Skoda Octavia News

Skoda’s Octavia has grown up.

Skoda Australia has confirmed pricing for its 2019 model year go-fast Octavia RS sedan and wagon variants.

Czech brand Skoda and British carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have revealed which models will be recalled as part of the wide-spread mandatory Takata airbag call back.

Skoda Australia’s hottest model yet, the Octavia RS245, will set buyers back $43,390 before on-road costs and, unlike its predecessor, has been made a permanent member of the Czech brand’s line-up.

Skoda Australia has dropped its 110TDI diesel variants of the Octavia as part of its mid-life facelift while enhancing the standard spec and upping the price on its mid-size sedan and wagon range.However, whether or not the feature-heavy but slow-selling Octavia Scout wagon will continue on remains to be seen, with Skoda Australia saying that model was "not part of the new Octavia line-up at the time of launch".Skoda has renamed its variants with the mid-spec model now called the Sport, a change from Style, while the base 110TSI Ambition is now known as the Octavia 110TSI.The newly named RS135 TDI sedan and wagon are now the only diesel-powered options in the Octavia range, with the 110TDI liftback sedan and wagon dropped.High buyer demand for the Sport Pack in the outgoing model means a new Sport model will be added.Prices commence at $23,490 plus on-roads for the base Octavia 110TSI manual sedan, up $500 on the previous range opener, while the base wagon is up $300 to $24,990.The dual-clutch auto option will set you back an extra $2500 for what is a seven-speed in the 110TSI and Sport and six-speed in the RS.High buyer demand for the Sport Pack in the outgoing model means a new Sport model will be added later in the year.The Sport will be dual-clutch only and set you back $29,990 for the sedan and $31,490 for the wagon.Depending on options the even sportier RS will cost an extra $800 to $1200, beginning at $38,890 for the RS169 TSI manual sedan and peaking at $43,990 for the top-of-the-line diesel DSG-only RS135 TDI wagon.The petrol-powered RS has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine that makes 169kW and 350Nm of torque.The new base Octavia has more standard equipment than the outgoing model including an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.A tougher 180kW/370Nm RS245 is odds-on for a November launch in Australia with both manual and DSG options.The new base Octavia has more standard equipment than the outgoing model including an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Front Assist with City Emergency Brake, Multi Collision Brake adaptive cruise control, alloy wheels and floor mats.It also has seven airbags, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, upgraded reversing camera with multiple views, auto-dimming rear vision mirror, dual-zone climate control air-conditioning, fatigue detection, LED tail-lights remote folding rear seats and voice control.The Sport brings LED headlights, sports seats, 18-inch dark alloy wheels, lowered sports suspension, a black rear lip spoiler on the sedan, black mirror caps and side door and tailgate foils, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers.The RS features a 9.2-inch touchscreen with 'Columbus' sat-nav system, 18-inch black alloy wheels, an eight-speaker stereo, USB, auxiliary and two SD card slots.

Skoda has previewed the future of its design language with the release of a single teaser image, which appears to move away from the Czech brand's previously whimsical features in favour of a more purposeful look.Similarities can be seen between the side profile sketch and the car-maker's VisionC five-door coupe concept from the 2014 Geneva motor show, which hinted at the look of the upcoming Superb sedan and wagon that went on sale in Australia early last year.Angular headlight and tail-light designs seen in the darkened teaser are reminiscent of the VisionC, suggesting that Skoda may follow through on the concept and produce their own version of the Volkswagen Arteon which made its debut at this year's Geneva show.Succeeding the CC, the Arteon shares the Passat's underpinnings and changes its form to that of a swoopy liftback sedan, with the flagship Volkswagen set to arrive in October this year.While no such model is in the pipeline yet, an Arteon-based product would be a fitting addition to the manufacturer's line-up.Superb and Passat models are built on the same platform, meaning that Skoda's own version of the Arteon – which would pay homage to the VisionC – remains on the cards.Thrust could be provided by the Arteon's 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, which develops 206kW of power and 350Nm of torque.Top-of-the-line all-wheel drive Superb and Passat variants, as well as the forthcoming Arteon, already use this powerplant and pair it with a six-speed 'DSG' dual-clutch automatic transmission.Skoda Australia PR boss Paul Pottinger said that while no such model is in the pipeline yet, an Arteon-based product would be a fitting addition to the manufacturer's line-up."This goes to the fundamental nature of MQB (Volkswagen Group's front- and all-wheel drive platform) and its modularity, so I think if a platform can support cars as diverse as an Octavia and a Kodiaq, then certainly it wouldn't be illogical to suggest it could support something that's much closer in nature as a Superb and an Arteon-like vehicle," he said.The so-called 'quirkiness' is probably a thing of the past and more svelte, sculpted lines are very much where Skoda is now.Mr Pottinger also suggested that brand's distinctive Yeti will follow the design direction of other new Skoda models when it is eventually updated, meaning that the small SUV and its Kodiaq big brother – scheduled for release in June – will share a family look."The Kodiaq is very much in the vein of our design language now, and I think that the so-called 'quirkiness' is probably a thing of the past and more svelte, sculpted lines are very much where Skoda is now," he said."So that more practical, utilitarian aspect of Skoda for which it's been synonymous is going to henceforth be covered with more classic, sculpted external lines."Native crystal glass art has served as inspiration for the new design language, which can be seen by the  triangular shape of the headlights and tail-lights in the image, according to the brand.

A number of potentially hazardous faults have been identified in vehicles sold in Australia, prompting a wide range of recalls.

Skoda has unveiled the Octavia RS245, its most powerful production vehicle to date, at the Geneva motor show.

Skoda has unveiled the 180kW Octavia RS245 – the model's most powerful variant yet – ahead of its public debut at Geneva motor show in March.

Skoda has unveiled a facelifted version of its mid-size Octavia sedan and wagon range at an event in Vienna, Austria overnight.