NEW DELHI: A car that was first launched in India almost 2 decades ago is back in the market with everything new about it but the name. The name Skoda Octavia still excites many car lovers in the country and the new generation of the sedan aims to attract a fresh set of buyers towards itself and the Czech car brand. Yes, the market has evolved, and it is now dominated by SUVs of various shapes and sizes. In the middle of this, the big question is: Will a luxury sedan be able to hold fort?
LOOKS
The Octavia has been completely redeveloped; it gets a new, light design which makes it look more muscular than before. According to Skoda, every panel of the car is new. It is 4,689 mm long, 1,469 mm tall, 1,829 mm wide, and comes with a wheelbase of 2,680 mm. The classic chrome laden grille is flanked by narrower, new headlights featuring Bi-LED technology and daytime running lights which come as standard. The car is available in 5 colour options—lava blue, candy white, magic black, brilliant silver, and maple brown—with the last two exclusively available on the more expensive Laurin & Klement variant.
INTERIOR
The new Octavia gets premium beige suede leather upholstery complemented by chrome highlights. The multi-level dashboard has been completely redesigned while the two-spoke multifunction steering wheel gets paddle shifts and black leather. The new 25.4 cm display infotainment system gets a touch slider to adjust the volume or the map. Smartphones can be paired to the infotainment system, offering access to infotainment apps. The premium canton sound system on the L&K features 12 speakers, including a subwoofer, and has a power output of 600 plus watts. The car also gets a 2-zone climate control for front passengers while the new lighting system assists in safety and turns red when the front doors open.
The Octavia also comes with gesture-operated LED reading light unit, smartphone pockets on the front seat backs, a storage compartment in the front doors for an umbrella, easy open-cup holders, a pair of USB C Ports in the dashboard and centre console, a USB C port behind the internal rear-view mirror and roller sun blinds. The car offers 600 litres and 1,555 litres luggage space after folding down the rear seats. The electrically controlled 5th door or boot hatch opens and closes at the mere touch of the button on the remote control. It is equipped with a virtual pedal enabling contact-free access. However, a major miss on in the car is the absence of a sunroof.
ENGINE
A first for the Czech auto manufacturer in India, the fourth generation Octavia features ‘shift by wire’ technology and electric parking brake. A rocker switch is integrated into the centre console which controls and electronically conveys the gear selection to the transmission unit. The car runs on a turbocharged 2.0 TSI petrol engine which delivers 190 PS of power and a peak torque output of 320Nm.According to the company the sedan comes with a fuel efficiency of 15.81 kmpl.
SAFETY
The standard safety equipment on the higher Laurin & Klement includes 8 airbags, iBuzz fatigue alert and AFS (adaptive front-lighting system). In addition, the car also comes with ABS (anti-lock braking system), ESC (electronic stability control), EBD (electronic brake-force distribution) and tyre pressure monitoring system. The car is also equipped with the “MyŠKODA Connect” connectivity solution that helps one in case of an emergency with features such as roadside assistance and SOS. It also helps keep the car secure in the owner’s absence with features like geo fence, time fence, etc. It also offers useful information driving behaviour and trip analysis.
PRICE
The base or Style variant of the car is priced at Rs 25.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India) while the Laurin & Klement version will set you back by Rs 28.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India). This means the car is now much more expensive than what it was earlier, and at a time when sedans are not finding much favour with the buyers such kind of pricing may not help the brand. But the name Octavia has done wonders for Skoda in the Indian market before, so do not be surprised if history repeats itself.
The writer is Senior Editor at carandbike.com