When looking from the front, the key changes include newly shaped head-lamps, a new grille and a one-piece bumper. At the rear there are new tail-lights and a revised bumper with integrated reflectors. Inside, there’s an updated audio and satnav system, a new steering wheel, a white backlit instrument panel, new trim and optional xenon headlights.
“The Octavia has always had a special position among Skoda vehicles. It is our most successful model, very popular worldwide. Now it has gone through a complete transformation that is apparent in the new interior and exterior, as well as the applied technology,” Skoda exec Dr. Eckhard Scholz said at the announcement of the new model.
The engine lineup from the current model carries over largely unchanged. However, 2009 sees the introduction of a new 1.4L TSI unit with 120hp (90kW), and both the turbocharged 1.4L and 1.8L units are now available with Volkswagen Group’s newly developed seven-speed DSG. The rest of the engine lineup consists of a range of petrol and diesel units ranging from 1.3L to 2.0L in displacement. Power outputs range from about 68hp (51kW) in the base 1.3L model to 200hp (150kW) in the range-topping TFSI model.
