Skoda is ushering in a new era of electrification in Australia, with the Octavia set to gain fuel-saving mild-hybrid technology by the end of the year.
The Czech brand will debut its 48-volt mild-hybrid tech Down Under in the the Octavia liftback and wagon, bridging the gap between regular internal combustion engined models and the fully electric Enyaq and Elroq SUVs.
“Currently it’s pretty positive that we will be able to get mild-hybrid technology for the Octavia pretty soon, in about five months,” Skoda Australia director, Lucie Kuhn told CarExpert.
Much like parent company Volkswagen, Skoda has previously ignored mild-hybrid tech for the Australian market due to our lack of emissions regulations and fuel quality.
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Skoda Octavia Sportline
With the introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES), manufacturers are now seeking to bolster their local lineups with fuel-efficient models, and Skoda is seemingly no exception.
Overseas, the Octavia is offered with a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid (MHEV) in two states of tune – the base variant produces 85kW and 220Nm, while there’s also a 110kW/250Nm version – mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.
Energy recovered during braking is stored in the 48-volt lithium-ion battery, using a water-cooled belt-driven starter generator.
Skoda quotes fuel consumption of 4.9-5.4L/100km for MHEV versions of the Octavia, tested on the WLTP cycle.
That represents an efficiency gain of around 0.3L/100km over the standard Octavia without hybrid assistance.
Skoda is also preparing to expand its lineup to include plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the Kodiaq SUV and Superb, which will arrive either later this year or in the early stages of 2026.
The brand has previously offered plug-in hybrid versions of the Octavia as well, but PHEV variants were axed from the global range as part of the most recent facelift.
In Australia, the Octavia range currently consists of three variants – Select, Sportline, and RS – across two body styles – liftback and wagon.
The Select starts from $41,490 drive-away, while the flagship RS asks as much as $64,490 in wagon guise.
Standard in the Select and Sportline is a turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine with 110kW and 250Nm, mated with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic.
MORE: Everything Skoda Octavia
