At a time when the bet is also on Skoda , including SUVs and crossovers — the Czech brand is preparing yet another proposal for the B-segment, joining the well-known Karoq and Kodiaq — the fact remains that, the main responsible for the growth of the Mladá Boreslav manufacturer, continues to call up Skoda Octavia.
After a year in 2017 in which, just your account, it delivered 418 800 units, almost doubling the sales of the second best-selling model, the Rapid (211 500 vehicles), the Skoda Octavia is already preparing its next generation. Awaited only for 2020 , but already promising a product “at the forefront” of the segment.
The words are from the main responsible for sales and marketing at Skoda, Alan Favey, who already foresees a bright future for the new Octavia, thanks to a series of advances and innovations.
Hatchback... technological
Among these, is the certainty that the Skoda Octavia IV will maintain the five-door configuration, like a hatchback, although with lines that bring it closer to the three-volume saloons. With the focus remaining, as in all Skoda so far, on functionality, albeit with special attention to the technological component.Featuring the well-known MQB platform as a work base, although evolved, the future Octavia will feature much of the hardware that will be integrated into the eighth generation of the Volkswagen Golf, whose arrival will take place in 2019.
hybridization on the way
Among the planned shares with the next Golf, there are also engines, including semi-hybrids (48V) and plug-in hybrids. However, conventional engines should continue to be the most sought after, as the British Auto Express advances, with the Octavia receiving petrol engines, such as the 1.5 TSI and, probably, Diesel.
The Volkswagen group had already announced that it would no longer develop smaller diesel engines — the current 1.6 TDI will continue to be sold for the next 2-4 years — so we can only speculate. Will the future Skoda Octavia still be equipped with the 1.6 TDI or will it only have the 2.0 TDI available?
Conservatism remains
Finally, as for aesthetics, although no great audacity is to be expected, the latest rumors point to the fact that the current configuration of bipartite optics, which generated a lot of controversy, will be abandoned, with the Czech C segment adopting a solution more classic.Golf with a new rival on the way
While developing the fourth generation Octavia (or fifth, if you count the original, pre-Volkswagen Octavia), Skoda is also finishing the finishing touches on what will be the restyling of its flagship Superb.
It is also already developing a new species of Rapid Spaceback, which, adopting another name, will aim to be a more direct rival to the Volkswagen Golf, despite being derived from the MQB A0, which serves as the basis for the SEAT Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo.
As for the promised crossover for the B segment, it should be made known at the 2019 edition of the Geneva Motor Show, with lines inspired by the Vision X Concept.
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