Škoda reveals facelifted Octavia

By Matt De Prez

28 October 2016

Škoda has revealed its facelifted Octavia which has received styling tweaks including a new face with LED headlamps and an updated, connected, infotainment system.

The new model will go on sale in February 2017 with a choice of two petrol or two diesel engines and a higher specification.

Powertrains available from launch are: 1.0 TSI 115ps, 1.4 TSI 150ps, 1.6 TDI 115ps and 2.0 TDI 150ps. A DSG transmission with six or seven gears is available in addition to manual.

Overall dimensions are the same as the existing Octavia which means its interior space remains one of the largest in class. Boot space is 590 litres in the hatchback and 610 litres in the estate; furthermore the latter is now available with an electric rear tailgate.

The most noticeable change is at the front where the headlamps have been split in a similar fashion to those on the brand’s upcoming Kodiaq SUV.

Predictive pedestrian protection complements Front Assist and the parking assistant has been further optimised with the addition of a rear radar. Blind Spot Detection and Rear Traffic Alert are now available to ensure safe lane changes and also help while reversing out of a parking space.

All three infotainment systems have capacitive displays and the top-level Columbus features a full 9.2-inch screen, a wifi hotspot and an optional SIM card module with an LTE speed for an ultra-fast connection to the Internet.

Connected services come courtesy of Škoda Connect and are divided into Infotainment Online and CareConnect.

Other new features include a customisable key, allowing multiple users to save their own vehicle settings, as well as a heated steering wheel, bottle holders which facilitate the opening of bottles, and the estate version features a removable torch in the boot.