Skoda Octavia revealed

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11 Dec, 2012 2:30pm Jack Rix

The new Skoda Octavia gets its tech from VW, but will be cheaper and more spacious than the Golf

Skoda has revealed its first official pictures of the all-new Octavia – a car it calls the ‘heart of the brand’.

Based on the same MQB platform as the new VW Golf, Audi A3 and SEAT Leon, the third-generation Octavia is bigger and more efficient, but maintains the same value-for-money proposition that’s made Skoda such a hit. Prices are likely to start from around £16,000 when it goes on sale in March.

Compared to its predecessor, the car is 90mm longer, 45mm wider and the wheelbase has been stretched by 108mm, making the interior even more spacious than before.

Skoda claims no other car in this segment offers more rear knee and headroom, while the familiar saloon bodyshape with a hatchback tailgate allows a 590-litre boot – also top of the class. By comparison, the new VW Golf can muster only 380 litres with the seats in place.

Skoda’s design team likes to keep things simple, and the new Octavia’s clean-cut lines demonstrate this philosophy perfectly. Smaller headlights and a wider, lower grille add more aggression to the nose, while the longer wheelbase and shorter front and rear overhangs give a sportier profile. A pronounced flick at the rear of the window line – a ‘Hoffmeister kink’ – adds further character to the chiselled looks.

The interior continues the tidy and uncluttered design, with a much larger central touchscreen and higher-quality switchgear from the MQB parts bin. As with other cars in the family, Skoda has managed to strip the car’s kerbweight – by up to 102kg.

As a result, the engine range breaks new ground in terms of efficiency. Although the full line-up is yet to be revealed, the cleanest car will be the Greenline version of the 110bhp 1.6 TDI. This adds stop-start and brake energy recuperation, returning a superb 83.1mpg and producing only 89g/km of CO2 – identical figures to the forthcoming 104bhp Ford Focus ECOnetic. A 2.0 TDI engine will also be offered, in a variety of outputs.

A range of four TSI petrol turbos is planned, including a 1.2 TSI with 84bhp and 104bhp, a 120bhp 1.4 TSI and a 179bhp 1.8 TSI. Skoda also confirmed that four-wheel-drive models are in the pipeline, and a sporty RS trim level will be offered. A more powerful vRS variant is expected to join the range in 2014.

A broad line-up of safety kit, normally seen on more premium models, has been added. This includes auto braking, lane assist and fatigue detection. Skoda hasn’t skimped on the comfort and convenience systems either. In a first for Skoda, adaptive cruise control maintains a set distance to the car in front.

There are also intelligent headlights that switch automatically between high and low beam, an auto park function and a driving mode selector which lets you tailor certain vehicle parameters such as throttle response and gearshifts.

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Submitted by wrcrally on Tue, 2012-12-11 16:05.

I absolutely love it! The previous Octavia sold well over 3 million. Another surefire winner from Skoda. Makes you wonder why idiots pay extra for a Golf just because it has a VW badge!

Submitted by Arthur Greenwood on Tue, 2012-12-11 17:07.

I like it, but are you sure it is a hatchback and not a saloon? And why is Stephen Fry lurking round the back?

Submitted by georgios on Tue, 2012-12-11 18:45.

Can't say that I liked it. I expected more. This is like a grown rapid, even on the inside. It looks less classy than its predecessor before the facilft. And inside it also took the bigger part from the US jetta...

Could have been much better. Maybe it will sell well but it is not the best effort from skoda.

Submitted by Fadyady on Tue, 2012-12-11 19:52.

Another clone!

My eyes must be going. I can't tell it from the old car. A closer observation reveals that the grille and the headlights have been slightly tweaked and the car looks even bulkier than before. You wait years for a new model and that's what you get. Come on Skoda, you could do better than that.

Submitted by Rico on Tue, 2012-12-11 20:25.

This will no doubt be a good car - but as for the styling? When you compare this with something like the new Mazda 6 for example, this looks like a twenty year old design.

Submitted by David Jefferis on Wed, 2012-12-12 08:44.

Clean and simple looks. Decent alternative to more obviously 'styled' alternatives from other car makers.

Submitted by Alexis on Wed, 2012-12-12 12:04.

Nice to see the model of taxi the roads of Manchester will be full of next year.

Submitted by mike on Wed, 2012-12-12 12:36.

Picture 9 (side profile) reminds me a lot of the Audi A6 from the 2004-2008 era. Not a bad thing though; just an unexciting but probably very reliable car. As Alexis said, the next private hire car you'll be driven in..

Submitted by vagfan on Wed, 2012-12-12 15:42.

It looks nothing like the old Octavia! It's a great looker, and is sure to top the class.

Submitted by andy4 on Wed, 2012-12-12 15:43.

