The new-look Skoda Octavia is now on sale in the UK, priced to undercut the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra and offering the choice of petrol or diesel power.
The updated family car – which introduces a new front-end design, a revamped infotainment system and a more powerful vRS range-topper – can be ordered in four trim levels and two bodystyles: hatchback and estate.
The base trim is SE Technology, priced from £26,775 with the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, £28,815 with mild-hybrid assistance and £29,320 with diesel power. The estate body adds around £1000 to the cost, depending on engine and trim.
Standard kit includes 16in alloy wheels, LED lights at both ends, heated front seats, a 13in touchscreen, a digital driver's display, wireless smartphone mirroring and a charging pad.
SE L trim bumps the entry price up to £31,250 – adding larger 17in wheels, dynamic indicators, plusher interior upholstery and a raft of extra tech – while fully equipped Sportline trim tops the line-up at £32,255.
The most expensive version of the new Octavia is the Sportline Estate with the mild-hybrid petrol engine, priced at £35,352.
However, that will be superseded by the hot vRS, which will be priced up "at a later date", Skoda said.
2024 Skoda Octavia: what's new?
The Octavia's new look is distinct from the rest of the Skoda line-up, with more angular LED headlights nestled above a bold crease in the front bumper – said to be a reference to the Czech flag – which is especially pronounced on the vRS range-topper.
The most notable upgrades are inside, where a new 13.0in infotainment touchscreen (shared with the recently updated Volkswagen Golf) has been added as an optional extra.
Regardless of which screen is fitted, ChatGPT artificial intelligence is integrated into the infotainment software’s voice assistant, with Skoda promising flexibility and capabilities “far beyond” its current iteration.
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But, which brand do you prefer? the VW or the Seat, no longer is Seat seen as the poor man's VW.
Why wouldn't Skoda bring the same ergonomic controls to the Octavia as recently introduced elsewhere? These cars are all based on the same architecture so what's the reason? Laziness? Penny-pinching? A cack-handed attempt to offer an upsale opportunity to a Superb or Kodiaq?
VAG says it has learned its lesson from the awful user interface in ID and Golf, but it seems they have not.
The main lesson learned, as far as the Octavia and Golf are concerned, is to just bung in a larger screen. And anyway, shouting about ergonomic controls that are really (maybe) only as good as those being fitted years ago is a rather desperate thing to shout about.
Personally I can't see anyone who want's an Octavia paying many £££'s extra for a Kodiaq or Superb just to have a control knob for the temperature. I certainly wouldn't. But I can't understand this facination with knobs.?
The volume control was always stupid complaint. I increase or decrease the volume using the button on the steering wheel therefore can't understand the issue.
Temperature - I rarely ever touch the temperature. I have it set to 21C and let the system auto maintain it.
So in mid winter when it's freezing outside, inside my car is 21. In high summer when it's boiling outside, my car is 21. I quite like my car being at 21C - why do I want keep changing the temp inside the car?
Take it you're straight then?
I'll stick my neck out here, the name, Skoda still has zero appeal to most.
I actually jumped to the comments before reading the article!
I take your point scotty, but sometimes i get in the car and i am cold and really need to warm up. Or get in the car with lots of clothes on and can't be bothered to take them up. Or me feet are wet and need drying out so needs redirecting. Or clear the scheme, or the dog is hot in the back, so i find quite a lot of reasons to change the settings.