- Will be launched in the coming weeks

- To be powered by a petrol engine only

Skoda kick-started the new year with the unveiling of the mid-size SUV, Kushaq and is now all set to launch the fourth-generation Octavia in India later this month. The first unit of the luxury sedan has rolled off the production facility at Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

Everything about the upcoming Skoda Octavia is new. It wears the familiar butterfly-shaped grille that is now sleeker and goes well with the redesigned LED headlamps and dual L-shaped DRLs. The front bumper looks neat with a thin chrome strip in the centre surrounding the horizontally placed fog lamps. Dimension-wise, the Octavia looks longer and wider than its predecessor. The new set of split LED tail lamps tapering towards the boot with the new ‘Skoda’ badging lend a more stylish yet sophisticated look to the sedan.

Inside, the cabin is expected to be revamped with a light-coloured theme. As seen on the recently launched Superb, the Octavia is likely to have a digital driver’s display and a large floating touchscreen infotainment system with connectivity options. The two-spoke steering wheel with knurled scroll buttons, LED ambient lighting, leather upholstery, wireless smartphone charging, and dual-zone climate control are some of the features the new Octavia could be equipped with.

Under the long bonnet, the Octavia will ditch the diesel powertrain for a 2.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine sourced from the elder sibling. The transmission option could include a seven-speed DSG unit. The sedan will also be available with a top-spec ‘Lauren & Klement’ (L&K) and a new ‘Lava Blue’ exterior colour shade.

Zac Hollis, Brand Director – ŠKODA AUTO India, said, 'The ŠKODA Octavia has always offered a compelling combination of the brand's emotive design, exquisite interiors, class leading safety, and intelligent connectivity features, and the all new iteration pushes the yardstick further. A twenty year run, and about a hundred thousand satisfied customers, is a testament to its strong equity among discerning car buyers in a dynamically evolving automotive market like India. With the commencement of production, we also commit to a stronger product portfolio as we look to grow our presence in India. In line with our laser sharp focus on customer centricity, we are also rapidly growing our network presence and have introduced several initiatives to ensure an unmatched ownership experience.'