All-new Skoda Octavia
All-new family car boosts efficiency and safety while also delivering a premium cabin featuring the latest tech
● All-new Octavia revealed in hatchback and estate body styles
● Engine line-up features hybrid and plug-in options for first time
SKODA has followed up the new Scala hatchback and Kamiq SUV with a fresh incarnation of the Octavia – the car that has arguably come to define the brand since the Volkswagen Group acquisition in 1991.
The Octavia story started well before then, though. The nameplate celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2019, so this new version is technically the fifth-generation model overall and the fourth to emerge under VW Group direction. Over 6.5 million Octavias have hit the road since 1959, but this is the first to be offered with plug-in and mild-hybrid powertrains. A hot vRS model using an electrified drivetrain will also join the line-up in 2020 (see page 11).
Under the metal, the new Octavia uses the VW Group’s MQB platform. It’s a freshly modified version that also appears under the latest VW Golf Mk8, so new engine and driver-assistance technologies can be used.
There is a wide spread of petrol and diesel options, with the final UK selection yet to be specified. The base petrol model uses a 1.0 TSI three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine developing 108bhp, while there’s also a 1.5 TSI four-cylinder with 148bhp, both of which use a six-speed manual gearbox sending drive to the front wheels.
Hybrid
Add a seven-speed DSG auto to these engines, and Skoda’s new e-TEC mild hybrid system is also fitted. The set-up consists of a 48-volt belt-driven starter motor and 48-volt lithium ion-battery, which stores energy recuperated under braking. This can assist the petrol engine with a small electric boost, while also enabling the Octavia to coast with the engine off completely on motorways, reducing engine load, CO2 emissions and improving economy, although Skoda has yet to issue any firm figures.
The third petrol option is a 187bhp 2.0 TSI four-cylinder, which has a seven-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive as standard. Skoda says it’s good for 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds, while top speed is 145mph.
Diesel power centres on Skoda’s fourcylinder 2.0 TDI engine, with the base 114bhp car offered with a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG gearboxes. The 148bhp model is also available with four-wheel drive, while the 197bhp range-topper has this as standard.
The most interesting addition to the range is the new Octavia iV, which is a plug-in hybrid. A 1.4 TSI four-cylinder petrol engine combines with an electric motor to create a hybrid drivertrain with 201bhp and 350Nm torque. The e-motor is fed by a 13kWh lithium-ion battery pack, while Skoda claims that the newcomer is capable of 34 miles on battery power alone according to WLTP testing. But again, no fuel economy figures have been published.
This version gets a six-speed automatic gearbox, while Skoda claims that the Octavia iV will be wallbox-friendly for faster recharges. Unlike the Golf GTE, it won’t be offered as a separate model – this plug-in option will be available on all but the base Sgrade car and off-road-inspired Scout estate.
Elsewhere, the new Octavia is now available with optional Dynamic Chassis Control. Delve within the Individual drive modes, and the driver can now change parameters such as the suspension, damping, steering and the responsiveness of the DSG automatic gearbox to suit their personal preferences. Optional 15mm lower sports suspension and a rough road chassis option providing an additional 15mm of ground clearance can also be specified.
Design-wise the latest Octavia grows ever so slightly. The hatchback variant is 19mm longer before, while the Estate swells by 22mm. Both cars are 15mm wider, and practicality grows, too. The boot of the hatchback has increased to 600 litres, while the Octavia Estate now has a 640-litre cargo area.
The design of the new car echoes that of other recent Skoda launches. The front end
“The front end is sharper, but there’s a clear visual nod to the previousgeneration Octavia”
looks sharper and features LED headlights as standard, but there’s a clear visual nod to the previous generation model. The rear end changes dramatically; the square tail-lights have been replaced by thinner, wider LED units, and like the Scala, the round badge has been replaced by Skoda lettering on the tailgate.
Skoda’s design team have majored on transforming the car’s interior. Sitting ahead of the driver is a new two-spoke multifunction steering wheel, while the dashboard has been transformed. There’s a large cubby space ahead of a new-look automatic gear selector, while a string of rocker switches sit beneath a new freestanding infotainment system. Skoda has also updated the 10.25-inch optional Virtual Cockpit display.
Four centrally-mounted infotainment systems are available. The base set-up is an 8.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Three 10-inch displays of varying functionality are offered optionally, which add features such as navigation, additional apps, voice control, gesture control and a new touch-sensitive ‘slider’ function for volume control on the rangetopping Columbus infotainment unit.
The interior gets a lick of premium pretense with the introduction of new softer-touch plastics, chrome trim elements and new, configurable LED ambient lighting, customisable with 10 different colours. Massage seats are available for the first time, and a new optional head-up display is a first for the Octavia, as is optional three-zone climate control and full LED matrix headlights.
Safety and driver assistance features swell to include collision avoidance, steering assistance and predictive cruise control. These work alongside updated versions of traffic-sign recognition, lanekeep assist and traffic jam assist to enable a degree of semi-autonomous driving when certain road conditions are met.
While the Octavia has been revealed, it’ll be a while before the new car hits UK roads. Both the hatchback and estate models will launch together in Britain in the second quarter of 2020. Prices should rise to reflect the new level of quality Skoda has aimed to inject, so expect a starting price of around £20,000.
“Design-wise, the latest Octavia grows slightly in size, so practicality has increased, too”