Škoda has unveiled its third-generation Octavia, which is roomier than before, has improved quality and will offer CO2 emissions from 89g/km.

The car will go on sale in the UK in 2013 and is developed from Volkswagen Group's new MQB platform, which will underpin all forthcoming compact and medium cars throughout the group.

Interior dimensions are increased, while boot volume is now a minimum of 590 litres - larger than in most upper-medium and executive saloons.



"It is an ideal car for demanding, confident customers expecting a modern Octavia with all its good values,” said Frank Welsch, Škoda board member for technical development. "It is our best."

The Octavia will be offered with a range of safety features, including autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping assist, driver fatigue detection and a pop-up bonnet to reduce the risk of serious head injury for pedestrians.

The Greenline version of the Octavia is expected to have CO2 emissions of 89g/km with fuel consumption of 83mpg on the combined cycle. As well as more efficient engines, the dramatic improvement in fuel connsumption and emissions performance has been achieved through making the car up to 102kg lighter than its predecessor.



The new Octavia will sit alongside the recently introduced Škoda Rapid in the range, the latter aimed at a more budget conscious buyer, with a more basic interior and lacking in some of the high perceived quality materials and soft-touch surfaces.

The Octavia range is expected to start at around £15,000 when it goes on sale, higher than the Rapid's current £12,900 starting point.