What's the news?

Skoda has revealed its all-new fourth-generation Octavia to the world and it's quite something. The saloon body style remains, although it isn't quite the three-box design of old. We'd stop short of calling it coupe-like as Skoda does, but it is on a fast-track to being one of the most attractive models in the segment. It will continue to be offered as a five-door liftback and also as an estate, called the, er, the Octavia Estate.

Is it still one of the best for space?

Yes, Skoda has earned a strong reputation for producing practical and spacious cars, and this new Octavia will be no different. The new car is 15mm wider than before, 19mm longer in the case of the saloon, and 22mm longer for the Combi. Boot space in the saloon is up by 10 litres to 600 litres, and with the Combi, the boot capacity rises to 640 litres, up by 30 litres. Rear passenger space also benefits from the design changes, with an additional 5mm of knee-room bringing the total to 78mm.

What else is new about the interior?

Anyone familiar with the previous Skoda Octavia will be blown away by the look of the new interior. Higher-spec models will feature a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, which Skoda calls the Virtual Cockpit. For models without this, a smaller colour display will feature between the instrument dials. Buyers will also be able to specify a head-up display - a first in the Octavia - along with a choice of infotainment displays. As standard, the Octavia will get an 8.25-inch screen with smartphone compatibility for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink.

For models with the DSG automatic, a new and much smaller drive selector frees up space between the seats due to it switching to a shift-by-wire system. There are still paddle shifters mounted on the back of the steering wheel. Speaking of which, the Octavia now gets a two-spoke wheel like that seen on the Vision iV concept car. It has new buttons with upmarket knurled scroll wheels that can control up to 14 different functions, ensuring more time spent holding the wheel.

Talk to me about engines.

The Octavia will be available with a wide range of engines, starting with a turbocharged 1.0-litre TSI petrol, and this is joined by a 1.5-litre TSI motor. When either is equipped with an automatic transmission, they gain a 48-volt mild hybrid system that uses a belt-driven starter and a 13Ah lithium-ion battery to recover, store and redeploy electrical power to boost engine performance and enable engine-off coasting for short periods.

Additionally, Skoda is also introducing a plug-in hybrid version of the Octavia, powered by a 1.4-litre petrol engine and larger 37Ah battery to deliver an extra 13kWh of energy. With a full charge, it is capable of covering up to 34 miles using only battery power, after which the petrol engine will chime in to carry on. For business users, there will be a choice of diesel engines, and these are equipped with the latest in AdBlue and emissions reduction hardware. All-wheel-drive transmissions will also be available.

Dave Humphreys - 11 Nov 2019