Skoda tweaks Octavia line-up

SKODA Australia has rejigged its Octavia line-up as part of its mid-life facelift, dropping the 110TDI diesel variants and the high-riding Scout but increasing standard specification, and some pricing, on its mid-size sedan and wagon range.

The tweaked Octavia range is available to order now, with deliveries of the 110TSI variants kicking off in May, while the hotter RS will sprint into showrooms in July.

The future of the slow-selling jacked-up Octavia Scout wagon is unclear, with Skoda Australia saying in a release that it was “not part of the new Octavia line-up at the time of launch”.

It is understood that the forthcoming Kodiaq seven-seat SUV due next month, and the next-gen Yeti replacement that will arrive in early-to-mid 2018 under the new Karoq moniker, will fill Skoda’s SUV quota in Australia instead of the Scout.

Skoda has renamed some of its variants with the base 110TSI Ambition now just called the Octavia 110TSI, while the mid-spec grade is now called the Sport, a change from Style.

The 110TDI liftback sedan and wagon have been dropped from the range, leaving the newly named RS135 TDI sedan and wagon as the only diesel-powered options in the Octavia range.

Pricing now kicks off from $23,490 plus on-road costs for the base Octavia 110TSI manual sedan, representing a $500 increase over the outgoing range opener, while the base manual wagon has increased by $300 to $24,990.

Opting for the dual-clutch automatic transmission – a seven-speed unit in the 110TSI and Sport and six-speeder in the RS – adds $2500 to the price of the manual version.

The new Sport variant has been added to the line-up following high buyer demand for the Sport Pack in the outgoing model. The old Style grade has been dropped.

It is offered with the dual clutch only and is priced from $29,990 for the sedan and $31,490 for the wagon.

Pricing for the spicy RS has risen by between $800 and $1200 depending on the body style and powertrain.

It now starts at $38,890 for the RS169 TSI manual sedan and tops out at $43,990 for the flagship diesel-powered DSG-only RS135 TDI wagon.

As previously reported, the petrol-powered RS uses a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine that now pumps out 169kW – a 7kW increase over the old model – and 350Nm of torque.

The even more powerful 180kW/370Nm RS245 is all but locked in for a November launch Down Under given the success of the pre-facelifted RS230 limited edition, but Skoda Australia is keen to ensure it is available in both manual and DSG guise.

As well as the refreshed exterior design with the new split headlights and updated interior that was previewed when the updated Octavia was revealed in October last year, the new base version features more standard gear than the outgoing model.

The base Octavia has seven airbags, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual-zone climate control air-conditioning, upgraded reversing camera with multiple views, fatigue detection, remote folding rear seats from a lever in the cargo area, LED tail-lights, voice control and an umbrella under the front passenger seat.

It also has an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, adaptive cruise control, Front Assist with City Emergency Brake, Multi Collision Brake, adaptive cruise control, alloy wheels and floor mats.

Stepping up to the Sport adds LED headlights, sports seats, 18-inch dark alloy wheels, lowered sports suspension, a black rear lip spoiler on the sedan, black mirror caps, side door and tailgate foils, automatic headlights, and rain-sensing wipers.

The RS features unique 18-inch black alloy wheels, a 9.2-inch touchscreen with Columbus sat-nav system, an eight-speaker stereo, USB, auxiliary and two SD card slots.

A Tech Pack and a Luxury Pack are offered on variants as options. The Octavia has been a hit for the brand since the current-generation model launched in late 2013 and it was by far Skoda’s best seller last year, capturing 1973 sales. The Scout found 341 homes in 2016.

So far this year the Octavia is steady, up 0.4 per cent compared to the same period in 2016, with 481 sold. The Scout has only found 25 owners this year, a 71 per cent drop over January to March last year.

The Octavia could lose its place at the top of the Skoda tree when the Kodiaq arrives soon, given Australia’s insatiable appetite for SUVs.

2017 Skoda Octavia pricing*

110TSI sedan	$23,490
110TSI wagon	$24,990
110TSI sedan (a)	$25,990
110TSI wagon (a)	$27,490
Sport 110TSI sedan (a)	$29,990
Sport 110TSI wagon (a)	$31,490
RS 169TSI sedan	$38,890
RS 169TSI sedan (a)	$41,390
RS 169TSI wagon	$40,390
RS 169TSI wagon (a)	$42,890
RS 135TDI sedan (a)	$42,490
RS 135TDI wagon (a)	$43,990

*Excludes on-road costs