Skoda is not a brand we’re hugely envious of, but now and then the Volkswagen-owned brand has an off-roader we wouldn’t mind seeing on SA roads, like the Yeti.
The new Octavia Combi was revelead at the Geneva Motor Show this year as well, and Skoda has announced that the station wagon will be available with an all-wheel drivetrain.
Station wagons are on the rise again, specifically off-road capable ones, with the Volvo V40 Cross Country and Audi A6 All-roads recently released only the first in a seemingly new trend. The Skoda Octavia, hugely popular in Europe, sold over 124 000 units last year in Europe alone, with nearly a fifth of those sales being all-wheel driver derivatives.
Built for snow and ice, the all-wheelers are mostly sold in Norway and Switzerland, making us think it’s perfect for SA conditions as well.
The new AWD model has a torque distribution system between the two axles and individual wheels, and comes standard with an electronic diff-lock. That’s the highest specification of off-road tech we’ve seen on the new AWD station wagon trend, and makes the Octavia the one to own for those who need the extra traction just to get home. The models also all come with start/stop and Skoda is promising lower fuel economy, proving they’re keeping with times by reducing a claimed 14 percent drop in consumption.
Three engines are to be made available – a petrol1.8 TSI, and two diesels, a 1.6 TDI and a 2.0 TDI. The petrol produces 132kW (177hp), with the diesels pushing out 77kW (103hp) and 110kW (147hp) respectively.
Transmission choice is limited to a six-speed manual and a six-speed DSG ‘box.
The new Octavia Combi 4×4 should be available in Europe around June this year, but don’t expect to see the green badge on our roads any time soon.
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