The new Octavia station wagon - all facts

The Golf is the uncrowned king of the compact class. But his throne shakes ever more violently. As if it weren't bad enough that even VW stamped the brand new bestseller as old iron and only talks about the ID3 and the electrical future, the group subsidiaries are now putting a strain on it. In the sum of its properties, the Golf may also be unmatched in the eighth generation, but Seat builds the more passionate car with the Leon, Audi praises the A3 as the more distinguished cousin, and if Skoda now launches the fourth generation of the Octavia, then score points the Czechs especially among practitioners and pragmatists. It is not for nothing that they start selling at prices starting at 28.060 euros with the station wagon and then push the 700 euros cheaper sedan.

Also from the MQB modular system

Like the Golf and its group siblings, constructed from the modular transverse modular system and formally at home in the compact class, the Octavia goes out of its way again when the generation changes and is now heading for the middle class at 4,69 meters. That is why you are now sitting in the second row as in the first class and the trunk is larger with 630 liters than with most of the competitors.

Form and format are independent, but the substructure is a family matter, and much of the equipment too. Once again, Skoda is taking advantage of the blessings of the modular system and upgrading the Octavia enormously. This is why the bestseller is making a big leap, especially in terms of assistance and intelligence, with security systems such as an evasive assistant or an exit warning and infotainment solutions such as a larger digital cockpit with optimized online access and improved update options, and for the first time a head-up display.

Overview of the engines

The relationship to the Golf is particularly clear when you look under the hood, where Skoda promises an efficiency gain of up to 110 percent with a range of initially 245 to 14 hp. Just like VW, Skoda is now starting out on a broad floor with mild hybrids with 48 volt technology, the diesels have the new twindosing technology and emit up to 80 percent less nitrogen oxides, and for the first time the Octavia will also be used as a plug-in Hybrids that are offered in two performance levels, just like in Wolfsburg. In addition, the Czechs have a CNG version in the pipeline because it pays for the lower CO2 emissions faster than any other technology.

It starts with a 110 kW / 150 PS strong TSI engine with 1,5 liter displacement and a further developed 2,0 liter TDI, which is available with 115 and 150 PS. Despite improved exhaust gas cleaning, these may not be the most innovative engines, but they are the most important. Because the strong diesel in particular should once again prove to be a bestseller - for good reason. After all, with its 360 Nm it is wonderfully dynamic and elastic, makes overtaking child's play and the traffic light sprint with a sprint value of 8,8 seconds is a pleasure, speeds up to 222 km / h on the highway and can still be done with a little foresight and restraint driving just under five liters. And at the latest when you order the adaptive dampers, which either interlock the car tightly with the road or smoothly cushion all the hardships, you quickly forget that you are still in the compact and not already in the middle class.

More than just a golf

But the Octavia is not just a Golf with a different face. Because Skoda uses the modular cross-construction kit as thoroughly as possible, the Czechs of the compact class are putting their own stamp on the company. That applies to the design, which is just as timeless and imperishable as the Golf and yet not boring, that applies to the interior, for example, to the new steering wheel with just two spokes and new, very unconventional operating rollers, and of course this applies above all to the ideas from the Simply Clever department, which Skoda has now added again. In the future, for example, there will also be a USB socket on the headlining for dash cams, the pockets on the back of the front seats now offer a compartment for a cell phone and, in addition to the umbrella, a broom for the snow can also be placed in the door if desired.

A lot of solid technology from the family and a very special style - this calculation could work for Skoda: While the Golf is just experiencing the dawn of the gods, the Octavia as a car for practitioners and pragmatists in the slipstream of the Wolfsburg bestseller comes ever closer to pole position and is becoming more and more the secret king of the compact class.

Also with alternative drive sources

And where they wobble on the throne of the Gulf in Wolfsburg, they see in Mlada Boleslav in the Octavia not a brakeman, but an accelerator. For Skoda boss Bernhard Maier, the Octavia is not just one of the central models in the major product offensive and is intended to raise the Czechs above the two million mark. "With him we also want to generate the money with which we can pay the high costs of the transformation to e-mobility from our own cash register."

 Text: Benjamin Bessinger / SP-X

Next to the Skoda Octavia from generation number three:

With the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi (the third generation), ŠKODA is continuing its model offensive. A few weeks after the launch of the Octavia sedan, the third Octavia Combi generation celebrated its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. Sales have been running in Europe since May 2013. ŠKODA also presented the new Octavia Combi 4 × 4 with enhanced all-wheel drive with one Haldex coupling 5 the latest generation.

"The ŠKODA Octavia is the heart of the brand and by far our best-selling model," says ŠKODA CEO Prof. Dr. Ing. hc Winfried Vahland. "The Combi has a large share in the success of the Octavia," says Winfried Vahland.

The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi has grown significantly in size and convinces with the best price / value ratio. This is due to an outstanding amount of space, even more functionality, economical consumption, innovative safety and comfort systems, many 'Simply Clever' ideas and dynamic design. The car has become lighter by up to 102 kg than its predecessor.

The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi is not only spacious and functional, it also looks good. ŠKODA head designer Jozef Kabaň and his team have redesigned the car from head to toe. Never before has a ŠKODA Octavia Combi hit the road as dynamically and at the same time as timelessly elegant, distinctive, high-quality and sovereign as the third generation of the bestseller. "The ŠKODA Octavia Combi offers space in its most beautiful form," says Winfried Vahland.

One third of all ŠKODA Octavia sold in the past 16 years go to the account of the station wagon variant. In 124.500, the ŠKODA Octavia Combi was ranked third in the worldwide ŠKODA sales list behind the ŠKODA Octavia sedan and the ŠKODA Fabia. In Germany, the ŠKODA Octavia Combi 2012 was the best-selling import car, the number one among station wagons in Switzerland.

Against this backdrop, ŠKODA intends to continue to grow in Western Europe with the new Octavia Combi and expand its market share. 2012's market share in Western Europe was over three percent, in Germany it was 4,3 percent.

"The Octavia Combi is a fantastic car. He will delight our current customers and will also appeal to new customers, "says Werner Eichhorn, ŠKODA Board Member for Sales and Marketing. Eichhorn sees the new model as "attractive for private and corporate customers alike".

Skoda's third gene: a true load master

The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi is significantly larger than its predecessor and offers generous space for five passengers and their luggage. The car is 4,66 mm longer with almost 90 meters and 1,81 mm wider than its predecessor with over 45 meters (without exterior mirrors). At the same time, the wheelbase of the Combi grew by 108 mm. The result: "Gardemaße" in terms of space and space. Like the sedan, the estate version of the new ŠKODA Octavia also impresses with room best in the segment. In some values, the Combi offers even more space than the already very spacious Octavia sedan.

No vehicle in the compact segment offers a longer interior and more knee clearance in the rear. The interior length of the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi has moved from its predecessor by 33 mm to 1.782 mm. The leg-freedom in the rear grew by 26 mm to now 73 mm. In addition, there is now even more head-freedom front and rear (front: 983 mm instead of previously 981 mm, rear: 995 mm instead of previously 984 mm). The elbow width has also grown considerably: front on 1.454 mm plus 39 mm, rear on 1.449 mm plus 26 mm. Likewise, the shoulder space of the Combi has been significantly improved, with 1.398 mm at the front and 19 mm at the front and 1.378 mm at the back, an increase of 4 mm.

The trunk of the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi sets a class record: The trunk volume increased by five liters to 610 liters compared to the predecessor Combi. That's 20 liters more than in the Octavia sedan. If you fold the rear seat, the load volume of the Combi even increases to 1.740 liters (previously: 1.655 liters). The rear seat backrest can be conveniently moved from the trunk by pressing a button. When the passenger seat is folded down, even up to 2,92 meter long objects can be transported.

The tailgate of the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi swings open wide and makes loading extremely comfortable: The trunk opening reaches a height of proud 1.070 mm - an increase compared to the predecessor of 9 mm. Even in width, the trunk now opens a maximum of 1.070 mm (Octavia Combi II: 1.061 mm). The loading sill is only 631 mm high, 6 mm lower than before.

Skoda third gene: 'Simply Clever' through and through

There are also many 'Simply Clever' details, For example, the ŠKODA Octavia Combi has a variable double loading floor in the boot. With the help of this movable intermediate floor, the trunk can be divided into different heights and areas and offers very variable transport options. New is the multifunction tray under the trunk cover. It offers space for items that would otherwise be scattered across the trunk.

