Jacked-up, four-wheel-drive specification brings technical changes and rugged bodywork.
The Scout specification is the only non-vRS Octavia model to offer four-wheel drive. It also gets an automatic gearbox and a rough-road package as standard, but it’s only available as an emergency services vehicle.
This special will be made available in Europe and is suited to off-road environments, with chunky front and rear bumpers and a ground clearance of 161mm – 15mm higher than on the standard Octavia.
Emergency teams can customise their Scout to their own requirements through the Skoda ‘one-stop shop’.
The Czech firm says the Scout’s off-road ability has also been improved, with a 15.8deg approach angle, a 13.9deg departure angle and a ramp angle of up to 19.7deg.
It’s also fitted with a rear-axle skidplate, revised suspension springs and model-specific chassis tuning.
The Scout also benefits from several driver assistance systems, including hill-descent assistance and Crew Protect Assist, which tightens the seatbelts when activated. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and front and rear parking sensors are also included.
Inside, the Scout is also equipped with Skoda’s digital cockpit, mated with a 10.0in touch screen with Apple Car Play and Android Auto, in addition to five USB-C charging ports.
The last generation Octavia Scout was on sale from 2014 until 2020 and was previously available for private customers as well as emergency services.
The new Scout will be available through Skoda’s ‘one-stop shop’ exclusively to emergency services fleets. Volkswagen, Skoda’s mother brand, currently offers vehicles such as the Tiguan Allspace and Passat to emergency services in Australia.
Jack Warrick