Skoda UK will only offer the Scout off-road version of its latest-generation Octavia Estate to emergency services, the company has announced. A smash hit with the ambulance service as an emergency response vehicle, the jacked-up, all-wheel drive Scout has been less of a hit with private customers.

As a result, Skoda says it will only sell the latest Scout to so-called ‘blue light’ customers, including the police and fire service. The Czech brand will even sell its customers a full conversion, where the vehicle is delivered fully adapted to its new role.

Externally, the Scout is set apart from other Octavias by its chunky black body cladding and ride height, which has been raised by 15 mm over the standard vehicle. That gives the car a ground clearance of 161 mm, while the Rough Road Package gives it underbody protection and revised springs, as well as a model-specific chassis tuning to make it more capable off-road.

Skoda Octavia Scout Ambulance

Inside, the Scout gets black ‘thermoflux’ upholstery with brown stitching, while the standard Octavia dashboard is fitted with the 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster and the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The car also comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, allowing the driver to access smartphone apps on the screen.

More specific to the Scout is the Off-Road driving mode, which tweaks the settings of the stability systems to suit off-road driving. The system smooths out the power delivery and holds the automatic gearbox at higher revolutions before changing up, while the system is paired with Hill Descent Assist, that keeps the vehicle at a set speed on slippery downslopes.

Aside from that, the Scout has all the usual Octavia Estate accoutrements, including the huge 640-litre boot, which will come in useful for police, paramedics and firefighters alike. The car also comes with two-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, and safety systems including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assistance.

The Octavia Scout will be offered with a choice of two diesel engines, both of which come with an automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive. Both engines are 2-litre units, with the cheaper option producing 148 bhp, while the range-topping example comes with 197 bhp.

And Skoda is offering the Scout with its ‘One-Stop Shop’ programme, which allows the company to provide vehicles fully converted to suit specific requirements. It also means the customer has the conversion, breakdown recovery, service, maintenance and repair requirements built into one package.

Gallery: Skoda Octavia Scout UK Ambulance