The Skoda Octavia has reached its fourth generation and looks like this new model proves that they want to stay with us despite crossovers mercilessly slowing its sales down. With the promise of a new emotional styling, more luxurious interior, fuel-efficient powertrains, and cutting-edge technology, the all-new Octavia really means business for the typical Czech salarymen.
Starting at around 493 900 Kč, the all-new Octavia puts luxury, practicality, performance, and tech in its spotlight with the pricing that is near the salaryman's reach. You can think of it as a BMW 3-Series on a budget because, well, it's the styling that explains a lot. Even though it dons Skoda's new signature look first seen in the Scala, a hard squint on the exterior design will make you tell that it's like an Audi A4 with the TT's front lamps and the nose of a regular BMW 3-Series. It's a luxury car on a budget, you can really tell and although some would call it serious, others will have second thoughts about the new look.
On the interior, this is where the real drama begins because the new Octavia's interior, like most today's tech-savvy cars, went to the minimalist route, which is bad news for speedo boys tempting to drive one. Look around and you couldn't find buttons for the volume and aircon because it's all in this touchscreen which explains a lot. While speedo boys are lamenting over the new model's minimalist interior, the comfort around it really makes a big statement on this new car. Because it's longer than the old one, the new Octavia can hold as much as 600 litres of boot space, which is not bad in liftback guise, but if you go for its Combi and its offroad-focused Scout sibling, you can store a lot more without explanation.
In its regular form, the new Octavia offers a healthy choice of petrol, diesel, and CNG engines and for the first time, it can be offered with the powerful and efficient 1.4 TSI iV plug-in hybrid powertrain which produces up to 150kw of power and while mated to a 6-speed AT, it can go from 0-100kph in 7.7 seconds and onwards to 220kph while fuel efficiency is a combined 1.2L/100km. The Scout, meanwhile, is offered only in 2.0 diesel with a 48v mild hybrid tech while mated to a 6-speed MT or a 7-speed AT, and on the high-performance RS variants, which starts at 889,900 Kč, it can be fitted with either a 1.4 TSi iV with 1.5L/100km of fuel economy, a 2.0 TDi which is the one to avoid in today's Europe, and the ultimate serving of the lineup which is the 180kW 2.0 TSi engine mated to a 6-speed manual that can get through 0-100kph in less than seven seconds and electronically limited to 250kph.
On the dynamics side, the new Octavia can be either more fun to drive as the old one or more comfortable to drive just by fiddling with different chassis options to go for including the Dynamic Chassis Control with Driving Mode Select. It's the same goes for the RS variants which puts sporty handling on its crosshairs but the Scout loves to get itself dirty because of its Rough-Road package with a special off-road function that allows this sport utility wagon to claw through dirt in a middle of a Sunday drive at Hannibal's.
In the essence of tech, the new Octavia can be loaded with numerous driver assistance systems as well as LED Matrix headlights, and so much more, giving the drivers plenty of ways to get themselves noticed on the road.
Be it for work or for play, the typical salaryman favorite from Skoda just got a new lease of life with this fourth generation model. Although it's having a hard time catching up against the crossovers from the Skoda family tree, the all-new Octavia still continues where its previous generations left off in a new and noticeable way whether you like it or not.
Photo: Skoda Auto
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