Drive have another in the "what car should I buy" series with a request for a family friendly sedan.

The Octavia misses out on the shortlist because it "falls foul to the premium-unleaded curse and isn’t remarkably roomy in the back."

Just for the record, a quick look at the specifications for roughly equivalent models (petrol, sedan, manual) published by the manufacturers shows that:

- the Octavia is around $170 in fuel than its nearest rival, taking into account the different price of fuel,
- the Octavia is pipped by the Mondeo for boot space but is otherwise nearly 10% bigger than it's nearest rival.

The verdict? The Mazda 6 wins against the Mondeo and Liberty.