The next-generation, all new Skoda Octavia has been revealed and it sure looks set to be a stunner.
Czech giant Skoda have pulled the wraps off the all-new mid-size offering, the popular Octavia. It features the signature Skoda design elements while also bringing the next level of equipment, courtesy the VW Group’s enormous A4-sized catalogue.
Built on the MQB (Modularer Querbaukasten, or modular transverse matrix) platform, the new Skoda Octavia measures 4,689 mm long, 1,829 mm wide, and a wheelbase of 2,686 mm. It now has an even larger boot at 600 litres. The new front apron design is complemented by the sharp and narrow new headlights that feature LED units for low beam, high beam as well as the daytime lights as standard. LED Matrix headlamps with crystalline elements and dynamic turn-indicators are optional. The tail-lights, brake lights and fog lights also use LED lighting. Skoda, of course, still retain the hatchback construction, but the design now looks almost like a coupé. There are alloy wheel options of up to 19 inches in diameter. The new Skoda Octavia also boasts a drag coefficient of 0.24, making it an even more aerodynamically-efficient package.
The interior of the new Skoda Octavia benefits even more. The list of equipment includes a head-up display, Ergo seats, three-zone Climatronic, a 4.2-inch Maxi DOT 16-colour display, an optional 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit, several forms of connectivity and up to five USB-C ports. The front door pockets hold 1.5-litre bottles.
The new Skoda Octavia also gets a range of new safety systems including Collision Avoidance Assist, Turn Assist, Exit Warning and the local Traffic Warning function – all making their début at Škoda. More new features include Area View, Side Assist and Predictive Cruise Control, which – together with the updated Traffic Sign Recognition and the further improved Lane Assist, apart from Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist – forms the comprehensive Travel Assist system. The Adaptive Cruise Control works up to 210 km/h. Using Hands-on Detect, the system also checks whether the driver is holding the steering wheel consistently, at least every 15 seconds. There are also up to nine airbags on offer, including a driver knee airbag and rear side airbags.
The engine range includes four engines basically, which lead to a total of 13 variants: three TSI petrols, two eTEC mild-hybrid petrols, one iV plug-in hybrid petrol, one G-TEC bi-fuel petrol-CNG, and six TDI diesels.
The variants with petrol engines include a 1.0 TSI EVO three-cylinder with 110 hp and 200 Nm, a 1.5 TSI EVO four-cylinder with 150 hp and 250 Nm, each paired to a six-speed manual. The two 48-volt mild-hybrid eTEC variants use the 1.0 and 1.5 TSI EVO petrols paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic direct-shift gearbox (DSG).
The top-spec petrol is the 2.0 TSI DSG 4×4 which gets a 2.0-litre TSI four making 190 hp and 320 Nm and is paired to a seven-speed DSG automatic and 4×4 driveline.
There is also a bi-fuel configuration with a 130-hp version of the 1.5 TSI, with a range of up to 523 km. The G-TEC has a 17.7 kg tank for CNG and has a consumption of between 3.4-3.6 kg/100 km. It also has a nine-litre petrol tank which uses as little as 5.4 litres/100 km (18.5 km/litre). The boot volume here is 455 litres.
The diesels all use essentially just the 2.0-litre TDI EVO four-cylinder unit that employs the Group’s twin-dozing selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system that reduces emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by as much as 80 per cent. The AdBlue tank can also conveniently refilled using the same pump nozzle as heavy vehicles. There are a total of six output combinations: 116 hp/250 Nm and a six-speed manual, 116 hp/300 Nm and a seven-speed DSG, 150 hp/340 Nm with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG, 150 hp/360 Nm with the seven-speed DSG automatic and 4×4 drive, and a top-of-the-line 200hp/400 Nm also paired exclusively with the seven-speed DSG automatic and 4×4 drive.
Finally, there’s the iV league. The new Skoda Octavia iV gets the same advanced plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain as the Superb iV shown earlier this year. The powertrain pairs a four-cylinder 1.4 TSI turbo-petrol making 156 hp with a 75-kW (102 hp) electric motor and a six-speed DSG. The combined peak output is a healthy 150 kW (204 hp) and 350 Nm. A 13-kWh, high-voltage lithium-ion battery pack allows an electric range of up to 55 km on the WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light-vehicle Test Procedure). The Octavia iV gets a slightly smaller 40-litre fuel tank instead of 45 litres in the other models, as well as a 450-litre boot.
The new Skoda Octavia will be introduced next year in India, with a selection of powertrains and variants.
