The Škoda Octavia is a small family car (C-segment) produced by the Czech car manufacturer Škoda Auto since the end of 1996. It shares its name with an earlier model produced between 1959 and 1971. Four generations of the modern-era Octavia model have been introduced to date, delivered with five-door liftback or five-door estate styles only. The car is front engined and both front- or four-wheel drive are offered. Around five million units have been sold in its two decades of presence on the market. The Octavia is Škoda's most popular model; about 40% of all newly manufactured Škoda cars are Octavias.
The current generation is available in a wide range of derivatives, i.e. sporty Octavia RS, estate Octavia Combi, four-wheel drive Octavia Scout, frugal Octavia GreenLine and CNG-powered Octavia G-TEC. __TOC__
First generation (Typ 1U; 1996)
The first generation Octavia was released in November 1996 for the 1997 model year and was built at the modernised Škoda factory in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic. This generation was made available in liftback or estate styles. At the time of introduction, it was available with three engines: petrol units included an eight-valve 1.6 and the 20-valve 1.8, while the diesel option was the well known 1.9 TDI in form. This was soon joined by the more powerful TDI 110 and later on by various derivatives. In April 1999, Škoda chose to expand the range downwards, with the very basic 1.4 LX model. This was sold mainly in the Czech domestic market and may be identified from the exterior by the missing door trim. It used the pushrod unit from the Felicia, derived from the engine first introduced on the 1964 Škoda 1000 MB. This proved underpowered and a slow seller and was replaced by Volkswagen's own, 1.4-litre unit at the time of the 2000 facelift, although sales continued until April 2001.
In the United Kingdom, sales began in 1998 and the mid-size car was a success, nearing the success of established large family car favourites such as the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Vectra.
The first generation Octavia had a facelift in 2000 for the 2001 model year, and was still manufactured and marketed in some markets, even after the second generation was introduced in 2004. In Germany, and other parts of West Europe, as well as Asia, the first generation model was marketed as the Octavia Tour, while the newer model is marketed as the Octavia. In some markets, the first generation Octavia was still known as Octavia, and the newer model was referred to as the new Octavia, Octavia5 (Greece) or Laura (India).
In India, the Octavia was launched in 2002 and was an instant hit for its frugal engines and solid build. It became a huge success in India, selling 44,900 units.
Revisions to the facelifted model included independent rear suspension and revised interior.
The facelifted Octavia featured a 4x4 wheel drive version both for the estate and more popular liftback models, and used the Haldex Traction clutch, like other Volkswagen Group A platform based cars (Volkswagen Golf Mk4, Audi A3 and SEAT León Cupra R4). It had higher ground clearance and a bigger fuel tank carrying compared to the of the standard, front-wheel drive versions.
The 4x4 option was only available with the 1.8 T petrol engine, the 1.9 TDI diesel engine, or the 2.0 L petrol engine, all coupled with a 5-speed manual gearbox, and with the 1.9 TDI-PD (Pumpe-Düse) diesel engine which came with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
The other 6-speed manual model was the 1.9 TDI-PD , only available with front-wheel-drive.
The RS (vRS in the UK) was the top-level and quickest specification and used a 1.8-litre turbocharged straight-four engine which produced . Škoda made a limited number of 100 WRC Replica Cars worldwide in 2002. These differ from normal RS Octavias, as they are produced in white, have rally decals and have additional accessories as standard (such as ESP, xenon lights, heated front seats).
