Skoda’s new Octavia will be priced between £15,990 and £23,240 when it goes on sale in the UK from March 16.

The brand is pushing the model further upmarket with a £2,600 increase over the outgoing entry level model. Skoda hopes that Octavia customers that are not ready to move up market with the latest model will be tempted by the new Rapid, which is priced from £12,900.

The new Octavia comes with more equipment as standard on each level to help justify the price increase. For example, the entry level now comes with 16-inch Minoris alloy wheels, head & curtain airbags, hill-hold, automatic post-collision braking, Bluetooth, DAB, four spoke leather steering wheel, driver knee airbag, remote central locking, stop/start, tinted glass, touchscreen Bolero infotainment, MP3 player connectivity and safety equipment like ESC.

Customers will be able to choose from four engine options: two petrol and two diesel. Power outputs range from 103bhp (1.2 TSI, 1.6 TDI CR) to 148bhp for the 2.0 TDI 148bhp model. A GreenLine version will follow later this year powered by a 1.6 TDI CR 108bhp engine which can achieve CO2 emissions of 89 g/km and returns 83mpg.
A sporty vRS version will also follow.

The trim level structure will carry over from the previous generation with S, SE and Elegance models available.
Boot capacity has been increased from 560 litres to 590 litres and there is now more head and elbow room in the cabin.