Skoda has released three exterior design
sketches showing the upcoming Octavia RS iV plug-in hybrid in both five-door
liftback and estate body styles – or, as the automaker calls them, Coupe and
Combi. Compared to the regular model, the performance-oriented Octavia adopts a
beefier body kit consisting of more aggressive bumpers, rear spoiler, sharper
side skirts and bigger wheels.
At the front, the Octavia RS iV boasts
larger air intakes, a splitter and black grille, while at the back we can spot
vents in the bumper and a diffuser flanked by two flat exhaust trims united by
a light strip. The five-door liftback model also features a boot lid spoiler
and we assume the estate gets a sizable roof spoiler as well.
We don’t get to see the interior yet but
we expect to find sports seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle
shifters (on the DSG-equipped versions) as well as exclusive trims and
materials. The 2020 Octavia RS iV will mark the first time a Skoda RS model
features a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Shared with the upcoming VW Golf GTE and
Cupra Leon, it will offer 245 PS and 400 Nm torque from
a 1.4-liter TSI petrol engine and an electric motor powered by a 13 kWh battery
pack. The latter will enable an electric driving range of up to 55 km.
The automakers says the PHEV powertrain
makes it unique “in the way it combines family-friendly versatility and sports
car-like performance with sustainability and efficiency.” Whether Skoda will
also offer a more powerful Octavia RS powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-four petrol
engine it remains to be seen.
The all-new Skoda Octavia RS iV will debut
at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3.
