tower, awaited her prince on a white horse. In our case, the editor-in-chief of “Southern Automobile” set out to search for these fairytale heroes not on horseback, but in a snow-white Skoda Octavia Combi Scout.
“Anyone who has visited the Black Forest will tell you that you will never see such tall and mighty spruce trees anywhere else,” thus began the German Wilhelm Hauff’s fairy tale “Frozen.” The fairytale Black Forest and the Bundesstrasse 500 that runs through it are one of the most picturesque driving routes in Europe, which I was fortunate enough to explore behind the wheel of the new Skoda Octavia Scout.
Tales of Crossovers
In general, the idea of off-road station wagons, such as the Octavia Combi Scout, hasn’t gained much popularity in our country, and in vain. Russians prefer cars or SUVs. Recently, crossovers have also been added to this list. But how good are crossovers? Personally, I think they’re unjustifiably expensive, have limited functionality compared to full-fledged SUVs, and even come standard with only front-wheel drive. In terms of utilitarianism, they’re only slightly better than a regular car. For example, just think about it: the same Skoda model line recently added the Kodiaq crossover, a spacious, roomy seven-seater with all-wheel drive. However, a fully loaded version of this car will set you back almost three million rubles. It might be wiser to consider the Skoda Octavia Scout, which will cost you 300,000-400,000 rubles less and will be just as equipped as the top-of-the-line Kodiaq. Essentially, the Skoda Octavia Scout is a Combi with increased ground clearance and plastic wheel arch trims. Furthermore, all-wheel drive is standard (a Haldex-5 clutch for connecting the rear axle drive and an electronic differential lock (EDL) system). Ground clearance is 171 mm, which allows us to easily leave the Bundesstrasse and head deep into the Black Forest, where the trucks and tractors of local loggers move.
Under the hood of our car is the good old 1.8 TSI engine, which was installed not only in many Skoda models, but also in other related vehicles of the Volkswagen Group. In our case, the engine produces 180 horsepower and 280 Newton meters of torque. The engine’s power is sufficient for both mountain passes and the country paths of the Black Forest.
At the same time, you can confidently travel on German autobahns at speeds of around 200 km/h (the top speed is electronically limited to 218 km/h). Another plus of the new Skoda Ocavia Scout is its fuel economy. The manufacturer claims a combined fuel consumption of 6.8 liters, but I averaged around 9, but with spirited driving. The engine is paired with a six-speed DSG transmission. Gear shifts are crisp and smooth. Of course, the Octavia Scout also offers diesel engines, which offer greater torque and better fuel economy, but unfortunately, we didn’t have those available for testing. However, the Octavia Scout also performs well with a gasoline engine.
From Germany to France
As the sun began to set below the horizon, our crew arrived in a small town located at the very top of the Black Forest. The gingerbread houses bathed in sunset and the fog rolling below resembled a boundless seascape in their beauty.
We take a few photos of our Octavia Scout and continue our journey to the borders of France. The road steadily descends, and finally we enter such dense fog that it would be perfect for filming a horror movie. Such an atmospheric place.
I turn on the fog lights and drive on. By the way, Front Assist is a very good feature. This is a system for monitoring the distance from the car driving in front. In dense fog, it will help you avoid rear-ending another car, and in city traffic, it will also help you maintain the required distance. In general, everything in the car reminds you of its kinship with the Volkswagen group. In my opinion, German practicality and good ergonomics have migrated to Skoda models, only the Czechs now call it “Simply Clever.”
For example, the presence of two cupholders allowed us to take two thermos mugs of tea with us on the road. Multiple USB ports allow us to charge our devices on the road, and heated seats are available not only in the front but also for rear passengers. The Octavia Scout’s trunk accommodated a couple of our roomy suitcases, and the net prevented them from swaying around on the sharp turns of the legendary Bundesstrasse 500. The Scout’s trunk, like all Skoda station wagons, also has an additional magnetic flashlight. It can be attached to the wheel arch in case you have to change a tire on the highway in the dark. Fortunately, we didn’t need this device on the road. By late afternoon, our crew had crossed the border between Germany and France.
Approaching the town of Ottrott in the Alsace region, we missed the junction we needed, but I want to commend the excellent performance of the Škoda navigation system. The system automatically rerouted the route, driving along parallel streets in the town of Ottrott, and we didn’t have to sit in a huge traffic jam. Having driven about 300 kilometers behind the wheel of a Škoda Octavia Scout, I can confidently say that traveling in an off-road station wagon is much more pleasant than in an SUV, and I didn’t feel any fatigue at the end of a busy day. So, after an overnight stay at the hotel, we could enjoy some signature French foie gras and wash it down with a glass of Riesling.
Off-road station wagon or crossover?
Naturally, every fairy tale has an ending and some conclusions. So, summing up our Black Forest trip, we want to finish by talking about what most readers are interested in: the price of the Skoda Octavia Scout station wagon.
The Russian price tag for this model starts at 1,976,000 rubles. For example, the same base Kodiaq starts at 1,999,000 rubles. However, the Kodiaq will come with a smaller 1.4 TSI engine producing 150 hp. Considering that the car is quite heavy, and even with a full load in the same mountains, you will not get the same dynamics that the Octavia Scout with a basic 1.8 TSI engine and 180 hp will give you.
