Thinking of buying a new VW Golf? Be SMART, and get this new 2020 Skoda Octavia instead.

2020 Skoda Octavia

The new Skoda Octavia is revealed as Skoda launch their take on the VW Golf in Hatch and Estate guises, with new looks, new interior and lots of technology.

The VW Group look set to make Skoda’s offerings more ‘downmarket’, but, for now at least, there seems to be nothing at all downmarket about the new 2020 Skoda Octavia, effectively Skoda’s take on the new VW Golf. Which makes it a very sensible, grown up, buy.

In fact, new styling makes the Octavia look more upmarket than before with bits of chrome and posh LED lights, with an interior which has many Golf cues but manages, it seems, to use some actual buttons despite the big screens which can be controlled by voice and gesture, HUD, e-sim to stay online, drive-by-wire gear selector, ambient lighting and plenty of room. Not exactly hair shirt time.

There’s also lots of driver assistance tech too, with stuff like turn assist and predictive cruise lurking as option or standard depending on model, and Skoda-sensible storage for stuff like smartphones.

Under the bonnet you can still have regular ICE diesels and petrols, with thye petrols fitted with an auto ‘box getting mild hybrid tech with a 48-volt belt-drive motor and a plug-in hybrid with 1.4 litre TSI and electric motor delivering 201bhp and 34 miles of EV range.

It all adds up to a very sensible alternative to the VW Golf, but it’s going to be the second half of 2020 before the new Octavia arrives in Skoda’s showrooms.