Skoda is going to be unveiling the next-gen Octavia at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show, which will be held in September this year. We had previously reported that the next-gen Skoda Octavia will be launched in India by the end of 2020. Just for reference, the current Octavia has been around in our market since 2013, receiving a prominent facelift in 2017.
The next-gen Octavia is going to be based on an updated version of VW’s MQB platform and will continue to sport a notchback design. Although, according to the new car’s spy shots, it appears that the Octavia will sport a more sedan-like silhouette, while retaining its large hatch opening. Internationally, Skoda will also offer the new Octavia with an estate body style.
On the design front, Skoda will revise the next-gen Octavia’s styling to match its new design language, which can be seen on the new Scala and Kamiq sold internationally. Skoda will probably drop the current car’s split-headlight and grille design for a more traditional headlight layout with a sleeker and wider grille. The new Octavia will also sport LED lights all around, at least on the higher trims, along with a Matrix LED headlight setup (same as the setup that will debut on the upcoming Superb). The Skoda badge at the rear will also make way for the brand’s lettering across the tailgate.
Internationally, the next-gen Octavia will be equipped with a variety of petrol and diesel engine options, with Skoda also likely to offer a 48V mild-hybrid setup. However, for India, the Czech carmaker is expected to bring its 1.5-litre, TSI turbo-petrol engine. Skoda is also evaluating the possibility of upgrading the current 2.0-litre diesel to meet the upcoming BS6 emission norms.
Coming to the interior, the new Octavia will, in all likelihood, be more premium and sport better materials than that the current car. The dashboard will feature an updated layout and the car will be equipped with a long list of features such as voice control, head-up display, soft-touch materials, and so on.
Once launched in our market, the next-gen Octavia will rival the likes of the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra. Toyota is expected to have discontinued the Corolla in India by the time the new Octavia is launched.
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