Skoda Octavia Review
Car Tested: 2013 Skoda Octavia
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 16.64 – 23.86 lakhs
The new Skoda Octavia is here to rewrite the rules of the game and how!
Skoda ventured into India with the Octavia way back in 2001. At a time, where there was no ‘D-segment’ present in our country, the Skoda Octavia carved out a niche for itself with its bold styling, tank like built quality and superior driving dynamics. With the Octavia, Skoda came to be known as a premium manufacturer in India. The car was so well received, it actually had a cult following. In 2005, the second generation Octavia was christened as the ‘Laura’ in India as Skoda had placed it above the first generation Octavia and was selling both until the first generation Octavia’s production came to an end in 2010.
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The Laura was a worthy successor to the Octavia and now Skoda is all set to bring back the ‘Octavia’ nameplate in its portfolio. In its third generation now, the new Skoda Octavia not only comes back with its original name but also is touted to be the best Octavia yet. It is the first car by Skoda Auto to be based on the Volkswagen Group’s reputed MQB platform. The MQB platform is a very versatile platform and is based on the company’s strategy for shared modular construction of its transverse, front-engine and front-wheel drive automobiles. With a fully modular chassis, this platform leads to a more efficient development towards identical modules and can be implemented into most cars manufactured by the Volkswagen group. Amongst others, the Volkswagen Golf and the Audi A3 are based on the same platform. With emphasis on weight reduction, cars based on this platform are lighter and hence better in fuel economy, offering lower emissions.
Motor Quest: The Octavia nameplate dates back to 1959 and was resurrected in 1996 after the discontinuation of the car in 1971. The modern Octavia has been offered with 4×4 since the first gen model.
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Exteriors – The new Octavia is the first car in India to be based on Skoda’s latest design philosophy. Sharp lines are characteristics of this new design. However, the Octavia has retained its original DNA as far as the design is concerned. There is no mistaking this car as a Skoda and it comes across as an evolution of the Laura.
The front profile is highlighted by Skoda’s family grille with vertical fins. Sharp creases gently merge from the A-pillar towards the front grille. The hood also gets a F1 styled nose which dips over the front grille, looking quite classy. The chrome surrounds around the grille look rich too. Sitting right on the tip is the new Skoda logo which is now three dimensional, adding to the feel good factor. The headlight assembly also incorporates a sharp line running vertically in the centre thereby highlighting the design. The four headlight layout works very well and gives out sufficient lateral throw. The top end versions of the Skoda Octavia get projector lamps with day time running lights. The front bumper also houses the meshwork air dam with large fog lamps, which are very efficient at night. Turn with steering lights are integrated in the same assembly and are only available on the top of the line trims.
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The side profile of the new Skoda Octavia flaunts the 10-spoke alloy wheels which are available in the Ambition and Elegance trims. The Active trim gets a different set of alloys. The new design language continues in the form of the sharp shoulder line which runs along the side to connect the tail lamp assembly to the headlights. Another sharp line runs along the lower border of the doors. Side indicators are integrated with the external rear view mirrors. The roofline gradually slopes and joins the boot. The roof is now marginally higher at the rear benefiting the rear headroom.
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A keen eye will be able to notice that the new Skoda Octavia has grown over its predecessor. It is 90 mm longer and 45 mm wider than the Laura. The overall length is now 4.66 meters, which is one of the highest in the segment. Wheelbase too has increased by 108 mm and this has translated into more interior room. Skoda has moved the rear axle behind for this which also helps in improving the handling characteristics.
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The rear profile resembles that of the Skoda Rapid, however in greater detail. The C-shaped tail lamp assembly and the prism cuts on the boot carry forward the family trend and all new models from Skoda will imbibe the same design language. Sharp lines are a key feature of the new design language and are seen in defining the rear bumper which also houses reflectors. Sitting hidden away on the black cladding under the bumper are the parking sensors which add to the convenience factor. The new font displays Skoda and Octavia on either ends of the boot. There is no variant branding on the exteriors, that means, you can’t really tell from the outside which version is in front of you. However, a careful eye will be able to tell between the 1.8 TSI and the 1.4 TSI. The 1.8 TSI gets a spoiler integrated on the boot while the 1.4 TSI has a 5-spoke alloy wheel design.
