Next-gen Skoda Octavia spied for the first time in sedan form

• 2020 fourth-gen Octavia will have its global debut later this year.

• Spied while testing under heavy camouflage.

• Likely to feature a restyled interior design and layout.

• Polarizing split headlamp design to be replaced with singular units, will get new taillamps too.

• Expected to be larger and more spacious than the current model.

• New petrol powertrain options expected - a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and maybe a CNG-petrol hybrid for India.

• India launch expected in the second half of 2020.

Skoda is currently working on the next-gen Octavia and is expected to reveal it by the end of 2019. It has been spied under camouflage a few times now, but always in the estate/combi body type. Now, for the first time, it has been spotted in its sedan form, but still under wraps.

Also read: Next-Gen Skoda Octavia Spied In Wagon Form

The 2020 Octavia was spied testing in its maker’s home territory of the Czech Republic with no Skoda badge on the boot and body-coloured camouflage. The badge will be replaced by the Skoda lettering as seen on all new models while the tail lamps can be seen to extend, wrap around and extend onto the bootlid as well. Up front, the split headlamp design is almost certainly gone from the Octavia, replaced by single unit headlights that seem similar in design to those on the facelifted Superb.

While not confirmed, the new Octavia is expected to grow in size and will be underpinned by an updated version of the VW Group’s MQB platform. The increase in size will most likely be most noticeable in the back in the increased legroom.The next-gen Skoda mid-size sedan is expected to get a refreshed interior layout with updated technology and features.

In the first spy shots of the interior, we could spot a new, larger central infotainment display with no physical controls for the AC visible on the console. Skoda had also fitted the spied test mule with aircraft-style toggle switches underneath the screen for controls such as the emergency blinkers and driving modes. The steering wheel and the digital instrument cluster seem the same as the ones offered on the current-gen Octavia. It also gets a toggle type control for the automatic transmission drive-select instead of a lever, similar to that on the new Porsche 911.

Skoda has not revealed much about the upcoming Octavia’s engine options either but it is expected to share some of the powertrains offered on the facelifted Superb. The petrol options are likely to include the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine alongside a new 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. A 2.0-litre diesel engine should also expected to be on offer. All these engine options are likely to come with the choice of both manual and DSG dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

The current 1.8-litre turbo-petrol engine is not expected to be carried forward in the new Octavia. While Skoda may not offer it with the plug-in hybrid powertrain that made its brand debut on the Superb, some form of electrified powertrain is expected to be introduced at some point. A CNG-compatible 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine could also be offered on the next-gen Octavia in India.

Many details of the new Skoda Octavia are still unknown and rumours suggest that it might make its global debut in estate form followed by the sedan, or ‘liftback’ avatar as it is known in European markets. It is scheduled to be unveiled near the end of 2019, which makes it unlikely to arrive in India before late 2020 or even early 2021.

Currently, the Skoda Octavia is priced between Rs 16 lakh to Rs 26 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It competes against the likes of the Honda Civic, Corolla Altis, and the Hyundai Elantra, which will also be getting a facelift soon.

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Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho.