Skoda to add Octavia performance plug-in hybrid

Skoda will include a plug-in hybrid model in its Octavia RS performance range for the first time.  

The Octavia RS iV will be the second plug-in hybrid in the new Octavia range when it goes on sale later this year. Its drivetrain mates a 1.4-liter gasoline engine with more powerful 114-hp electric motor to give a combined 242 hp.  

The Octavia RS iV joins high-performance 2.0-liter gasoline and diesel models in the RS range.  

The model will have the same 60 km (37 mile) battery-only range as the standard Octavia iV and share a 13-kilowatt-hour battery, Skoda said.  

Both cars will have CO2 emissions of about 30 grams per km on the WLTP test cycle, Skoda said.  

The new, fourth-generation Octavia was unveiled to the press in November last year and was due to make its public debut at the Geneva auto show.  

The RS range (vRS in the UK) accounts for around a fifth of Octavia sales in Skoda's key markets of Germany and UK.  

Skoda signaled it was ready to use parent Volkswagen Group's hybrid drivetrain technology in its performance models when it launched the Vision RS plug-in hybrid concept in 2018.

Skoda recently expanded the RS badge to the Kodiaq SUV. Skoda is the first VW Group brand to use the plug-in hybrid drivetrain on its flagship performance model. So far, the VW brand has used the GTE badge for its Golf plug-in hybrid while keeping the GTI and R badges for purely gasoline drivetrains.  

The Octavia RS iV will be available in hatchback or wagon forms. It has a 0-100 kph (62 mph) acceleration time of 7.3 seconds in Sport mode. 

The car is available with a DSG twin-clutch gearbox only. No prices have been announced. 

Skoda has estimated that around 30 percent of the new Octavia sales will be electrified. As well as the two plug-in hybrid versions, Skoda will also sell mild-hybrid versions of the 1.0-liter and 1.5-liter gasoline models, which will be badged e-TEC.

The Octavia is Skoda’s best-selling car globally.

The new-generation Octavia expands Skoda’s technology offering and is the first of the brand's models to be fitted new camera-based safety features.

Its collision avoidance system helps the driver steer away from a potential crash. An “exit warning” feature alerts drivers if they are about to open their door into the path of a cyclist or another vehicle.

Options include adaptive cruise control and 10-inch screens, including a virtual cockpit screen in front of the driver that can be configured to include information from the navigation system.

Other available technology includes matrix LED lights that reduce glare to oncoming cars by automatically switching off different zones within the lights, and a three-zone air conditioning system.