New Skoda Octavia revealed

The all-new, fourth-generation Skoda Octavia has been revealed overnight, showing off a sharp new look, higher levels of safety and technology and one of the most spacious interiors in the mid-size segment.

The new model will come to Australia in the first quarter of 2021 in both liftback (sedan) and wagon body styles, and will be packed to the hilt with tech – including a new 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster that could be standard on every model Down Under.

Inside, the new Octavia has an ultramodern vibe courtesy of a micro-sized, simplified gear shifter that reduces clutter in the cockpit. The infotainment and climate controls have been almost completely done away with, now controlled via touchscreen.

Taking on the Toyota Camry and Mazda6, the European import is based on the same platform architecture as the high-tech new Volkswagen Golf Mk8.

The new Skoda Octavia will most likely be offered with two four-cylinder turbo-petrol engines in Australia: a carry-over 1.4-litre (110kW/250Nm) and a 2.0-litre (140kW/320Nm).

In Europe, there will be several new engine options available, including 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol eTEC engines, both with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology.

However, these engines are unlikely to come to Australia, at least initially, due to the high sulphur content in Aussie petrol. A potent new 2.0-litre plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain is also doubtful for Australia.

Skoda Australia says it hopes to have the high-performance Skoda Octavia RS flagship model available alongside regular models when the car launches here in early 2021, and the red-hot RS is expected to pilfer the new Golf GTI's updated 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, which should bang out more than 200kW of power.

The reveal of the new Skoda Octavia was livestreamed from Prague in the Czech Republic overnight and while we've covered most of the technical nitty gritty – such as the inclusion of up to five USB-C ports, a 10.2-inch virtual instrument cluster along with two different hybrid powertrain options – the big news is the sharp new look.

Skoda's current third-generation Octavia had been criticised as being odd looking thanks to its quirky quad-headlight array.

That's now been changed, replaced with more modern one-piece headlight clusters, festooned with advanced LEDs, including adaptive Matrix LED technology that will automatically adjust the headlight beams to avoid dazzling other drivers.

Sporting a more unified design, the front-end features a reworked grille and, while the angular motif is still in play, it's far more resolved now. This is also the case with the new-look rear-end, where LED tail-light clusters are more smoothly integrated into the car's back-end.

Skoda Australia corporate communications boss Paul Pottinger told carsales.com.au that the brand wants to offer the new Octavia with as many of the new high-tech features as possible and that the new look will go a long way to legitimising the brand as a mainstream player in Australia.

"We're in an SUV world now but Skoda customers, to a great extent, march to a different beat and so the traditional liftback and wagon are important for us.

"We're very excited by it. In some respects it looks like the full fruition of Octavia -- it's on the same level as Superb now," said Pottinger.

He confirmed that Aussies will have to wait a little while before the car arrives in early 2021, but hinted there may be a small shipment arriving here next year.

"Maybe we'll get stock by the end of 2020. We would hope to do that, but it's optimistic," he cautioned.

Equipment levels for the new Skoda Octavia are expected to be generous as the car must compete not only with bigger popular models like the Mazda6 and Toyota Camry, but also smaller vehicles like the Kia Cerato and Volkswagen Golf.

"Our Octavias are typically specified towards the higher spec end of the spectrum," said Pottinger, saying that features like the advanced Matrix LED headlights and head-up display are likely starters.

"We'll be looking at every available option," he said, confirming the 10.2-inch virtual cockpit could be offered as standard on every model.

"That's a definite. If not standard, it will be accessible across the range, as it will be with all the plethora of models coming," he stated, referring to the all-new Skoda Scala hatch.

Along with the miniature gear shifter and pared-back infotainment and climate controls, the interior features new steering wheel controls, a flowing dashboard design with LED mood lighting and a wireless charge pad for smartphones. The seats also offer a massage function.

Skoda hasn't forgotten to deliver a few clever storage solutions and accessories either, with specialised cubbies for umbrellas and hand brushes (to sweep out the detritus in the boot, of course), not to mention an extra stowage area under the boot floor in wagon variants.

Oh, there's also a sleep pack that adds larger rear seat headrests and a Skoda branded blanket for the wagon. Who needs a caravan? There's also powered tailgate options, a rubbish bin on the inside of the door, electric child safety locks and more besides.

