Skoda Octavia gains 1.5-litre petrol engine
Family hatchback’s four-cylinder engine produces 148bhp and costs from £19,830
Skoda has added a 1.5-litre petrol engine to its popular Octavia hatch and estate line-up.
The four-cylinder unit is a significantly updated version of the previous 1.4-litre power plant, and now develops 148bhp and 250Nm of torque. This allows the Octavia to complete the dash from 0-60mph in as little as 8.2 seconds, and reach a top speed of 136mph.
A selection of manual and dual-clutch automatic transmissions is available with the new motor.
The 1.5-litre engine also benefits from the same Active Cylinder Management technology that first appeared on the larger Superb.
This kicks in at speeds of up to 70mph and revs between 1,400 and 4,000rpm at a torque between 25 and 100Nm. When the accelerator is pressed hard, the two cylinders that were shut off start up again automatically to provide the required additional power.
However, while they are shut down this helps the 1.5-litre Octavia achieve a combined fuel consumption figure of as much as 57.7mpg in hatchback guise with a manual transmission. This same model also features CO2 emissions of 113g/km.
The 1.5-litre petrol engine is available on Octavias in SE, SE Technology and SE L specifications.
Prices range from £19,830 for the SE Hatch to £24,315 for the SE L Estate model.
