Skoda Octavia | Thrilling Enthusiasts Since 2002

The German carmaker, known for sturdy and powerful vehicles entered the Indian market post-liberalisation in 2001. The first-ever car to be introduced to the Indian customers was the Skoda Octavia. The car became an instant success at our land. But what prompted the people to spend more, especially at the time when the only thing customers cared about was affordability? Let’s find out.

2002 Skoda Octavia Specifications 

It is clear that the sedan was one of the most powerful offerings at that time. And that was not all. The sedan had a plethora of features which made it the first choice of many sedan lovers. Octavia was equipped with power-adjustable ORVMs, ABS, power windows, dual-front airbags, power steering, air conditioner and much more. This made the sedan a sudden hit and the company sold over 44,000 units in the launch year itself.

2005 – Skoda Laura 

Skoda was doing great with the success of Octavia. So the company planned to launch a be Octavia but wanted to keep the previous one in production too. So the Octavia Mark II was launched as Laura in the market in 2005. This model of Octavia was more elegant and more costly too. It had the 1.9-litre TDI Diesel engine that the first generation of Octavia was equipped with. The engine in Laura was capable of producing 104hp of power while the torque figures rose to 250Nm. The spacious, fuel-efficient and the well-built sedan was quite popular in India. In 2009, it was given a DSG automatic gearbox too as the transmission option.

2013 – Skoda Octavia again

The Octavia was discontinued in India in 2008 for a while. It was relaunched in 2013 again and this time with new engines at its disposal. The engines were: 1.4-litre TSI, 1.8-litre TSI and 2.0-litre TDI. The 1.4-litre petrol engine was capable of producing 138hp of power and 250Nm of torque. The 1.8-litre mill had a capacity of producing 178hp of power and a peak torque of 250Nm. The diesel power mill was capable of producing 141hp of power while producing 320Nm of peak torque. The 6-speed manual transmission was standard with all the engine options while 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre had automatic options too.

Talking about the new Octavia, Pawe Szuflak, Director of Sales and Marketing, Skoda India said, “The new Octavia is our attempt to make the best car in its class and we are confident that it will redefine standards in its segment. By virtue of being built on the Group’s MQB platform, the new Octavia is larger and yet lighter than its predecessors. A joy to look at and a greater joy to drive, the new Octavia is sure to captivate the hearts and minds in India. Octavia will be a sheer delight for the customers who have an affinity for premium-ness and quality combined with excellent price-value proposition.”

The Current Generation Octavia

Currently, the Octavia is offered with 2 engine options, 1.4-litre TSI and 2.0-litre TDI engines. At the exterior it gets:

• 16-inch Alloy wheels
• Chrome surround for the radiator grille
• Front fog lights
• Body-coloured bumpers, external mirrors and door handles
• Turn-indicator in external mirrors

At the inside it has got:

• Chrome trim on controls for the infotainment system and air conditioner
• The silver decor on the front centre console and door panels
• Dual front airbags and side airbags at the front
• Rear windscreen defogger with timer
• Dual-zone climatronic
• 6.5-inch touchscreen central infotainment system
• Ivory colour upholstery

We can expect a new generation of Octavia 2020 soon in India. Till then, we’ll have to wait! Octavia has been a very sought-after sedan in India from a long time and the company seems to keep it the same.

Check this out: The 2020 Škoda Octavia Is Here!