Skoda Octavia facelift to launch on July 13

The facelifted Skoda Octavia will be launched in India on July 13, 2017. The talking point of this update is the restyled nose that houses a new quad headlamp arrangement, reminiscent of the previous-generation Mercedes-Benz E-class. Top trims get adaptive, full-LED lighting with an auto high-beam function. There are minor styling tweaks elsewhere too, including reworked bonnet and revised bumpers.

The facelift will come with equipment such as hands-free parking function, panoramic sunroof with remote operation, 12-way electric-adjust driver seat with memory, touchscreen infotainment system with SmartLink smartphone integration, reverse parking camera, navigation and a driver fatigue monitoring system as per trim levels.

On the inside, the basic design of the dashboard will be similar to the outgoing car, but with a few notable tweaks. The Octavia facelift will get the choice of a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with physical buttons on the old 6.0-inch display being replaced by touch buttons. Under the hood, the facelifted Octavia will continue to be powered by a choice of three engines.

In addition, buyers who have been waiting for the hotter version of the Octavia have something to look forward to. Skoda is expected to launch the Octavia vRS around Diwali this year, which will also sport the new quad headlight design from the facelift. The vRS for India will feature a 230hp, 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol engine. It will also get a more aggressive body kit, blacked-out trim bits and larger alloy wheels to make it look different from the regular Octavia. An updated suspension setup will also be part of the package.

The Skoda Octavia facelift will rival the likes of the recently facelifted Toyota Corolla Altis and the new Hyundai Elantra.