Engines The engines used are the same as for many other cars in the Volkswagen Group:
Name Displacement Type Power Torque Code YearsPetrol1.4 8v4 cyl OHV at 4500 rpm at 2500 rpmAMD1999–20011.4 16v4 cyl DOHC at 5000 rpm at 3800 rpmAXP/BCA2000–20051.6 8v4 cyl SOHC at 4800 rpm at 2800–3600 rpmAEE1996–2000 at 5600 rpm at 3800 rpmAEH/AKL02.1997–12.2007 at 5600 rpm at 3800 rpmAVU/BFQ2000–20101.8 20v 4 cyl DOHC at 6000 rpm at 4200 rpmAGN1996–19991.8 20vT4 cyl DOHC turbo at 5700 rpm at 1750–4600 rpmAGU/ARZ/ARX*/AUM1998–2009 (for Eastern Europe to 2010) *(ARX engine equip 4x4 models) at 5300 rpm at 5020 rpmAUM (with reprogrammed ECU)2006-20111.8 20vT RS at 5500 rpm at 1950–5000 rpmAUQ2001–20052.0 8v4 cyl SOHC at 5200 rpm at 2400 rpmAPK/AQY1999–2001 at 3200 rpmAZJ/AZH*2001–2005 *(AZJ engine equipped on 4x4 models)Diesel1.9 8v SDI4 cyl SOHC at 4200 rpm at 2200–2600 rpmAGP/AQM1999–20041.9 8v TDI at 4000 rpm at 1900 rpmAGR/ALH1996–20054 cyl SOHC PD at 4000 rpm at 1800–2400 rpmATD*/AXR2000–2010 *(ATD engine equip 4x4 models)4 cyl SOHC at 4150 rpm at 1900 rpmAHF/ASV1997–20054 cyl SOHC PD at 4000 rpm at 1900 rpmASZ2003–2004
Octavia L&K Long (2001) A special version of the Octavia, lengthened by , was produced in 2001 and only intended for government purposes. It was available in the Laurin & Klement trim (which included air conditioning, leather and cruise control among others), but also equipped with other features such as a telephone, reading lights and folding tables. The length was achieved by widening the centre pillar, increasing space for the rear seat passengers.
Supposedly, Škoda delivered only 25 automobiles to the state administration, five of them in the facelifted version. All were hand-built and the factory sold them below the build price.
Safety
Second generation (Typ 1Z; 2004)
The second-generation Octavia was introduced in March 2004, based on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform also used by other Volkswagen Group cars, such as the Audi A3 Mk2, Volkswagen Golf Mk5, Volkswagen Jetta Mk5, SEAT León Mk2, etc.
Responsible for the design were Thomas Ingenlath and Peter Wouda. Along with a new internal-combustion engine range, also shared with other models of the Volkswagen Group, body changes included more legroom for rear-seat passengers (a weak point in the original model) and increased ground clearance at front and rear to reduce the risk of grounding on steep ramps or facing kerbs.
In addition to the Czech factories in Mladá Boleslav and Vrchlabí, from 2008, the Octavia has also been produced at a factory in Bratislava, Slovakia, and in Shanghai, China, under the joint venture of Shanghai Volkswagen. In Russia, the Octavia is assembled at the Volkswagen plant in Kaluga.
In India, the second-generation Octavia was marketed as the Laura to distinguish it from the first generation. The car was marketed in a higher-income segment, and was sold alongside the previous-generation Octavia. However, the first generation ended production in India in 2010, and as of 2012, the Laura's price was reduced and was competing in its predecessor's segment.
Two four-wheel-drive versions of the Octavia are made: the 4x4 and the Scout, both featuring a Haldex Traction four-wheel-drive system, based on a computer-controlled clutch centre coupling. The two models both have higher ground clearance than the standard Octavia, increased by for the 4x4 and by for the Scout.
The Scout, announced in 2006, is only available with the estate body style, and has several crossover-style exterior modifications, such as larger bumpers.
In August 2011, a special Škoda Octavia RS hit the world record on the American Bonneville Speedway and became the fastest car in the world with an up to two-litre engine, when it hit .
Engines Several engine options are available. All engines are inline-four cylinder designs, water-cooled and use multipoint fuel injection. All diesel engines are turbocharged direct injection (TDI) engines.
