New 2014 Octavia Spied!

[Jake02]

I think you maybe right. Is it a sedan only?

It won't be a sedan. The Octavia's uniqueness has always been from its hatchback (liftback) design and the practicality that stems from it. It might be a TwinDoor like the Superb, but they will want it to be simple and the TwinDoor is anything but simple.

[K1W1]

There does not appear to be any provision for a rear wiper.

If the large areas of black around the rear window are anything other than masking (and from the look of the high brake light they are not) that indicates that the window is more than simply suck in like a windscreen. They could easily be hiding the hinges and struts behind those black areas.

[ausspace87]

There does not appear to be any provision for a rear wiper.

If the large areas of black around the rear window are anything other than masking (and from the look of the high brake light they are not) that indicates that the window is more than simply suck in like a windscreen. They could easily be hiding the hinges and struts behind those black areas.

Video of the new Octavia with rear wiper... In some countries the rear wiper is an option on the current model. I'm sure it will be same deal with the new model.

All-New Skoda Octavia Spotted Again [Video] - autoevolution

[dArK5HaD0w]

In some countries the rear wiper is an option on the current model. I'm sure it will be same deal with the new model.

+1

here in oz, it was only made standard from my11 models.
while i was ordering, the rear wiper was a $150 option. however i didn't have to pay for it cause i ended up getting an my11.

note: this only applies to the liftback. the wagon always had the rear wiper as standard.

this is from the my10 brochure -

[K1W1]

Video of the new Octavia with rear wiper...

I guess that confirms it's a hatch it's very unusual for a standard three box vehicle to have a rear wiper. I can't think of a European car that ever has it seems to be a Japanese thing (late 1980's Mazda 323 sedans and some Nissans of the same vintage come to mind).
I still don't know why an Octavia needs a rear wiper when similarly shaped 3 box sedans don't but if owners want them I guess the factory supplies them.

[zei20t]

I thought it was an ADR requirement for hatchbacks and wagons to have a rear wiper?

after owning coupes and sedans with and without rear wipers, ill take a rear wiper equipped car any day

[Jake02]

I thought it was an ADR requirement for hatchbacks and wagons to have a rear wiper?

after owning coupes and sedans with and without rear wipers, ill take a rear wiper equipped car any day

It's not an ADR requirement for hatches/wagons to have a rear wiper (look at the last generation FN2 Honda Civic hatchback) but I couldn't agree more, the lack of a rear wiper on our Octavia really annoys me!

[K1W1]

How are your Octavia hatches any different in the rear window visibility stakes than a sedan? If you feel that you want or need a wiper on an Octavia I assume that you feel exactly the same about a Commodore or BMW sedan.
The reason two box designs like traditional hatches or wagons NEED rear wipers is that the vortex created in the airflow going over the roof causes road debris and rear wheel spray to be picked up behind the vehicle dragged up the back of the vehicle and deposited on the rear window making rear visibility in normal (dry) conditions bad if the car is not washed regularly. You only have to look at the rear windows of hatches, wagons and SUVs to see the effect where there is the cleared area from the wipers. On three box designs like your traditional car (Falcon for example) or the Octavia hatch the road debris is picked up and deposited on the tail lights and rear number plate area but does not reach the rear window.
After probably 5000 km plus driving my car on all sorts of dirt roads from dry and dusty to wet and muddy I have never once had to clean the rear window because of excessive dirt deposits they just don't happen the way they do on a standard two box design. Driving SUVs on similar roads meant I was often using the rear wiper and washer to get rear visibility.
Obviously a rear wiper could be handy reversing in the rain but no more so than on any standard three box vehicle so I assume as I said earlier that those who want rear wipers on Octavias must by definition also think that every car should have a rear wiper. If you do that's fine that's your choice but don't say that an Octavia needs one simply because it's a hatch because aerodynamically it's not its a sedan.

[dArK5HaD0w]

It's not just the Octavia, the mondeo has a rear wiper, and so does the mazda 6.
Both of these have the same style as the Octavia - "liftback" .
The rear window on mine certainly gets dirty, making the necessity of me having one.
My previous car, an 02 astra, also a liftback, had a rear wiper. It was bl00dy handy.
So getting the Octavia liftback, it was a no brainer for me to get the rear wiper.

There IS a difference between a "hatchback", a "liftback", and a "sedan".
The liftback generally has a different aerodynamic flaw to a sedan. The boot lip space/area on sedan is far greater than that on a liftback.

[Mysticality]

After driving my old 2007 Rio hatchback for months, I once drove my mum's 2006 Rio sedan in the rain... No rear wiper.

I vowed I would never again own anything without one.
That then transformed into a love of sexy sexy wagons.

Someone buy me a Panamera?