‘Green’ cars have a mixed record at the Tow Car Awards, but the Octavia Greenline is one of the best we’ve tested.

It towed well enough to keep the class-winning Vauxhall Astra honest. Stability at 60mph was fine but closer to 70mph it wasn’t quite as composed as the Astra. Through the lane-change manoeuvre the caravan pushed at the rear of the car but this never became alarming.

If you want to gain or lose speed in a hurry, however, there are better cars than the Octavia Greenline. The 12-metre stopping distance is average, and the 1.6-litre engine took 22 seconds to pull car and caravan from 30-60mph. Driving into a headwind, a heavy right boot was needed to reach the legal limit, and a stronger response from low revs would be welcome.

We’d prefer a proper spare wheel to a get-you-home aerosol, but at least the boot took every last piece of luggage. There’s lots of head- and legroom in the rear seats, too.

At £17,825, it’s already good value but it’s worth haggling to reduce it. Expect to get back around 39% of the original price after three years.

Official economy figures are exceptionally good for a car as large and roomy as this one. The Octavia’s 64.2mpg makes it one of the most fuel-efficient cars on test, and carbon dioxide emissions of 114g/km will keep road tax bills low, too.

Although one or two cars tested narrowly beat those figures, they don’t tow as well as the Skoda, which is why it wins this year’s Green Award.