FOR a very long time, there has been a small circle of elite budget car manufacturers who seem to be a cut above the rest. Within the last few years, there has been one manufacturer who has worked tirelessly, paid attention to the market and used their innovation to boost their reputation and rival elite competitors such as Volkswagen and Audi.

This is the Czech company Skoda, who now produce some of the most stylish, reliable and high performing budget cars on the roads.

A Turning Point

Previously, the Skoda badge was not one that was taken particularly seriously by motorists. It is now a force to be reckoned with and there are many very satisfied owners of their recent models.

Skoda was founded in 1895 and in 2000 it become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group; at this time, Skoda was serving the role of VW Group’s entry brand. A growth strategy was initiated in 2010, which outlined plans to double annual sales to a minimum of 1.5 million by 2018.

The Transformation

Through releasing sensational models such as the Octavia vRS, the Rapid and the Yeti; Skoda’s reputation has gone through the roof and they are now pioneers in the field.

In 2015, they proved this by launching a corporate strategy to create an all-electric car by 2021 with a range of over 300 miles, a low cost and 15-minute charging time. The same year, Skoda announced that their sales had risen annually by 1.8% and profit had risen by 6.5%.

Another highlight for Skoda in 2015 was winning “Most Dependable Car Brand in the UK”, showing just how far they had come.

The Future

The future now looks very bright for Skoda, having impressively managed to shake off their earlier reputation as a poor subsidiary for Volkswagen Group to sell to the emerging Eastern and Russian market after the Cold War.

They are now being sold in 102 countries, with expansions into Iran, Singapore and South Korea imminent. They also have an exciting new off-roader to unveil soon, which is reportedly called the Kodiaq.

Now is the perfect time to buy a Skoda, as their reputation will only increase as they continue to show their ability to produce stylish, reliable and high-performing vehicles.

This is ideal for business use, with specialist dealers including John Clark carrying all the latest models and at affordable prices. It is rare that any brand shakes a prior reputation, but Skoda not only competes with elite budget manufacturers, but excels in many categories.