New Skoda Octavia (2013) revealed

The new Skoda Octavia arrives as a third generation offering more room, more efficiency and a new look. Arrives in the UK spring 2013.

We’ve had a trio of new cars built on the VW MQB platform  recently – the new VW Golf, the new Audi A3 and the new SEAT Leon – and now we have a quartet with the arrival of the new Skoda Octavia.

The new Skoda Octavia, the third generation Octavia, is bigger than before – it’s grown by 90mm in length and 45mm in width and gets an extra 108mm in the wheelbase – which, say Skoda, makes the new Octavia the most spacious model in its class in the back seat.

Not only do Skoda say the new Octavia has the most room in the back, they also say the boot space – hiding under the tailgate that looks like a boot – is also the best in its segment with 590 litres of space to swallow ‘stuff’ (that’s 5- per cent more than its German cousin, the VW Golf).

Visually, the new Octavia looks slicker and sleeker – and distinctly more premium – with much of the fussiness removed to leave strong, clean lines and a more aggressive stance with small overhangs, with its new grill and slimmer headlights adding elegance to the front and even Skoda’s very own ‘kink’ on the back doors.

Inside looks suitably simple and elegant too – Germanic, dare we say – with a decent size infotainment screen at the front of the centre console – below the air vents – with HVAC controls below, higher quality switchgear and improved materials. Understated, and even elegant.

Engines at launch will be everything from a GreenLine version of the 1.6 TDI offering emissions of just 89g/km through a choice of four petrol and four diesel engines topping out, for now, at the 1.8 TSI with 177bhp. Four wheel drive, estate and a vRS model will arrive after launch.

With plenty of room, elegant looks, good build quality and plenty of grown-up options – like auto braking, adaptive cruise and lane assist – the new Octavia could be the pick of the new MQB cars.

The 2013 Skoda Octavia is expected in the UK in Spring 2013 with a small increase in the current car’s starting price of £13,400.

By Cars UK