Details of the third generation Octavia estate have been released, prior to its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, writes Philip Shoulder.

The new estate closely follows the look of the hatch, from the nose, down the high-waisted and sharply defined flanks, all the way to the redesigned rear end.

The tailgate incorporates characteristic triangular elements, with trademark  C-shaped light strips also featuring in each light cluster.

The latest incarnation boasts an extra 90mm in length and 45mm in width over its predecessor.

An 11cm increase in wheelbase results in significantly more rear legroom and affords a capacious 610 litre boot.

Seats down, the cargo area grows to a cavernous 1,740 litres. Other interior details shared with the Octavia Hatch, include: double-sided boot floor mat, a cargo net restraint system, multiple bag hooks and a waste bin.

Additionally, the new estate offers a host of smart solutions to make life easier, including an ice scraper in the fuel tank opening, a coat rack and a remote fold-down function for the rear-seat backrest.

It also scores highly on safety, with nine airbags and a host of latest safety innovations; such as a City Emergency Braking function, Lane Assistant (to help the car keep in its lane on motorways) and Activity Assistant, which monitors for signs of driver fatigue.

Other equipment includes a cruise control system with an automatic distance control function and a high-beam assistant, which auto-matically dips the lights when it detects a vehicle in front or the approach of oncoming traffic.

There is also a range of completely new generation audio and navigation systems. The same diesel and petrol engine line-up can be found as in the hatch.

All power-trains are up to 17 per cent more economical than before: the cleanest Green-Line version reaching a highly frugal 83.1mpg and emitting just 89 g/km of CO2 Although not yet announced, pricing is expected to be slightly higher than the equivalent hatch.

The new estate will go on sale in June, with a 4x4 variant expected later.