As 2009 MY cars are most likely now starting production I'm guessing that the Octavia facelift won't now appear until the 2010 MY starts production.

Which is a pity as I was hoping Bluetooth kit would make it to factory options for the new model year esp as it's available in the new Superb.

I think you'll find the facelift commences build in WK33 which is week commencing 11th August.

thanks take that means the brochure I got from my dealer yesterday was out of date. So will any models ordered from factory from now be the facelift model and if so will the factory options change?

Ahh no, don't go getting ahead of yourself just yet -

I didn't say that production of the current models had stopped - Although some engines have been discontinued.

Secondly it may not be released to the UK immediately, it'll probably be available in CZ first.

well I am also considering the superb which I can't see at my dealer till mid september so hopefully things may be clearer by then

Stu

If I understand you correctly, some Facelift Octavias will be starting production today?

If that is the case, surely there would have been some information (or leaks!) on the revised specs?

I was planning on swapping out my 3 year old L&K until I heard a facelifted version was pending, but any attempts to discover anything about this revised edition have drawn a blank.

Do you (or does anyone else) have any more information - no matter how trivial! - on what we can expect?

Thanks

Neil

Hi

I too am interested in when the facelift arrives!

The two or three dealers I've spoken to have said they don't expect to see any till the new year (as an Autumn release would clash with the new Superb).

However, what seem to be positive clues for a facelift to be available sooner are:

what seems to be an increased availability of "nearly new" Octavias from Skoda UK;

a willingness of dealers to be flexible to help me get a current model with attractive deals;

the "rationalisation" of the current range, which Stu has pointed out. Currently this means you can't get a new petrol auto except a 1.6 Ambiente or 2.0 L&K, so I'd be surprised if a new option wasn't made available soon to fill the gap (possibly a 1.8T DSG as in the new Superb I'd guess), and though this wouldn't require a facelift it might make sense to offer a new range with a new look.

So nothing definite I'm afraid, but a few hints!

Afraid I don't really have much more than that to go on at the moment.

Only this:-

And:-

Škoda Octavia 2 Facelift

New Golf GTI motor (211 bhp?)

Adaptive headlamps?

DSG with Paddles?

Mike

I got an email through from Skoda Auto CZ today saying that a New Octavia will be launched at the end of the year.

Whether or not we will get it here then is another matter.Usually we are a few months behind because our steering wheel's on the wrong side.

Usually we are a few months behind because our steering wheel's on the wrong side.

and i thought it took them a few months to realise that they had built the first batch with it on the wrong side :confused:

My local dealer told me that there will be a facelift coming at the end of the year.

For some reason I was expecting facelift Octavia to go into production in November. Not sure where abouts I heard this though so don't take it as gospel.

If this was the case, James (and no, I'm not taking it as gospel ), when would these vehicles first be available in the UK? And when might we expect to see specs, so we could decide whether to order one up?

Thanks

Neil

If this was the case, James (and no, I'm not taking it as gospel ), when would these vehicles first be available in the UK? And when might we expect to see specs, so we could decide whether to order one up?

Thanks

Neil

I share your feelings.

James may well be on the right track. Some while ago, if I recall correctly, AutoExpress suggested October/November time as the likely time for the arrival of a facelift (in UK I assumed at the time). I don't think they stated their source.

trouble is, we're probably all hearing the same rumours recycled. The one piece that sounds like a hard fact is production starting in build week 33 from VRStu (Stu: are you able to divulge your source?) Skoda seem to be very tight-lipped on this matter, including with their dealers, which perhaps suggests the facelift is not imminent, despite other indications it is. I'd like to think sooner rather than later as I'm ready to buy a new car, and don't know how long or even whether to wait!

I have a friend in CZ, I heard from him.

As for everyone else it's very much word of mouth, nothing in writing as such.