The trunk cover can be removed and stowed under the double bottom. The backrest of the rear seat can be folded in the ratio 60: 40. An optional luggage net partition prevents objects from moving forward. The luggage net partition can also be used with the rear seats folded down.

As standard, four folding hooks for hanging shopping bags can be found in the trunk. Two trunk lights provide adequate lighting, an 12-V socket for convenient power, for example, a cooler.

For the first time ever, the ŠKODA Octavia Combi has a double-sided floor covering in the trunk: in normal applications, a high-quality carpet provides comfort and an appealing look. For transporting dirty hiking boots, potted plants or wet ski boots, the boot reversible mat is simply turned over: At the top is a dirt and water repellent surface. Also new is the so-called cargo fastener. With this, for example, boxes and boxes can be securely fixed in the trunk.

In the interior, the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi also has all the clever features that are already familiar from the new saloon: A universal holder for external multimedia devices in the cup holder of the center console makes space for mobile phones or iPods. For the storage compartments in the doors there are garbage containers. There is no shortage of bottle holders. Up to eight bottles can be placed in dedicated holders. In the tank flap of the new Octavia is an ice scraper as standard. The safety vest is in a special holder immediately tangible under the driver's seat. For both, troublesome searching in the car interior is no longer necessary.

Skoda third generation: dynamic and functional design

High functionality combines the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi with dynamic elegance. The design impresses with clarity, precision and perfect proportions - from bow to stern. While the front view is identical to the front of the Octavia sedan, the side and rear differ. Pure dynamics convey the side view. Lines, surfaces, window graphics and proportions harmonize perfectly. The almost 11 cm longer wheelbase compared to the previous model (2.686 mm vs. 2.578 mm) underlines the powerful proportions of the new model. Similarly, the shortened to 886 mm overhang front (Octavia II: 915 mm). The overall length of the new Octavia Combi is 4.659 mm. This makes the third generation 90 mm longer than its predecessor. The length and width of the Combi are identical to the dimensions of the Octavia sedan. With 1.465 mm the Octavia Combi 4 mm is higher than the saloon.

The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi looks clear and concise from the side: a dynamic, flowing silhouette from the front to the rear window, without unnecessary creases or unnecessary lines. The closed, sharply cut page graphic is emphasized by the high tornado line. The roof line drops gently to the rear, the taillights extend far into the side rear area and connect directly to the tornado line.

The rear is clear, precise and tidy: The new ŠKODA brand logo is positioned centrally on the tailgate. On the left is the name ŠKODA, on the right the model name Octavia. The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi is immediately recognizable as ŠKODA by the C-shaped taillights and the characteristic triangular elements in the tailgate. Like the saloon, the ŠKODA Octavia Combi has two C-shaped stripes in each tail light for the first time to enhance the graphic effect.

Skoda third generation: safety at the highest level

The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi impresses with its high level of safety. The newly developed ŠKODA Octavia Combi active safety systems include City Emergency Brake Assist, Lane Assistant, Multicollision Brake with Automatic Brake on Accident, Proactive Inmate Protection to protect the vehicle in accident situations, and Fatigue Detection. These systems help to prevent accidents or mitigate their consequences for passengers and other road users.

In the event of an accident, a comprehensive package of passive safety features ensures the best possible protection for the driver and passengers. Reactively, up to nine airbags in the finely adjusted interaction with 3 point-safety belts protect the occupants from injuries. For the first time, a driver's knee airbag (standard in EU countries) and rear side airbags are being used in the ŠKODA Octavia Combi. In addition, the precise chassis, the long wheelbase and the solid and lightweight body structure ensure extremely stable handling of the latest ŠKODA model.

Skoda third generation: Low consumption engines: CO2 emissions from 87 g / km

The newly developed engines of the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi are up to a maximum of 17 percent lower consumption than the previous generation. The engine offering includes four gasoline and four diesel engines, including a low-consumption GreenLine version (expected from the end of 2013) with a CO2 emissions of only 87g / km.

The wide range of engines extends from the 1,2 TSI 63 kW (86 PS) * to the top engine, the 1,8 TSI with 132 kW (180 PS) * performance. Except for the basic versions, all engines in the EU countries are equipped with a start-stop system and recuperation (braking energy recovery). The fuel-efficient GreenLine * version - an 1,6 TDI with 81 kW (110 PS) performance - consumes only 3,3 liters of diesel on 100 km. This corresponds to a CO2 output of only 87 g / km. In addition, ŠKODA is also planning a natural gas variant for the Octavia Combi.

