2009 SKODA Octavia Scout 1.8L TSI 6MT AWD (160 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Skoda introduced a facelift for the entire Octavia range in 2008, but the times were harsh, so it waited a year more to unveil the crossover version, named Scout.

With an economy that was starting to get back on its feet again, the Czech carmaker Skoda decided to make a bold step and launched the Scout version for the Octavia. It was a crossover vehicle that shared most of its parts with the rest of the Octavia range and other cars from the Volkswagen Group. The car was built on the same PQ35 platform as the VW Golf Mk 5 or the Audi A3.

Unlike the rest of the Octavia range, the Scout featured a higher ground clearance and offroad-inspired details. At the front, the bumper sported a black lower area and a plastic shield. The car was slightly longer, taller, and broader than the regular Octavia Combi (station wagon) due to specific items installed on it to make it look rugged.

Inside, the Scout featured a similar interior as its non-Scout version, but with leather upholstery and a bigger, refrigerated center console. Also, the front passenger received a handle mounted on the dashboard, like in older, prestigious off-road vehicles. Since the carmaker installed a Haldex all-wheel-drive system that didn’t take space from the passengers’ area or the trunk, which remained at the same high level of 605 (21.4 cu-ft) liters with the rear split-bench up, or 1,655 liters (58.4 cu-ft) with that folded.

Under the hood, Skoda offered a choice of two engines for the Scout: turbocharged gasoline and turbo-diesel. It paired them as standard to a six-speed manual, while a six-speed automatic was an option for the oil-burner version.