The reason it is difficult to get reliable info about facelifts from manufacturers and dealers is very simple. If prospective buyers know for sure when a facelift is coming they often either refuse to buy the old (pre-facelift) cars or they want a big discount on them (to compensate for the reduced resale value when they eventually want to sell it on).

Either way it is in the manufacturers and dealers best (financial) interests to keep it secret as long as possible and deny, deny, deny so they can continue to sell the pre-facelift cars for as high a price as possible. It has always been like this, and will likely continue.

People being people though, eventually someone will leak some real info or some photos will get out, usually on the web. Look at the recent details of the Mk 6 golf for an example - the official photos were unofficially released and VW finally 'fessed up. Of course sometimes smart PR people make their official release look like a leak to add to the buzz and get more publicity.

I imagine the facelift Octavia will have some price changes to pull it further away from the Superb, I reckon this free upgrade offer will stick and eventually Octavias will naturally be that price. I don't think much in the way of standard spec will change perhaps small things like curtain airbags on Ambiente and above as standard, or maybe sat-nav standard on L&K but nothing to major, it is already to close to the new Superb as it is.

gregozedobe- How are Skoda selling in Australia? I fancy a change of scenery, I wonder how hard it would be getting a job selling Skodas in Oz instead of UK.... Hmm...

Of course "leaked" pictures can have an opposit effect on sales.

For example if I was looking to buy a Golf right now I'd be rushing out and going for the Mk5 as personally I think the new Mk6 looks a complete mess!

gregozedobe- How are Skoda selling in Australia? I fancy a change of scenery, I wonder how hard it would be getting a job selling Skodas in Oz instead of UK.... Hmm...

I think you will be working hard for your money

See post #24 in the thread below for the latest figures. Aussie buyers seem to be pretty conservative, and while many people are aware of the Skoda brand it isn't translating into lots of sales so far (whereas VW are doing very well indeed).

It doesn't help that about 10 or 15 years VAG had a half-hearted attempt at selling Seats, but abandoned the brand (presumably due to poor profits) after several years.

To be brutally honest I wouldn't have even considered my RS wagon if it didn't share technology and mechanical components with the Golf GTI (I like to keep my cars for 10 - 20 years, that way I reduce the pain of the intial new car depreciation by spreading it over many years).

Skoda Auto Sales in Australia via vfacts - Page 3 - VWwatercooled Australia

The reason it is difficult to get reliable info about facelifts from manufacturers and dealers is very simple. If prospective buyers know for sure when a facelift is coming they often either refuse to buy the old (pre-facelift) cars or they want a big discount on them (to compensate for the reduced resale value when they eventually want to sell it on).

Either way it is in the manufacturers and dealers best (financial) interests to keep it secret as long as possible and deny, deny, deny so they can continue to sell the pre-facelift cars for as high a price as possible. It has always been like this, and will likely continue.

I'm sure this is a major factor Gregozedobe. Skoda UK haven't even replied to my email enquiring about a facelift.

Nevertheless manufacturers want to announce facelifts eventually. and boost sales with their revitalised model and its publicity. There is a credibility issue too: many Skoda dealers at least have built good relationships with an increasingly brand loyal group of customers. I guess there's a point when dealers would judge no-one would benefit if a customer got a pre-facelift model only to discover they could have ordered a facelifted one only days later.

It's an interesting case with the Octavia in UK: there are very good discounts to be had, suggesting the trade knows about an imminent facelift, yet it would seem sales are still good (perhaps because of the good deals) given the large number of new/recent Octavias on the road.

I'd be really interested in a dealer's view on this.

Found this possible facelift on the net. If this is how the new Octavia will look like, I'll buy one immediately!

Now that does look the business, Weps!

Any chance of getting your 'Czec mate' to do a translation, Stu?

Neil

There are a couple more pictures here on this Octavia Facelift wohl erst 2008 thread on Briskoda Friends Muenchen site

Skodafreunde-Muenchen | Skoda Octavia II | Octavia Facelift wohl erst 2008

It would appear we aren't the only facelift obsessives out there....

Neil