Head over to the next page to read about the Skoda Octavia’s interiors.
Interiors – The Skoda Octavia is known for its great built quality and this has been carried forward in each of the three generations. Interior quality feels rich and the fit and finish is simply fantastic. Interior plastics and upholstery has been very tastefully done in the Skoda Octavia. Two-tone black and beige interiors feel good and wooden inserts are used on the doors and around the gear lever. We loved the chrome door handles and their placement. Attention to detail is phenomenal throughout and even the seat stitches are immaculately done.
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The Skoda Octavia offers the highest interior room in the segment. Interior length has now increased by 33 mm over the Laura and not only that, rear legroom has also increased by 47 mm. To enhance passenger comfort, rear headroom, elbow width and shoulder room has also been increased over the previous generation car. The front seats of the Skoda Octavia are comfortable and offer good headroom, shoulder room and knee room. Under thigh support, especially for tall passengers is average. The backrest is controlled by a knob which needs to be rotated to recline the backrest. This is good if you want precision seat adjustments however it’s quite a task to completely recline the back rest. The leather seats feel good and look fantastic. Detailed stitching further amplifies the attention to detail. In the Elegance trim, Skoda has offered 12-way electrically adjustable drivers seat with three memory options. The front doors also come with warning indicators.
The rear seat is comfortable too, but on long journeys it feels too upright. The rear bench is ideal for two passengers as the high transmission tunnel won’t allow the middle passenger to be very comfortable. There is sufficient headroom, shoulder room, knee room at the rear. Under thigh support continues to be average. The rear armrest has space for two cup holders and also opens into the boot in case you need to access the boot on the go. There are abundant storage areas inside the cabin of the Skoda Octavia. There are total 8 bottle and beverage holders of which two can house 1.5-litre bottles (front door pockets) and the rest 6 (front central console, rear door pockets and rear central armrest) can easily seat a half litre bottle or a cup of your favourite coffee.
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The first generation Skoda Octavia was the first car to have a fully functional boot with its wide hatch style boot opening. A signature trait of the Octavia, the third generation not only gets the same but has also grown in size. The boot measures 590-litres and the rear seats can fold (by a push of a button) in 60:40 ratio to increase the boot space to a whooping 1580-litres. The boot also has hooks and lashing points to secure the luggage.
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The audio system consists of a new Bolero unit with a 5.8-inch touch screen (resolution 400 x 240) interface. This unit plays radio, CD, SD card, USB and AUX. You can also stream music from your phone or iPod through Bluetooth. Tucked in the glove box is the CD player which has an input for SD card. There is no direct input for USB and AUX. It has to be routed through the ‘Media In’ cable which goes in under the audio system. Sound quality is great with four speakers (in each door) and woofer (on the dashboard) giving out crisp sound. The multifunctional steering wheel houses audio controls and phone buttons. The same screen also displays data from the parking assist, which has sensors both in the front and at the rear, displaying the data based on the direction of motion.
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The audio unit also has buttons for car and vehicle settings. The car setting gives you three types of data readings. From start (trip data), long term and since re-fuelling. The computer displays kilometres done, average km/hr, average km/l and time. Once you fuel up, the ‘Since Refuelling’ screen automatically trips to zero. The audio unit is also equipped with proximity sensors which switches the system to operating mode once a finger comes near it.
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The AC cools well and has dual zone climate control for the front seats. Rear AC vents are provided to cool the rear passengers. There are sensors which monitor the position of the sun, air quality and humidity to set optimum temperature in the climatronic mode. The Octavia also features a sunroof (optional) which can be electrically adjusted for tilt and slide. The feature list also includes a tyre pressure monitoring system and cruise control (only for top end variant), automatic dimming interior and exterior rear view mirror and rain sensing wipers.
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The instrument cluster is easy to read and displays all relevant data through the MID screen on the cluster. The only area of cost cutting we came across was the horn. The first generation Octavia’s horn (Wintone Rainbow) had taken the market by storm. This time Skoda has done away with it and offered a regular one.
Head over to the next page to read about the Skoda Octavia’s performance.
