More spacious, safer, better connected and more emotive than ever: With the launch of the fourth generation Octavia, Skoda has reached new dimensions.

The heart of the Skoda brand is longer and wider than its predecessor and has an even larger boot. At a length of 4,689mm, the hatchback is 19mm and the Combi is 22mm longer than its predecessor, while its width has also increased by 15mm.

The Combi's boot capacity, which is the largest in the segment, has increased by 30 litres to 640 litres, while the hatchback has a boot capacity of 600 litres, 10 litres more than the previous generation.

A new front apron and the narrower, new head lights are a visual delight and feature LED technology for low beam, high beam and daytime running lights as standard. New tail lights, brake lights and fog lights make use of LED technology as well, and optional alloy wheels measuring up to 19-inches lend all of the model variants a powerful appearance.

In the newly designed interior, the Octavia offers a new two-spoke steering wheel, which can be heated as an option and - if ordered as a multifunction variant - comes with new control buttons and knurled scroll wheels, allowing drivers to operate a total of 14 different functions without removing their hands.

The dashboard, which has also been redesigned, is modular and has been arranged in different levels, featuring a large, free-standing central display.

The centre console is elegant, uncluttered and adorned with chrome details - as are the new door trims and handles. New soft-touch materials lend the interior a premium look, and new LED ambient lighting provides a special visual touch for the front doors and dashboard by indirectly illuminating them in a choice of 10 different colours.

A whole range of new safety systems such as Collision Avoidance Assist, Turn Assist, Exit Warning and the local Traffic Warning function are also making their debut with the Skoda Octavia.

For the first time, the Octavia's lineup now includes a plug-in hybrid. The Octavia iV utilises a 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine and an electric motor to deliver a combined power output of 201bhp. With a capacity of 37Ah providing 13kWh of energy, the high-voltage lithium-ion battery allows for an all electric range of up to 55km on the world harmonised light-duty vehicles test procedure cycle.

The eTEC variants fitted with latest EVO-generation 1.0-litre TSI or 1.5-litre TSI petrol engines also feature mild hybrid technology when equipped with a dual-clutch automatic transmission. Using a 48V belt-driven starter motor and a 48V lithium-ion battery, it is possible to recover brake energy, support the combustion engine by providing it with an electric boost, and to coast with the engine completely switched off. The range of petrol engines will deliver from 108bhp to 187bhp.

The Octavia offers a choice of four infotainment systems from the latest generation with screens measuring from 8.25 to 10-inches. Some of them can be operated using gesture control or by voice via the Laura Skoda Digital Assistant. Thanks to a built-in eSIM, the Octavia is always online, and access to the latest Skoda Connect mobile online services is therefore always possible. These include eCall, comprehensive remote vehicle access and infotainment apps backed by online data.