Skoda Officially Reveals All-New and Sleeker Looking 2013 Octavia III

[SCCA1995]

Looks like a Jetta...

That's what I was thinking.

isn't this based on the last gen Jetta - hence the looks?

Really? Yikes.

[dederer]

Pretty boring looking car.

[BlackGTP]

OK.... we need some better creativity.... With every car maker under the VW group running in its own direction/sharing platforms why are all the designs looking the same? Even seats look similar.

This looks like the worst of GM badge engineering from back in the 1980's when it looked like GM just took a chainsaw to the front facia and tacked on a different face. Otherwise all the exact same looking car.

[F14CRAZY]

This looks like the worst of GM badge engineering from back in the 1980's when it looked like GM just took a chainsaw to the front facia and tacked on a different face. Otherwise all the exact same looking car.

VW replaces a model then rehashes it as a Skoda while VW sells the new version. VW Jetta=Skoda Octavia.

Saturn Outlook=GMC Acadia

[Parlay84]

And now you see how they make so much money. VW and Audi are done with the parts. Why not use them on the bottom brand and sell it as new. Voila!!! Instant profits.

[Tone]

Nope, it's not an old Jetta. From the article:

"The 2013 Octavia is the first Skoda model to make use of the VW Group's new and lighter MQB platform that underpins several other compact cars, most notably the VW Golf Mk7 and the latest Audi A3 hatchbacks."

It's VW's latest and greatest platform ... no hand-me-downs for Skoda.

[ausrutherford]

isn't this based on the last gen Jetta - hence the looks?

Nope, it has the all-new modular platform.

[mchicha]

Just another boring Audi/Jetta/Seat/Skoda/ badge engineering;
They were so lazy the interior is less differentiated than in an Vauxhall/Opel

[Bravada]

I do believe this is the best-looking Octavia so far - no that it looked awful to an European eye before, as it always had something elegant in its simplicity, even if over time it got a rather boring staple sight associated with unimaginative car buyers on a budget and fleets. But this time around, the Octavia really managed to shed much of its visual bulk and thus indeed look quite "sleek" in comparison with its predecessors, while sparse yet quite unique sharp decorative elements do add to the rather appealing look.

Having said which, wait until thousands of low-priced versions hit the street for most of the lustre to wear off. Having said which, VW will be laughing all the way to the bank, even if Americans will keep wondering why does it even exist if there's already the Jetta. And I'll keep wondering why did GM bother with both the sedan and the hatchback Cruze, when it should have been a liftback.

[chinamonty]

I think it is reasonably pleasant. At least it doesn't have an Audi front on it. A lot of people don't particularly care what their vehicle looks likes as long as it isn't horrendous so there will be a market for this car certainly. I would think that a used old model Octavia would be one of the best value used cars you could buy here in Australia.

[TechnoAura]

I think the Octavia III looks a lot like the last generation of the Diamanté in the grill. That's not a compliment.

[avinarf]

I| hate VW as most of us here on this forum but..., Yes it does look generic, its not WOW either but is neatly styled.