The integrated infotainment touch-screen system has been repositioned a little higher and restyled as a tablet-style unit . It maxes out at 10-inches in size and features streaming video services and a touch slider along the bottom of the screen to control volume and climate.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard thanks to the new SmartLink+ system and a three-zone climate control system will be available, providing rear seat occupants their own air-conditioning settings.

USB-C ports are the mainstay, with two up front and two in the rear, and a fifth socket can be optioned for dash cams, situated above the rear-view mirror.

Both liftback and wagon models are confirmed for Australia, as is the new Octavia RS.

"The question is, will the RS come with the rest of the range? That would be ideal," opined the Skoda Australia comms boss.

The big news for the launch of the new Octavia is the addition of efficient 1.0-litre (81kW/200Nm) and 1.5-litre engines (110kW/250Nm), which can be had with or without 48-volt mild hybrid augmentation, six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic.

There's also a 1.4-litre plug-in hybrid powertrain (150kW/350Nm) and even a pair of compressed natural gas (CNG) engines, but none of them are expected to come to Australia.

The newer, more sophisticated engines are "probably off the table" for Australia says Pottinger, due to their requirements for higher quality, low sulphur premium petrol not sold here.

"We'll looking at the carryover 1.4-litre turbo engine (110kW/250Nm). The 1.5 is not going to happen, so the entry-level car will get the 1.4."

In terms of the plug-in hybrid model, it adds a 75kW electric motor hooked up to a small 13kWh lithium-ion battery which is good for a 55km (WLTP) electric-only cruising range. Once that's gone, the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine chimes in. It's hooked up to a six-speed DSG automatic and has a 40 litre fuel tank, instead of a 45 litre bladder.

But as Skoda Australia's communications chief explained, the 150kW PHEV model is unlikely to be sold in Australia.

"We would be go straight to EVs. PHEV aren’t really being considered for us," he said, adding that the jacked-up Octavia Scout models aren't coming here either.

"Octavia RS will be a certain one for us, but I don’t believe there's any plans around Scout. We'll have a strong SUV offering instead."

There's a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine for European markets linked to the 2020 Octavia, generating between 85 and 147kW,  but it won't be offered locally.

The fastest Skoda Octavia available from launch will be the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol (140kW/320) AWD model. Paired with a seven-speed automatic DSG, it'll accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.9 seconds. Top speed is 234km/h.

The new Octavia is the first Skoda to remove a mechanical link between the gear shifter and the gearbox. The new shift-by-wire technology relays choices electronically, which "saves space and offers new design options" according to the Skoda press statement.

A new collision avoidance assistant takes autonomous emergency braking to a new level by adding active steering assistance to hypotehtically preven an accient through a "controlled evasive manoeuvre".

Predictive cruise control replaces the 'adaptive' iteration and works between zero and 210km/h, effectively making it a traffic-jam assistant. It also uses the windscreen camera for traffic sign recognition and can adjust speeds based upon real-time visual data, as well as slowing down for corners by using sat nav info.

Turn assist is new to Octavia and works by warning the driver of unseen approaching vehicles at junctions, applying the brakes autonomatically if necessary.

The exit warning system first seen on Audi vehicles is designed to reduce the incidence of 'dooring'. It scans an area 70m behind the stationary car for cyclists and vehicles approaching from the rear, in a bid to avoid colissions.

Area View is another new feature, essentially a 360-degree surround view camera designed to take the stress out of parking.

Active steering assist is offered too and the Skoda now gets a heart-attack mode where if the car detects the driver hasn't touched the steering wheel it will bring the car to a halt in its lane.

The cars are packed with nine airbags and features stability control, anti-lock brakes and AEB.

Optional Matrix LED headlights comprise 22 individually operable LEDs on each side, allowing the car to have its high-beams on at all times without simultaneously dazzling other road users. A small camera on the windscreen detects other cars, pedestrians and reflective signs, dimming appropriate LED elements when required.

The rear lights also have a dynamic strobing function.

Based on the new MQB Evo platform architecture that also underpins the new 2020 Volkswagen Golf, Skoda says the new car will be lighter and more engaging to drive. There are several suspension options, including standard and sport – the latter lowering the car by 15mm. These are expected to be offered in Australia.

It's not clear if the rough road package (+15mm ride height) will be sold here as the Scout is not on the menu anymore. There's also an adaptive damping system that features adjustable shock absorber settings and also lowers the car by 100mm.