All-new Skoda Octavia to be launched today!

Skoda will officially unveil the new Octavia sedan today. The car had been showcased late last year at Skoda’s museum in Mlada Boleslav. Also Read: New Skoda Octavia Sings to Life!

Based on the VW Group's much acclaimed MQB platform which allows for increase in both length and width, the new Octavia has grown in size. It is 90mm longer and 45mm wider. In fact its wheelbase is just short of the Passat’s which translates into a lot more room to move about inside. Remarkably though, the weight has been reduced! A 100kg diet, to be specific, through intelligent use of high-strength steel without sacrificing rigidity.

The car sports a no-nonsense exterior which is very much in tune with the design traits of Skoda cars. No fancy curves or swooping lines here – this European means business!

But where it lacks in style, it makes up in proper tank-like built quality. The interior is typically high quality with a lot of attention to detail. The car sports features like automatic high beam headlights, automatic lane guidance, an emergency city braking system and adaptive drive modes making it a very safe and technologically superior vehicle.

The new Octavia range in India is likely to continue with the same engines already doing duty in the present Laura and Jetta models (1.8 TSI petrol and 2.0 TDI Diesel). However, rumour has it that Skoda may think of introducing a smaller 1.4 TSI petrol motor along with the other engines, to give an option of a cheaper entry point for the buyer.