2020 Skoda Octavia Combi: Successor To Europe’s Best-Selling Wagon Detailed Before Launch

Skoda has released new photos and videos of the all-new Octavia, focusing on the Combi wagon variant which is going on sale first.

Yes, the estate model will be the first to reach European dealerships this spring as it’s traditionally the more popular of the two body styles and, in previous-generation guise, was the continent’s best-selling wagon. As with the all-new SEAT Leon, VW Golf and Audi A3 MQB Evo platform siblings, the fourth-generation Skoda Octavia is more sophisticated than ever and offers a very diverse lineup.

Besides coming in five-door liftback and wagon flavors, it also offers an array of powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid unit for the first time in the Octavia iV – with a second one available in the Octavia RS iV.

The styling of the 2020 Octavia is clearly evolutionary and so is the model’s offer of space. Skoda has enlarged its core model’s dimensions, making it longer and wider than its predecessor, resulting in more room for rear passengers and a bigger cargo volume – a class-leading 640 liters (22.6 cu ft) in the Combi and 600 liters (21.2 cu ft) in the hatchback.

Everything has been redesigned inside, with the new dashboard accommodating a free-standing central display (with screens measuring from 8.25 to 10 inches) and an optional 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit. Also new are the two-spoke steering wheel (with new control buttons and knurled scroll wheels when ordered as a multifunction unit), small rocker switch for the shift-by-wire DSG transmissions, LED ambient lighting and new soft-touch materials.

Obviously, the number of optional extras is higher than ever and includes back-friendly Ergo seats with massage and ventilation functions, head-up display, heated windscreen, tri-zone Climatronic, KESSY, and more.

There’s a lot to choose from under the bonnet as well, with the 2020 Octavia offering petrol, mild-hybrid petrol, plug-in hybrid petrol, compressed natural gas and diesel powertrains, with outputs ranging from 110 PS (109 HP) to 204 PS (201 HP) – see details about each engine variant in the table below.

The range-topper is the plug-in hybrid Octavia iV model pairing a 1.4 TSI petrol engine with an electric motor and 13 kWh battery for a combined power output of 204 PS (201 HP / 150 kW). It offers an EV driving range of up to 60 km (37 miles) in the WLTP cycle as well as decent performance.

As for safety, the new Skoda Octavia features new systems including Collision Avoidance Assist, Turn Assist, Exit Warning and Local Traffic Warning function. Also new are the Area View, Side Assist and Predictive Cruise Control systems, which form the comprehensive Travel Assist system together with the updated Traffic Sign Recognition, Adaptive Lane Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Emergency Assist features.

The 2020 Skoda Octavia Combi will go on sale this spring, followed by the hatchback a few weeks later.