The Octavia has always been a car that’s appealed to the head, rather than the heart, but Skoda has chosen Valentine’s Day, February 14, to launch the facelifted version of its value-packed, practically-minded Golf rival.
That date is close enough to ensure Skoda has already released a couple of teasers already, and in the brand’s usual back-to-front way, it’s following up those glimpses of an actual car with stylized sketches that massively overpromise on the attitude front. This means that the real thing won’t look anywhere near as wide or low.
But we’re hoping that the hot vRS at least shows some of the sizzle evident in the sketch of a red sedan with huge wheels and jutting, blacked-out chin, and matching black grille. Skoda says it’s upgraded the front-end look on every model and these sketches suggest we’re in store for reshaped lights that now wrap around the edges of a shallower grille, while the bumper has been tweaked to match. The latest LED Matrix headlight tech will appear on well-optioned cars, and we’re told they feature Crystallinium, an element that adds a blue tinge to the interior of the headlight housing.
Related: 2024 Skoda Octavia Teases Its “Modernized” Design
VW recently upgraded the Golf GTI’s 2.0-liter engine from 242 hp (245 PS) to 262 hp (265 PS), and since the outgoing Octavia vRS ran the same powertrain setup as the GTI, it should benefit from the same improvement. Sadly, both that engine, and the 197 hp (200 PS) 2.0-liter TDI alternative that we imagine Skoda will carry across, will come only with dual-clutch automatic transmissions.
Other versions of the Octavia will get manual options, but they’ll be far less powerful. Petrol engines ranging from 1.0 to 1.5 liters and topping out at a modest 148 hp (150 PS) are likely to feature again, but perhaps this time with mild-hybrid power. And there’ll still be a low-tune 2.0-liter diesel available for drivers who like the idea of being able to drive 500 miles (800km) in one hit.
The facelifted Skoda Octavia will be available in liftback sedan and wagon forms, just like today’s model, and there’ll be multiple trims, including a Sportline grade for buyers who want a touch of the vRS’s style without its price or insurance penalty.
