The new Octavia is set to go on sale in the UK next month, with prices starting at just under £22,500. However, Skoda has confirmed the model will get even cheaper later in 2020, when the full range is launched.

For now, though, the Octavia will be available in two body shapes - the Hatch and Estate models to which we have become accustomed - while customers will get a choice of three engine options and three trim levels. Not to mention the improved space, safety and technology promised by this fourth-generation version of the Octavia.

The cheapest model available at launch is the SE First Edition, which will eventually become a more mid-range version when the line-up is complete. As standard, therefore, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and LED front fog lights are all included. Inside, meanwhile, there’s a ‘Swing’ radio system with an 8.25-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration systems.

For the headline £22,390 starting price, you get the five-door Hatch model, but spending an extra £910 will get you the Estate version. Either way, the standard engine is a 1.5-litre petrol engine with 148 bhp, although a 2-litre diesel with 113 bhp will also be available.

Skoda Octavia

Moving up the range brings you to the SE Technology variant, which is available to the public, but is aimed predominantly at company car users. Based on the SE model, it too gets 16-inch alloy wheels, but it adds a 10-inch touchscreen and parking sensors in the front and rear bumpers.

As with the SE, SE Technology buyers are faced with a choice of two engines - the 148 bhp petrol and the 113 bhp diesel - as well as a choice of two body styles. Prices start at £22,640 for the Hatch and £23,620 for the Estate.

Finally, the pinnacle of the launch range is the SE-L First Edition. Priced from £25,150 for the 1.5-litre Hatch, it offers larger 17-inch alloy wheels and rear privacy glass, as well as electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors.

Skoda Octavia

Inside, the SE-L First Edition gets ‘microsuede’ upholstery, heated front seats and LED ambient lighting. The SE Technology’s 10-inch touchscreen features, too, and the parking sensors are joined by keyless entry and adaptive cruise control that maintains a safe distance to the vehicle in front.

The SE-L First Edition also opens up the option of a second diesel engine. This time it’s a 148 bhp 2-litre motor, which sits above the 113 bhp diesel in the line-up. Commanding a £2,400 premium over the less powerful diesel, it’s the most expensive model to go on sale at launch, starting at £28,460 when slotted under the bonnet of the Hatch. That rises to £29,515 when you opt for the Estate.

In the coming months, however, that is all set to change. The models outlined here, which go on sale in June and arrive in the UK in July, will be joined by a new base-spec S model, a cheaper 1-litre petrol engine and mild-hybrid versions of the petrol motors. There will be a sporty vRS model, too, which will be offered in petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid versions.

Gallery: Skoda Octavia (2020)