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Thanks for all replies some were helpful such as those who share their own experiences. Some replies were less helpful or even arrogant when simply referring to the handbook and presuming that I did not read it. The handbook states "The headlights may mist up temporarily. When the light is switched on, the light-emitting surface demists after a short period of time." The ability to demist is the very problem as the LED headlights do not generate much heat. I have tries driving long distances for several hours with the moisture not disappearing. So I contacted the dealer who said that previously (i.e. some years ago) they would have changed my headlight units. But then the factory has apparently changed the criteria for when a replacement is offered. They need to conduct a test of my vehicle at the Skoda workshop. The test is simple: they leave the car in idle with the lights on for 1 hour. If the moisture is still there, Skoda will replace the headlight units. The Skoda mechanic stressed that I should not expect the moisture to diminish while driving, as the ventilation in the headlights will keep drawing in moist air from the outside. After one month ownership I can summarise my experience down to: 1. The moisture was most prominent in the few days after delivery. Probably moisture from the assembly line, transportation or storing of the vehicle before being driven in the cold. 2. Moisture level is now very low and only occasional. Most of the time there is no moisture in the headlights. But every time there is a significant drop in outside temperature the condensation comes back. 3. Having the headlights turned on does not generate enough heat to evaporate the condensation. I have learned to live with the moisture, and the problem is for now below what Skoda consider as an error. Still it looks crappy and cheap on the parking lot...

Bought a brand new Octavia III facelift with full LED headlights (AFS) this January. On the second day of ownership i noticed mild condensation / moisture inside the headlights. It develops near the DRL which happen to be the most forward pointing part of the headlights and probably also the coldest. The lights are all LED, so they don't heat up much when running. On the third day the moisture has got worse. I'm worried about the lifetime of the electronics and the reflective surfaces inside the headlights. I'm thinking of trying to dry the headlights (by either canned air, hairdryer, silica gel or whatever) but these LED headlights seem to be a closed unit with only an electricity plug on the back side. No big rubber cover as with the old halogen lights. Is the condensation to be accepted? Can I somehow open the headlight to dry it? PS: I have contacted the dealer, but am waiting for a reply.

All is fine. It's ment to be there, as stated in previous posts. I had an Alfa Romeo Giulietta which also had black polystyrene behind the grille.

Just bought a brand new Octavia III Combi 1.5 TSI ACT Style DSG7 as my first ever Skoda. Had a Alfa Romeo Giulietta before, but it got too small for our family. Have to say the Skoda is absolutely impressive after the first few days of ownership. Such a big difference between the Alfa and the Skoda. The Alfa was built with aesthetics and passion in mind (which can be both good or bad, depending on the eyes of the beholder). Skoda is just so damn practical in every way. Everything works as you expect it to work, there's all sorts of practical solutions to everything. And the build-quality very good for the money. And then there's the gearbox. The DSG7 with dry clutch shift sooo well. So I'm pretty happy about my first Skoda. Maybe it' not my last Regards