2021 Skoda Octavia gets a slew of visual upgrades and interior revisions; likely be powered by 2.0-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines
Skoda Auto India has commenced testing of the next generation Octavia on Indian soil as evident from the undisguised spy shots you see here. The fourth generation Skoda Octavia made its global debut in Prague in November 2019 and it gets a whole host of exterior and interior changes in response to the growing competition in the premium sedan space.
The Octavia in its regular as well as RS guise has been well received in India but it has not been upgraded to meet BSVI standards and it will compete against Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra – the former reentered the market after six years of absence last year while the latter received a facelift in October 2019. The spy shots do indicate the visual changes that resemble the international model.
Up front, the chrome garnished front grille with black vertical slats, sleeker non-split LED headlamps with integrated LED Daytime Running Lights, redesigned bumper with black housing stretching across the width, horizontally positioned LED fog lamps and pronounced bonnet lines and creases. The overall silhouette remains untouched as the side profile has new 17-inch alloy wheels and sportier character lines.
Compared to the Euro-spec model, the India-bound model appears to have slightly raised ground clearance. The rear end has SKODA lettering embossed on the more sculpted tailgate, brand new LED tail lamps ditching the C-shaped design and a revised bumper. The upcoming Octavia is bigger in proportions compared to the outgoing model as it sits on the updated MQB architecture.
Besides the elegant exterior staying in line with the latest crop of Skodas sold worldwide, the interior has also undergone loads of changes. Some of the highlighting features on the inside include a triple zone climate control system, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a larger 10-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with connectivity features, wireless charger, nine airbags, collision avoidance assist, etc.
The fourth-gen Skoda Octavia is expected to launch in early 2021 and it will be powered by a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder TSI engine that can also be found in the Vision IN concept based mid-size SUV and VW Taigun. It will generate around 150 horsepower, mated to a six-speed MT. The 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol, on the other hand, will kick out 190 hp and it could be offered in the top-spec variants paired with a seven-speed DSG.