And that is a very good thing - taxi's need to be reliable. At least its better than all the mercs on the streets of berlin.

Submitted by vagfan on Wed, 2012-12-12 15:47.

But how fresh will the Mazda look in 3 years - not very. The Skoda design language is created to look good for many years - timeless, and not date as fast as most manufacturers.

Submitted by Rico on Wed, 2012-12-12 16:14.

I'm afraid to my eyes this just looks bland - as with the new Rapid - and in another three years this will still be bland! Skoda, like VW, dont appear to care about styling. At least Seat make an effort.

Submitted by snappyuk on Thu, 2012-12-13 09:13.

Lots of car for the price and I like it in silver (as opposed to motor-show white). A 4WD performance version would be a nice present from Skoda and could prove to be all the car you'd ever need.

Submitted by memristor on Thu, 2012-12-13 09:24.

I'm interested in the Octavia and the new shape is just how I'd like it to be. Understated but sharpened-up. I think Skoda has done the right thing here with the Octavia.

Submitted by M.R Checkar on Thu, 2012-12-13 11:06.

No passion......

Submitted by Fabia Estelle on Thu, 2012-12-13 12:33.

Still looks as boring as the old one. Dont know why they bother to update the looks anyway as anyone buying a Skoda just wants a functional reliable box that will take them from A to B!

Submitted by pablovski123 on Thu, 2012-12-13 18:53.

AE: 'Octavia is bigger and more efficient, but maintains the same value-for-money proposition that’s made Skoda such a hit'
Odd given that the last Skoda could be had for just shy of £10k not so long ago... This is an expensive car and IMO completely blows Skoda's Value for Money ethos out of the water.

Submitted by pablovski123 on Thu, 2012-12-13 18:56.

Not sure about this, they had to keep making the MK1 Octavia for a full 4 years after it was 'discontinued' for the Private Hire market which is why you see so many 08/58 plate Skoda Octavia MK1's on the road - the reason? the new Octavia was much more expensive and this will be more so.

Submitted by Fadyady on Thu, 2012-12-13 19:39.

Skoda's hotch potch

Look at it straight upfront you may see an old A4.
The rear end and rear seats are from the Superb.
The new steering is lifted straight from the Seat.
The switch gear is from big siter Golf.

Submitted by vagfan on Thu, 2012-12-13 21:23.

In 1998 the base model Octavia 1.6 LX was £11495, so one can only wonder what Skoda model you are on about. Even in 1999 a Felicia SLXi Estate cost over £11000. The Octavia is a bargain when you compare it to the Ford and Vauxhall rivals.It is great vfm, look at all the kit you get, and the top quality build.

Submitted by sbcorsa on Fri, 2012-12-14 01:27.

Gee, the magic of photography. I, like others, would swear this car has a boot lid, and not a hatch. So much for 'motor show' white cars. I'll never in a million years work out why a car maker would want to, so strongly, have their product de-valued by emulating kitchen appliances. Of all the colours you can paint a car, non-colour white has got to be worst all time colour. And this car.......looks kinda butch, in a chunky way. Dont know what design heritage Skoda have, but I can see a few cars in this one...a Golf/Passat [save us], an A4?? Whatever, Skoda bring a salutary clear message. If a mass market car can come loaded with goodies/gadgets, buyers fannying for all the 'fruit' and paying significant premiums on so-called premium cars, must have more money than sense, or be very gullible.

Submitted by Jack Kirby on Fri, 2012-12-14 12:09.

For the residual values most likely. Reputation and style?

Submitted by pablovski123 on Fri, 2012-12-14 17:19.

Well having owned around 8 new Skoda's since 2000, I can attest to the fact that I paid that amount for mine. Cannot speak for the list prices but I don't recall getting a particularly good discount at the time. You could even buy an Octavia SE this year for £10,995 admittedly on an Offer but offers betray the real value of the car. I still think pushing £16k is a lot, wasn't the base model Superb launched at £15,995? and even now it's only £18k

Submitted by ajc88uk on Fri, 2012-12-14 23:40.

Bland Bland Bland... I guess that is what the Volkswagen Group do best =/ Everything they release looks so 'clinical'.

Submitted by Danial Sheikh on Sat, 2012-12-15 01:43.

Yawn

Submitted by TheRaceBoy on Mon, 2012-12-17 15:33.

If you squint your eyes it looks like a proper hatchback because of that guys shadow covering the boot. Maybe that's a little preview of whats still to come from the new Octavia line up.

Submitted by wrcrally on Mon, 2012-12-17 18:18.

Skoda has just as good residuals, and this Octavia makes the Golf look extremely dated and very overpriced.

Submitted by Tom on Sat, 2012-12-22 21:00.

It works for the Golf.