Skoda has confirmed November 11 as the official
unveiling date of the new generation Octavia. The company’s best-selling model
will debut in the Combi variant in Prague, with the liftback to follow
a few weeks later. The high-riding Octavia Scout and sporty Octavia RS will be
added to the range in 2020.
Sporting a bigger overall footprint, the
fourth-generation Octavia Combi is 22 mm longer and 15 mm wider, to 4,689 mm long and 1,829 mm wide. The hatchback is
4,689 mm long and 1,829 mm wide, 19 mm and 15 mm more than before. The wheelbase measures 2,686 mm, and thanks to clever
packaging, rear passengers enjoy 78 mm more legroom. At 600 liters in the hatchback and 640 liters in the estate, the
boot capacity is the biggest in the segment.
On the outside, the all-new Octavia boasts full LED
Matrix headlights, LED taillights and dynamic turn indicators. The exterior
design has been enhanced as well, with a slightly bigger grille, new bumpers
and a sportier silhouette. Skoda has also dropped the controversial
split-headlamp design. Furthermore, the reshaped styling has made it more
aerodynamic, with the drag coefficient being 0.24 for the hatchback and 0.26
for the wagon.
The interior layout resembles that of the new
Volkswagen Golf, to an extent. Skoda has molded the dashboard to echo the front
grille and has integrated a head-up display, an updated 10-inch digital
instrument cluster and a 10-inch infotainment system. The front seats are more
ergonomic and feature heating, cooling and massage functions. The optional
sports seats are wrapped in a breathable ThermoFlux fabric.
The automaker can also fit it with a tri-zone
climate control, Canton audio, KESSY keyless entry, up to 5 USB-C ports and a
230V socket. Other options include the Sleep Package, which adds larger
headrests and a blanket at the rear, improved net package (estate only),
multifunction storage pocket under the boot cover, child safety locks, umbrella
in the driver’s door and others.
The engine lineup includes the usual petrol and
diesel offerings, as well as mild-hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Named the
Octavia iV, the latter consists of a 1.4-liter TSI petrol and an electric
motor, in two different outputs: 204 PS and 245 PS, both of them paired to a 6-speed DSG. The 110 PS 1.0
TSI and 150 PS 1.5 TSI are equipped with a 48V belt-driven
starter motor and 48V lithium-ion battery when chosen with the 7-speed DSG, but
they can also be had without the mild-hybrid tech in combination with the
6-speed manual gearbox.
The 190 PS 2.0 TSI, matched to a
7-speed DSG, is also available. The 2.0 TDI diesels are entirely new and have
outputs ranging between 115 PS and 200 PS.
The CNG (compressed natural gas) offering includes the 130 PS 1.5 TSI, with three 17.7 kg CNG tanks and a 9-liter petrol tank, which can be hooked up to a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG
gearbox. Speaking of the DSG, it now uses shift-by-wire technology, so the gear
selector is no longer mechanically connected to the gearbox. All-wheel drive is
available in certain versions.
Customers can choose between three different chassis
settings, with the standard being joined by the sports suspension that drops
the whole car by 15 mm, or the Rough Road variant, which jacks it up
by 15 mm. The Drive Mode Select is an optional extra, and when chosen,
the ground clearance remains unchanged in the PHEV, whereas the other versions
sit 10 mm closer to the road. Skoda’s all-new Octavia boasts
new safety systems, such as the Collision Avoidance Assist or Exit Warning. The
Hands-on Detect can check whether the driver touches the steering wheel on a
constant basis, and if needed, the Emergency Assist can bring the car to a full
stop.