EngineDisplacement, valvetrain,fuel systemMax. powerat rpmMax. torqueat rpmCodeYearsPetrol engines1.2 TSI1197 cc 8v OHCTurbocharged Fuel Stratified Injectionat 5,000at 1,550–4,100 CBZB 2010–20131.4 MPI 1390 cc 16v DOHC at 5,000at 3,800BUD,CGGA 2006–20131.4 TSI1390 cc 16v DOHCTurbocharged Fuel Stratified Injectionat 5,000at 1,500–4,000CAXA2008–2013at 5,000at 1,750–3,5002010–2013 (only for China)1.6 8V1595 cc 8v SOHCat 5,600at 3,800BGU, BSE,BSF, CCSA2004–20131.6 MPI1595 cc 16V SOHCat 5,000at 3,800BGU, BSE,BSF, CCSA2007–2013 1.6 FSI1598 cc 16v DOHCFuel Stratified Injectionat 6,000at 4,000BLF2004–20081.8 TSIBadged 1.8 TFSI in some countries1798 cc 16v DOHCTurbocharged Fuel Stratified Injectionat 5,000–6,200at 1,500–4,200BZB, CDAB2006-20132.0 MPI1984 cc 16v DOHCat 5,000at 3,750200?–2013 (only for China)2.0 FSI1984 cc 16v DOHCFuel Stratified Injectionat 6,000at 3,500BLR, BLX,BVX, BVY2004–20082.0 TFSI RS1984 cc 16v DOHCTurbocharged Fuel Stratified Injectionat 5,100–6,000at 1,800–5,000BWA10.2005–10.20082.0 TSI RSat 1,700–5,000CCZA11.2008–2012Diesel engines1.6 TDI DPF1598 cc 16v DOHCcommon rail (CR)at 4,400at 1,500–2,500CAYC2009–20131.9 TDIDiesel particulate filter available as an option1896 cc 8v SOHCPD (Pumpe Düse - Unit Injector)at 4,000at 1,900BJB, BKC,BXE, BLS2004–20102.0 TDI DPF1968 cc 8v SOHCPD (Pumpe Düse - Unit Injector)at 4,000at 1,750BMM2007–20132.0 TDIDiesel particulate filter not available1968 cc 16v DOHCPD (Pumpe Düse - Unit Injector)at 4,000at 1,750AZV2004–2008at 4,000BKD2.0 TDI DPF 1968 cc 16v DOHCcommon rail (CR)at 1,750–2,500CBAA, CBAB,CBDB, CFHC2010–20132.0 TDI DPF RS1968 cc 16v DOHCPD (Pumpe Düse - Unit Injector)at 4,200at 1,750BMN2006–20082.0 TDI DPF RS1968 cc 16v DOHCcommon rail (CR)at 1,750–2,500CEGA2008–2013
Trim levels In the United Kingdom, the Octavia is available in these trim levels: Classic (now called S), Ambiente (now called SE), 4x4 (estate only), Elegance, Laurin & Klement, Scout 4x4 (estate only), and vRS. All models come with four airbags, electric front windows, air conditioning, central locking and anti-lock braking system. In some markets, including British and Czech, a version aimed to lower fuel consumption called Greenline is also available. As of September 2011, trim levels have been renamed to Active (Classic) and Ambition (Ambiente).
Facelift A facelifted version was launched in 2009, after being formally unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. The modifications of the facelifted version include aesthetic exterior changes, mechanical changes, and interior features. Externally, the designs of the headlights and bumpers were revised. Some changes were made to the range of available engines and manual and automatic gearboxes, with the 1.4 TSI and 1.8 TSI engines and the seven-speed direct-shift gearbox transmission available for the first time. Inside the car, the stereo and steering wheels were revised, along with some of the interior trim.
Safety
Third generation (Typ 5E; 2012)
The third-generation Octavia was revealed on 11 December 2012 at the Škoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav. The car began to appear in showrooms in key European markets in February 2013.
Previously, photos of the car covered in light camouflage were released to the media in late October 2012, after other pre-production cars had already been spotted on several occasions during the same month. It was once again spotted, this time without camouflage, on 18 November 2012 in Santiago, Chile, in both liftback and estate body styles, during the filming of a TV advertisement.