The all new Skoda Octavia has been teased in the form of official spy shots ahead of its first public appearance which is scheduled on November 11. The new gen model will be first unveiled in the Combi (station wagon) body style in Prague while the notchback version is expected to break cover a few weeks down the line.
The Skoda Octavia is the brand’s best selling model with a decent market share in its segment in Europe. The nameplate is available in Combi, notchback, Scout (high riding with rough road package) and RS variants.
The 2020 Octavia continues to feature the Czech automaker’s tried and tested design philosophy albeit with a modern touch. The low-slung front fascia sports the quintessential grille, larger and sportier than ever before. The car also gets full LED headlamps, LED taillights, dynamic turn indicators and a more dynamic profile. The notchback and station wagon variants boast impressive drag coefficients of 0.24 and 0.26 respectively.
Coming to the interior, the fresh design adopts a layout similar to that of the new VW Golf with less buttons and more screens. Higher variants will get colour TFT instrument console, a semi-standalone touchscreen infotainment system, ventilated seats, Head-up display, tri-zone climate control, etc. The new Octavia will also offer umbrellas stowed inside door pads and Sleep Package with larger rear headrests and blankets.
The fourth generation Skoda Octavia is slightly longer and wider than its predecessor at 4,689 mm and 1,829 mm. The wheelbase stands at 2,686 mm as the car offers a good 78 mm more leg room for rear seat passengers. The Combi and notchback variants offer best-in-class boot capacity of 640 liter and 600 liters respectively.
Petrol, diesel, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options will be on offer. The mild-hybrid system with 48v Integrated Starter Generator and 48v lithium-ion battery will be available with 108 hp 1.0-liter and 148 hp 1.5-liter TSI motors (with 7-DSG). The same engines can be specified with a 6-MT sans the DSG. The plug-in hybrid variant will employ 1.4-liter TSI, an electric motor and 6-speed DSG. It will be available in two states of tune – 201 hp and 242 hp.
The lineup will also inlclude a 187 hp 2.0-liter TSI and all-new 2.0-liter TDI diesel in various states of tune with outputs ranging from 113 hp to 197 hp. Select markets will also get 128 hp 1.5-liter TSI 128 CNG unit. The DSG now employs drive-by-wire technology.
The new Skoda Octavia can be had in three suspension settings – regular, Sport (reduces the ride height by 15 mm) and Rough Road (increases the ride height by 15 mm). Needless to say, the new gen model gets a host of new safety and driver assistance systems.
The 2020 Skoda Octavia is expected to reach India sometime in the second half of next year via CKD route. Once launched, it will take on the likes of Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic. Expect prices to be in the Rs 16-22 lakh range.
