The new 2020 Skoda Octavia is more premium than ever before and gets lots of new technologies and there’s also a plug-in hybrid variant for the first time.
After numerous spy shots and teaser images you can finally lay your eyes on the 2020 Skoda Octavia. Skoda has unveiled the forth-generation of their global best seller and it brings forth new technologies, design and the model’s first plug-in hybrid variant. The new Mk4 version is said to build on the existing car’s strengths with more interior space, better functionality and higher levels of safety and comfort. The Octavia will be available in sedan and estate body styles internationally. As usual, India will only get the sedan body style with a market launch is planned sometime in 2020.
Visually, the new Octavia is an evolution of its predecessor’s design. The design has matured very well to look much more stately and elegant than ever before. The new design is also in line with newer Skoda sedans like the Scala and the updated Superb. The face loses the characteristic split headlamp design and adopts a single unit design with standard-fit LED tech (full-matrix LEDs optional). The headlamps neatly blend into the butterfly grille and the bumpers have also been completely redesigned.
The new car also gets a lower roofline, giving it a more coupe-like stance and it also helps the aerodynamic efficiency of the car. The new Octavia measures 4.69 meters in length. It is thus 19mm longer and 15mm wider than the outgoing model. That also translates to more interior space than before and boot space has also gone up by 10 liters to 600 liters.
However, it is the interiors of the new Octavia that has taken a massive step forward, not only in terms of technology but also perceived quality. Skoda has used plenty of soft-touch materials in the cabin and coupled with multi-color ambient lighting, it really uplifts the mood in the cabin. The optional ‘Ergo’ seats are described as being “particularly back friendly”, with a massaging function and seat ventilation on top models for the first time.
A free standing touchscreen infotainment system takes center stage on the dashboard. Its either a 8.25-inch or 10-inch unit, depending on spec. Skoda has even introduced gesture control and an advanced voice-controlled digital assistant called Laura. For instrumentation, the Octavia uses a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit available on certain trims and a new head-up display. Other features worth mentioning on the 2020 Skoda Octavia are connectivity tech with a built-in eSIM, wireless charging, three-zone climate control, optional acoustic window glass. There’s also an enlarged suite of driver assistance features, such as an enhanced predictive cruise control and predictive pedestrian and cyclist protection. How many of these features make it to India remains to be seen though.
The 2020 Skoda Octavia is built on a reworked version of the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform. Internationally, the Octavia will be available with a wide range of options including mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. The range starts off with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, putting out 110hp. Ten there’s a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with 150 bhp. Both can be had in mild-hybrid form, with near-identical performance but with claimed efficiency gains.
The flagship petrol engine is a non-hybrid 2.0-litre TSI engine with 190 bhp. The engine comes mated to a 7-speed DSG gearbox along with all-wheel drive. As for the diesel variant, there will be just one 2.0-litre unit in three states of tune – 200hp, 150hp and 115hp. The 200hp version will be all-wheel drive and DSG only, achieving 0-100kph in a claimed 7.1sec.
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For the first time, the Octavia also gets the option of a plug-in hybrid. The plug-in hybruid variant uses a 1.4-litre engine coupled with a 103hp electric motor via a 6-speed DSG gearbox. It thus has a combined output of 203hp, a 50km all-electric range and 0-100kph in 7.9sec. In India, the Octavia will only come with a petrol engine, the options being the 150hp, 1.5-litre and 190hp, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engines. Skoda will offer both manual and DSG dual-clutch automatics.
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Expect the 2020 Skoda Octavia to be priced around the Rs. 20-30 lakh bracket in India. Also, this is only one of the many launches from SKoda that the brand has in the pipeline for India. The current-gen Octavia RS 245 is scheduled to be brought in as a limited-run model, the Superb facelift is to come soon and the updated Rapid is also in the works. Skoda also has a mid-size SUV that’s scheduled to be unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo.
