2020 Skoda Octavia Officially Unveiled

The all-new Octavia is bigger, better equipped and gets new powertrain options as well

• The 2020 Skoda Octavia is longer and wider than before.

• It gets new LED Matrix headlamps and a revised rear end.

• It gets numerous powertrain options globally, but only a few are expected to arrive in India.

• The new dashboard features a simpler, more premium design with a freestanding touchscreen infotainment.

• The new Octavia is expected to arrive in India in the second half of 2020.

The fourth-generation Skoda Octavia has finally been unveiled and it looks sharper than before. Skoda has taken a leaf out of Audi and gone for an evolution rather than a revolution in terms of the new Octavia’s design. The new sedan has also grown in size and gets an all-new dashboard layout with plenty of new technology.

Skoda’s latest version of the Octavia gets a new front grille that connects the new LED Matrix headlamps with a sleeker front bumper design. The rear end looks a lot different when compared to the previous generation model with a swooping roofline, new rear bumper, new L-shaped LED taillamps and a new bootlid. The new Octavia actually looks sportier than before with sharper lines and a coupe-esque roofline. It’s bigger too:

Skoda has completely overhauled the cabin of the new Octavia. It gets a new Mercedes-like layout for the dashboard with ambient lighting. The new Octavia also gets a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system with screen sizes from 8.25 inches to 10 inches. It also gets an embedded eSIM for internet connectivity and connected car features along with a voice-activated digital assistant called Laura. The Octavia can also be had with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster which Skoda calls the Virtual Cockpit.

It gets a new two-spoke steering wheel while the air-con controls are located just above the central vents. The steering mounted controls look a lot more premium too in the top-spec version of the new Octavia. For the first time, it is also equipped with a head-up display. Opt for the DSG automatic shift-by-wire transmission, and you get a new compact and elegant drive select toggle. It makes the centre console feel more spacious than before.

Skoda offers the Octavia with long list of powertrain options comprising of petrol, diesel, CNG, mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines. The latest 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engines are available with a 6-speed manual and 7-speed DSG. When mated to the DSG auto, they also get a 48-volt battery, making them mild-hybrid variants. The same 1.5-litre engine is also used for the CNG variant of the 2020 Octavia. We expect Skoda to offer the 1.5-litre engine options when it offers the new Octavia in India.

Meanwhile, the other engine options for the global-spec Octavia include a 2.0-litre diesel in two states of tune, a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with 4WD and a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol for the plug-in hybrid variant. Out of these, only the diesel engine is likely to be offered in the India-spec Octavia.

The 2020 Octavia gets a host of safety assistance systems such as lane assist, collision avoidance assist, traffic jam assist and turn assist. However, it remains to be seen which of these safety features will make it to India considering our restrictive legislation in terms of the use of radar-based technology. Rest assured, the India-spec Octavia will get premium features such as a panoramic sunroof, seats with massage function and a three-zone climate control, among others.

Skoda is expected to bring the new Octavia to India in the second half of 2020 where it will continue to compete against the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla Altis. The current-gen Octavia is priced between Rs 16 lakh to Rs 26 lakh (ex-showroom India) and the new model is likely to get a starting price of around Rs 18 lakh.

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