Last month, we saw some images that purportedly showed the all-new Skoda Octavia in RS and Scout trims.
At the time, we couldn’t verify their authenticity, but now that Skoda has released the first sketches of the Octavia RS iV, it looks like they were legit. We say that because the official sketches match the leaked images down to the finest detail.
Skoda has released three exterior design sketches showing the upcoming Octavia RS iV plug-in hybrid in both five-door liftback and estate body styles – or, as the automaker calls them, Coupe and Combi.
Compared to the regular model, the performance-oriented Octavia adopts a beefier body kit consisting of more aggressive bumpers, rear spoiler, sharper side skirts and bigger wheels.
At the front, the Octavia RS iV boasts larger air intakes, a splitter and black grille, while at the back we can spot vents in the bumper and a diffuser flanked by two flat exhaust trims united by a light strip. The five-door liftback model also features a boot lid spoiler and we assume the estate gets a sizable roof spoiler as well.
We don’t get to see the interior yet but we expect to find sports seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters (on the DSG-equipped versions) as well as exclusive trims and materials.
The 2020 Octavia RS iV will mark the first time a Skoda RS model features a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Shared with the upcoming VW Golf GTE and Cupra Leon, it will offer 245 PS (242 HP) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque from a 1.4-liter TSI petrol engine and an electric motor powered by a 13 kWh battery pack. The latter will enable an electric driving range of up to 55 km (35 miles).
The automakers says the PHEV powertrain makes it unique “in the way it combines family-friendly versatility and sports car-like performance with sustainability and efficiency.” Whether Skoda will also offer a more powerful Octavia RS powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-four petrol engine it remains to be seen.
The all-new Skoda Octavia RS iV will debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3.