The entry price of the new generation Skoda Octavia will be held below the €19,000 price point when it goes on sale in Ireland in mid-March, writes Brian Byrne from the car's international launch in Portugal.
That's the indication although final prices have not yet been signed off, according to Skoda Ireland's Ray Leddy (below). He emphasised that any price increases over the current car will be more than offset by higher levels of standard specification.
The new larger car will give buyers in the compact segment two choices of Skoda, the new Rapid launched last year serving the budget end while the new Octavia will provide a car with more presence and space, tempting buyers who might normally be thinking of a mid-sized family car.
Fuel consumption improvements of as much as 23 percent over the outgoing model are claimed by Skoda for their new Octavia.
Depending on markets, up to four petrol and four diesel power units will be available, and tranmissions are 5- or 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic DESG. The petrol units are 1.2, 1.4 and 1.8 with power outputs ranging 86-180hp, while the 1.6 and 2.0 diesels offer 90-150hp.
The petrol engines are brand new VW units which are lighter, smaller and substantially more efficient than their predecessors. The diesels have improved energy-critical components, low-friction camshaft bearings, and a dual-circuit cooling system that allows quicker warmup.
While the full range of engines will be available to order in Ireland, the biggest seller is likely to be the 105hp 1.6 diesel, with the 1.2 petrol of similar output being the petrol of choice.