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Performance – The Skoda Octavia is offered with three engine, two petrol and one diesel. The entry level petrol engine is the Jetta borrowed 1.4-litre TSI which comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. This engine produces 140 PS of power between 4500 – 6000 RPM and a torque of 250 NM between 1500-3500 RPM. Fuel efficiency of this motor as per ARAI standards is 16.8 km/l. The 1.4 TSI engine is available in Active and Ambition trims only.
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The second petrol motor is targeted towards petrol heads and will please enthusiasts with its power and torque. The 1.8-litre TSI motor produces a brilliant 180 PS of peak power between 5100–6200 RPM and 250 NM of torque between 1250–5000 RPM. Skoda claims that this is not the same 1.8 TSI seen in the Laura but is from a new series. We had a short stint in this powerful version of the Skoda Octavia and were impressed. Mated to this engine is a 7-speed DSG gearbox. The beauty lies in the fact that the torque is available at the lower end of the rev band. The engine performs strongly in the mid and high range and the DSG gearbox works well. However, once you floor the throttle, it does take a while for the DSG to react, which is strange since the DSG works perfectly in other VW cars. In fact, the other journalists on the drive faced the same issue with all the DSG equipped cars. Leaving that aside, it works beautifully.
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You can drive it in ‘D’ for city runabout and can move it into ‘S’ for some fun. In the ‘S’ mode, the upshifts and downshifts are slick. In this mode the car will hit the rev limiter around 6100 RPM before shifting up. If you are looking for some serious action, slot the gearbox into the tiptronic mode and it’s game on. Floor the throttle and this motor will churn up adrenaline at good pace. On a long stretch this version of the Skoda Octavia hits 200 km/hr comfortably and the engine note is absolute nirvana. However, since this model is aimed at the enthusiast, Skoda should have offered paddle shifts on the steering wheel. The top end Jetta gets it and we reckon the Octavia should have got it too. We did not get a chance to test its real world fuel efficiency but this engine delivers 14.7 km/l as per ARAI. This version is only available in the Elegance trim.
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We spend the maximum time in the 2.0-litre TDI powered Skoda Octavia. This is going to be the favourite engine amongst customers and will account for maximum volumes. This is the favourite engine for most VW group companies in India as well. Right from the Audi A4 to the Volkswagen Jetta, the 2.0 TDI engine is the maximum used engine in our country. The 2.0 TDI engine has been reworked to meet emission norms and produces 143 PS of power at 4000 RPM with 320 NM torque from 1750–3000 RPM. This engine comes mated with both, a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed DSG transmission. The manual and automatic return a fuel efficiency of 20.6 km/l and 19.3 km/l respectively as per ARAI test standards. This engine is available in manual guise in the Active and Ambition trim while the automatic is available in the Ambition and the Elegance trim.
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Our test car had the manual transmission on board. The gearbox is super slick and gearshifts are butter smooth. The clutch is not too heavy either and this makes it drivable in crowded city conditions. The ratios are sorted for both city and highway driving styles and sixth gear is tall allowing the Skoda Octavia to stretch its legs on the highway. There is some initial turbo lag till about 1700 RPM after which this engine revs freely up to the redline with strong mid and high range. In spite of keeping the engine on the boil, the display still showed an average fuel efficiency of 14.2 km/l, which is exceptional for a vehicle of this size and class. We were unable to test the real world fuel efficiency and top speed on our drive.
Head over to the next page to read about the Skoda Octavia’s dynamics and our verdict on the car.
Driving Dynamics – Ride and handling has always been the Octavia’s strong point and the third generation Octavia does not disappoint either. The 2.0-litre TDI engined car we drove kept most of the undulations filtered from the cabin, however on large potholes the rear torsion beam suspension did unsettle the passengers and was a bit noisy on occasions too. Overall the ride of the Skoda Octavia was complaint at slow speeds and was even better at high speeds. The 1.8-litre TSI is shod with multi-link independent suspension at the rear and you can’t help but love this. The ride is simply superb and even a rear bench passenger will vouch for the excellent ride quality it offers. We wish Skoda has equipped the 2.0-litre TDI Elegance with this suspension.
