Here's a few photos from the launch live stream which was quite impressive and not too cheesy! Sort of like a bit-less-hypey Apple launch.

1.Octavia Revealed sm.pdf 2.Launch Overhead sm.pdf 3.Chairman Conjuring! sm.pdf 4.Liftback-Blue sm.pdf 5.Interior sm.pdf 6. Interior2 sm.pdf

Skoda also has a twitter account with photos

 

https://twitter.com/skodaautonews

From Autogefuhl - but English guy presenting it .. in English ! 

 

 

Granted these are all top spec cars, but will the Octavia loose its ESP of good value?

 

It will be interesting to see what lower spec cars look like.

Looks good to me. To the point that I’d question to myself (silently in my head) why anyone would buy the Golf over this. 
 

A small thing I noticed. Gas struts for the bonnet. I’m pretty sure on the Autogefuhl video for the Golf, they were unimpressed they were no longer fitted to it. Raised a smile. 

Agreed it looks great & not in any way a poor relation. Pricing will be interesting 

1 hour ago, SC03OTT said:

Looks good to me. To the point that I’d question to myself (silently in my head) why anyone would buy the Golf over this. 
 

A small thing I noticed. Gas struts for the bonnet. I’m pretty sure on the Autogefuhl video for the Golf, they were unimpressed they were no longer fitted to it. Raised a smile. 

Yep, seems VW doesn't know which is its more premium brand anymore. Gas struts for the Octavia and a cheap metal prop for the Golf!

It looks fairly sharp and conservative. Definitely a step forward from the MK3 facelift. It seems to have gone more upmarket and classy. A few things reminded me of the B9 A4 I drove this weekend (which was rather good!) and there's definitely some influence from Audi in there.

 

Not a fan of the steering wheel though and I wish they'd put the starter button somewhere central on the dash. Irritates me on my current MK3 with kessy and shame they haven't addressed it.

 

Price will be the biggest issue here. Pushing this upmarket hopefully hasn't ruined the value argument which has always been part of the Octavia's appeal.

6 hours ago, ahenners said:

It looks fairly sharp and conservative. Definitely a step forward from the MK3 facelift. It seems to have gone more upmarket and classy. A few things reminded me of the B9 A4 I drove this weekend (which was rather good!) and there's definitely some influence from Audi in there.

 

Not a fan of the steering wheel though and I wish they'd put the starter button somewhere central on the dash. Irritates me on my current MK3 with kessy and shame they haven't addressed it.

 

Price will be the biggest issue here. Pushing this upmarket hopefully hasn't ruined the value argument which has always been part of the Octavia's appeal.

 

 

That's the look Skoda were after, a step up from the Skala. Saying that the new Skala looks nice. In fact comparing the interior of the new Octavia to the new Superb! 🤔

Price wise the video says it's about the same.

 

No update yet though

http://cc-cloud.skoda-auto.com/gbr/gbr/en-gb

 

Might be me! but the back end reminds me of a Vauxhall/Insignia or Volvo with the front end reminding me of a Kia! As if to many cars rolled in to one, my personal opinion, interior looks nice & a step up but that steering wheel looks naff along with the exterior, don't think I'll be upgrading to the mk4 if that's how it looks. 

No rear wiper on the hatch?  Or was the launch car a mock up?

My friend refuses to call the Octavia a hatchback - perhaps it is a saloon after all!

Got a 1.5TSI Drive hatch on order for January - not too sorry its a Mk3 not a Mk4 - and the price was good.

 

30 minutes ago, VRSx3dave said:

No rear wiper on the hatch?  Or was the launch car a mock up?

My friend refuses to call the Octavia a hatchback - perhaps it is a saloon after all!

Got a 1.5TSI Drive hatch on order for January - not too sorry its a Mk3 not a Mk4 - and the price was good.

 

I think the rear wiper is an option on the continent. 