Four-wheel drive of the latest generation (Haldex 5 coupling)

There will also be three units (1,8 TSI 132 kW, 180 TDI 1,6 kW) and 77 TDI 105 kW (2,0 PS) *) with the newly developed four-wheel drive with which the ŠKODA Octavia Combi 110 × 150 drives up. The all-wheel drive works on the basis of a further developed Haldex clutch of the fifth generation.

Compared to the system previously used in the Octavia, the Haldex 5 1,4 kg clutch is lighter. It works without pressure accumulators and reacts to all conceivable drive influences within milliseconds. This improves the active safety and driving dynamics of the vehicle. In normal driving situations, the drive is via the front axle. As soon as more torque is required or the wheels need more grip, the rear wheels are steplessly engaged. If necessary, then up to almost 100 percent of the drive power via the rear wheels.

Innovative comfort systems

There are few wishes left in terms of comfort - thanks to numerous electronic comfort systems. New features that are known only from higher-class vehicles so far. Technology that makes mobility safer and more comfortable.

The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi has an Adaptive Distance Assistant (ACC) that keeps the distance to the vehicle in front. A new high-beam assistant enables automatic switching on and off of the high beam and thus improves comfort and safety on the road. The park steering assistant supports the parking of the new Octavia - vertically and longitudinally. Traffic sign recognition in the driver assistance package Traveler displays traffic signs. With the Driving Profile Selection, the driver can set certain driving characteristics of the vehicle at the push of a button.

The electric panoramic sunroof and sunroof is also available for the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi. There are two parts of the Combi: The front part can be issued and moved by electric motor. The rear part of the panoramic roof is solid. The entire roof module is made of tinted, heat-insulating glass and is 1.362 × 870 mm in size. The glass reflects 95 percent of incident heat and 93 percent of light.

The tailgate of the new ŠKODA Octavia Combi can be opened and closed electrically (option). The new Octavia Combi also features the KESSY (Keyless Entry Start and Exit System) automatic locking and starting system.

Modern infotainment with up to 8 inch large touch screen

The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi impresses with a completely new generation of radio and radio navigation systems. As in the Octavia sedan, the higher systems (Bolero, Amundsen and Columbus) use touch displays with proximity sensors. Pure listening pleasure is provided by the new, sound-optimized CANTON sound system for the passenger compartment.

Market launch: May 2013

In Germany, the market launch of the new Octavia Combi takes place on the 25. May 2013. Already since order start all petrol engines are available. The diesel entry-level engine 1,6 TDI with 66 kW (90 PS) is expected to be available in Germany from May 2013. The GreenLine version will follow towards the end of the year. The RS variant of the Octavia Combi celebrates 2013 world premiere at the 'Goodwood Festival of Speed' in July. In addition, a natural gas version of the Octavia Combi is being planned.

The Octavia Combi can already be ordered in Germany from 16.640 Euro.

Engines Gasoline (EU 5):
> 1,2 TSI 63 kW (86 PS) (manual 5 gear)
> 1,2 TSI 77 kW (105 PS) Green tec (6 gear manual and 7 gear DSG **)
> 1,4 TSI 103 kW (140 PS) Green tec (6 gear manual and 7 gear DSG ***)
> 1,8 TSI 132 kW (180 PS) Green tec (6 gear manual and 7 gear DSG); 4 × 4 **** with 6 gear DSG

Diesel engines (EU 5):
> 1,6 TDI 66 kW (90 PS) (5 gear manually) (from May 2013)
> 1,6 TDI 77 kW (105 PS) Green tec (5 gear manual and 7 gear DSG); 4 × 4 **** with 6 manual gear
> 1,6 TDI 81 kW (110 PS) GreenLine (6 gear manual) (from the end of 2013)
> 2,0 TDI 110 kW (150 PS) Green tec (6 gear manually and 6 gear DSG); 4 × 4 **** with 6 manual gear

** 7-Gang DSG from third quarter 2013
*** 7-Gang-DSG from May 2013
**** 4 × 4 from May 2013; 1,6 TDI 77 kW (105 PS) 4 × 4 follows later