The fourth generation Skoda Octavia road test has begun in India and the model is expected to launch in 2021. The road testing of the model was recently spotted in Pune, Maharashtra and we bring you some glimpses of the new vehicle before it is fully unveiled officially.
The spy images of the vehicle reveal a new external design with LED headlamps and a new grille design with vertical slats. It also feature LED fog lights, tail lights and 17 inch wheels. The signature Skoda lettering is present on the bootleg. The new generation of the much-loved model is expected to be equipped with a 10.25 inch completely digital instrument cluster. There is three-dimensional climate control, infotainment system equipped with 10 inch touchscreen, and a black and beige interior colour scheme. The steering wheel is new with a two-spoke design and there is also a shift-by-wire gear stick.
The car is powered by a TSI petrol engine that is 2.0L. It is capable of producing 187 bhp power with 320Nm torque. The engine is probably going to be paired with 7-speed automatic transmission made with DSG technology. A secondary variant with 1.5l TSI petrol motor is also likely to be unveiled during the official launching of the vehicle.
The rear end of the car has been modified when closely compared with the older generations of the model and the LED matrix headlamps are also absent from the old models. Though there will be numerous powertrain versions available globally, a limited number of them will be available specifically in India. The dashboard design and features are also comparatively simpler in design and hence much easier to operate. The dimensions of the sedan is significantly bigger than the previous versions of the models and reminds one of the sedans from Audi. Another significant upgrade in the fourth generation Skoda Octavia is the head-up display. Furthermore, the drive select toggle is much more elegant and the different steering mounted controls looks much more sophisticated.
There is a number of powertrain options which are as follows-
- Petrol-1l and 1.5l turbo-petrol engine that has manual 6-speed, and automatic DSG 7-speed
- Diesel- 2.0l diesel for the global market and also expected to be launched in India
- CNG- 1.5l engine- this variant is expected to be launched in India.
- Mild-hybrid engine
- Plug-hybrid engine
There are various technologies implemented in the new Skoda Octavia for safety and this include lane assistance, assistance for collision avoidance, and turn and traffic jam assist. However, due to the radar-technology restrictions in India, these features may not be available in the models launched here. Panoramic sunroof, seats that also have massage functions are some of the features you can definitely expect. The model is expected to compete with Honda Elantra, Civic and Toyota Corolla Atlantis which had always been the model’s close competitors.
The fourth generation Skoda Octavia is expected to be launched in the second half of 2020 and is a much-awaited one owing to the reliability associated with the predecessors of this range.
