THE first stage of Skoda's 2009 fightback starts with the facelifted Octavia, which arrives in Australia with a less polarising new look and a simplified model range now comprising just three engines and the same two body styles: a traditional five-door wagon and a five-door hatchback that Skoda Australia no longer calls a sedan but a 'liftback'. Biggest news is the new entry-level 1.6-litre ex-Golf petrol four, which lowers the 2009 Octavia's starting price to $26,990 in five-door manual form. The flagship 2.0 TDI turbo-diesel carries over and is also available with a six-speed automatic transmission (in this case VW's twin-clutch DSG), but the renamed 1.8 TSI turbo-petrol teamed with VW's latest seven-speed DSG auto is the pick of the Octavia Series II bunch. RS sports and Scout crossover versions of the upgraded Octavia won't be available until July at the earliest.