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Not only the ride quality, the 1.8 TSI is a better handler too and loves taking corners by the scruff of its neck. Don’t get us wrong, the 2.0 TDI is brilliant too but the independent suspension on the 1.8 TSI takes it to another level altogether. The steering of the Skoda Octavia is reasonably heavy at low speeds but easy to work with. As the speed pick up, it weighs up and gives brilliant feedback. It’s so good that you will love taking corners all day long and that’s exactly what we did. On the winding Shimla roads, the Octavia was doing the twisties brilliantly without a single case of understeer or oversteer. Even when you nail the pedal to the metal, the ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) and EDL (Electronic Differential Lock) ensure the vehicle stays pointed in the right direction. All you want to do is squeeze the throttle even more and the Octavia obeys like it’s on rails. Skoda has surely upped the game in the ride and handling department.
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NVH levels are good and even though the diesel engine is obviously audible from the outside, sound absorbing material is used to ensure the cabin is free from noise. Even wind and tyre noise stays away from the cabin. The original Skoda Octavia came shod with Goodyear Eagle NCT5 tyres and the third generation model is on the same. Obviously the tyre has evolved over time but the braking has remained as brilliant as ever. Slam the brakes from triple digit speeds and the electronics (ABS, EBD and Hydraulic Brake Assist) kick in to ensure the car stops in a straight line without any drama. The 205/55/16 tyres offer sufficient grip and never did we find them wanting.
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Verdict – The Octavia has a cult following for the right reasons and with the third generation Octavia, not only has Skoda given it the name it deserved but has also made the car better in every possible respect. With three engine options to choose from, there is something for everybody in this car, be it an enthusiast or someone who prefers practicality. Interiors are spacious and will appeal to most buyers. Even the equipment list outdoes the one on the Jetta. With superior driving dynamics the Skoda Octavia is one such car which appeals both to the head and heart and you just can’t go wrong with it. The pricing is not yet announced and we reckon it would be priced slightly more than the Jetta. A compelling price will make its case even stronger and it has everything to take the market by storm and be the best seller for Skoda all over again.
The Octavia is a true evolution over the Laura and excels in all departments with driving dynamics that put a smile on your face each and every time.
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What’s Cool
* Ride and handling
* Performance
* Rich interiors
* Equipment list
What’s Not So Cool
* No paddle shifts on 1.8 TSI
* Rear bench too upright
Alternatives: Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze
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2013 Skoda Octavia Specifications
* Engine: 1395cc TSI, 1798cc TSI, 1968cc TDI
* Power: 140 PS @ 4500-6000 RPM (1.4 TSI), 180 PS @ 5100-6200 RPM (1.8 TSI), 143 PS @ 4000 RPM (TDI)
* Torque: 250 Nm @ 1500-3500 RPM (1.4 TSI), 250 Nm @ 1250-5000 RPM (1.8 TSI), 320 Nm @ 1750-3000 RPM (TDI)
* Transmission: 6-speed manual (1.4 TSI, 2.0 TDI), 7-speed DSG (1.8 TSI), 6-speed DSG (2.0 TDI)
* Top Speed: 190 km/hr (1.4 TSI, 2.0 TDI), 210 km/hr (1.8 TSI) (est.)
* Fuel Consumption: 11 km/l (1.4 TSI), 9 km/l (1.8 TSI), 13 km/l (2.0 TDI)
* Fuel Type: Petrol, Diesel
* Suspension: McPherson struts (Front), Compound Link (Rear, 1.4 TSI and 2.0 TDI), Multi-link (1.8 TSI)
* Tyres: 205/55/16 Tubeless
* Brakes: Ventilated Disc (Front), Disc (Rear), ABS
* Safety: ABS, EBD, ASR, HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assistant), ESC (Electronic Stability Control), MKB (Multi Collision Braking), EDL (Electronic Differential Lock), Front, Side and Curtain Airbags, Front and Rear Parking Sensors
2013 Skoda Octavia Dimensions
* Overall length x width x height: 4659 mm X 1814 mm X 1476 mm
* Wheelbase: 2688 mm
* Turning Radius: 5.2 metres
* Ground clearance: 155 mm
* Boot Volume: 590 liters, 1580 litres (with rear seats folded)
* Fuel Tank Capacity: 50 litres
* Kerb Weight: 1260 kgs (1.4 TSI), 1376 kgs (1.8 TSI), 1340 kgs (2.0 TDI), 1395 kgs (2.0 TDI AT)