4 hours ago, BATVANVRS said:

Might be me! but the back end reminds me of a Vauxhall/Insignia or Volvo with the front end reminding me of a Kia! As if to many cars rolled in to one, my personal opinion, interior looks nice & a step up but that steering wheel looks naff along with the exterior, don't think I'll be upgrading to the mk4 if that's how it looks. 

 

Personally I think it looks great, but the reasons I will be buying one are practical - firstly that it will be at least as good and hopefully even better to drive than the current car, and secondly that the range of features and options is immensely impressive to me. I think they've really knocked it out of the park with this new version and I forecast that it will be in great demand and get great reviews when it finally hits the road.

1 hour ago, VRSx3dave said:

No rear wiper on the hatch?

 

 

The new model is much sleeker at the back and I assume that like most coupés it will not need a wiper because the rain will be blown away by the slipstream.

 

As far as the question about whether it is a hatchback, saloon, or something else - surely this is a bit of an arbitrary distinction anyway. You could call it a hatchback coupé if you like, but any term you choose would probably be valid!

 

Looks very like an Audi A5 with a hatch (which is what that model should have really) in fact.

Edited 12 November, 20196 yr by nickcoll

Unfortunately, I was not there, Škoda messed up the invitations and was late. But I speed up the press videos so you don't waste your time on half an hour shots.

 

 

 

20 hours ago, CapstanPlug said:

From Autogefuhl - but English guy presenting it .. in English !

 

Did they drag him from the QVC set?

5 hours ago, VRSx3dave said:

No rear wiper on the hatch?  Or was the launch car a mock up?

My friend refuses to call the Octavia a hatchback - perhaps it is a saloon after all!

Got a 1.5TSI Drive hatch on order for January - not too sorry its a Mk3 not a Mk4 - and the price was good.

 

 

4 hours ago, nickcoll said:

 

The new model is much sleeker at the back and I assume that like most coupés it will not need a wiper because the rain will be blown away by the slipstream.

 

As far as the question about whether it is a hatchback, saloon, or something else - surely this is a bit of an arbitrary distinction anyway. You could call it a hatchback coupé if you like, but any term you choose would probably be valid!

 

Looks very like an Audi A5 with a hatch (which is what that model should have really) in fact.

Surely, given that it has a hatch at the back, means it’s not a saloon..?

1 hour ago, SC03OTT said:

 

Surely, given that it has a hatch at the back, means it’s not a saloon..?

 

Well I wouldn't personally call it one, but VRSx3dave's mate seems to think it's an appropriate term!

Thank goodness they've dumped the squinty MkIII FL  headlights. Looks quite good, let's see what the VRS performance and equipment levels will be. 

11 hours ago, VRSx3dave said:

No rear wiper on the hatch?  Or was the launch car a mock up?

My friend refuses to call the Octavia a hatchback - perhaps it is a saloon after all!

Got a 1.5TSI Drive hatch on order for January - not too sorry its a Mk3 not a Mk4 - and the price was good.

 

I think the wiper is an option in Europe. On the Superb in UK it is a no cost option 

Yoinks! There are flush roof rails on the wagon which probably means roof bar options have to locate into the door apertures and sit on the painted body instead of being kept well away on the current O3. 

 

Nice upmarket styling feature though. 
 

 

3 minutes ago, BigEjit said:

Yoinks! There are flush roof rails on the wagon which probably means roof bar options have to locate into the door apertures and sit on the painted body instead of being kept well away on the current O3. 

 

If they're like the A4 the Thule feet just clamp on to the bar

Edited 13 November, 20196 yr by Dave77

I hope so. The current Astra sport tourer has styling rails only which is just stupid. I don’t want that design style being copied!

On 12/11/2019 at 14:03, SC03OTT said:

I think the rear wiper is an option on the continent. 

 

Correct.

 

I haven't ordered it with my RS, but the other one we drive, Pre-FL has it.

 

More-less unnecessary thing, and making (v)RS ugly. In the rain no drops are falling on the back screen.