The new images show that the new Skoda Octavia will get a major mid-life upgrade in 2017, to bring it into line with the upcoming Kodiaq SUV.
Skoda’s chief designer Jozef Kaban described the Octavia as the “heart of the rangeâ€. He added that although Skoda are predicting a SUV boom over the next few years, the hatch and Estate will continue to be the flagships for the Skoda line-up.
The new images show that the front end will be different from the one in Kodiaq. A distinctive LED light signature will further highlight the changes, while redesigned bumpers and a Superb-style grille will complete the revised nose.
At the back, the facelifted version of the Octavia gets slightly redesigned C-shaped LED lamps to give it a fresh look. All these changes will also apply to the larger Estate as well. The car has the same practical, roomy interior, plus an identically big boot.
Although Volkswagen already offers a hybrid Golf GTE, its likely Skoda will wait until the next-generation Octavia appears before revealing a plug-in version of its own. Therefore, the 2017 facelift will see the same set of engines as in the current car.
The engines are the 1.0-litre TSI petrol through to the 2.0 TDI diesel. The vRS will continue as well, using either a tweaked version of the 2.0 TDI or a 227bhp 2.0 petrol. Manual gearboxes will come as standard, with the DSG dual-clutch auto offered as optional.
The interior will be updated too, though, with a new 9.5-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration and support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It could even support gesture control, for ease of use while driving. Skoda is expected to make use of the VW Group’s Virtual Cockpit dials, too, although maybe not from launch. Skoda is expected to offer more soft-touch plastics to complement the updated infotainment.
The new Octavia is set to be launched in 2017, starting at close to the current car’s £16,660 for a base S with a 1.0 TSI engine. A range-topping 2.0-litre TDI Laurin & Klement could top £30,000 for the first time.”
