Czech automobile manufacturer Skoda is all set to launch its new generation Octavia facelift in the Indian auto market on July 13, 2017. Ahead of its scheduled India launch, Skoda India has already started taking bookings for the 2017 Skoda Octavia sedan against a down-payment of Rs. 51,000. To pre-book the facelifted Octavia, interested customers will have to visit the company’s official online website and the nearest Skoda-authorised dealerships across the country.
The pricing details and availability of the Skoda Octavia (facelift) have not been revealed by the company yet. But as expected the 2017 Skoda Octavia is likely to be priced lower than the current model as the prices of the luxury vehicle in India are affected by the GST (Goods and Services Tax) that was made official on July 1, 2017. The third generation model of Skoda Octavia is priced between (Rs. 19.28 lakh—Rs. 23.35 lakh (Ex-showroom). The first Skoda Octavia made its debut on the global market in the year of 1996 and since then the first generation model is running successfully. The new 2017 Skoda Octavia is the facelift of the third generation model that was launched in the country in 2013. Now it comes with improved styling, exciting features, and a host of smart and luxury equipment.
Exterior and Interior Design:
Being a luxury sedan, the 2017 Skoda Octavia sports various exciting features on the exterior such as all-LED quad-headlamp setup with sharper Daytime running lights (DRLs), LED tail lamps, a tweaked front bumper with a wider air intake, sleeker fog lamps, 17-inch alloy wheels and revamped rear bumper. The front grille houses the company logo with piano black finish, while the new bonnet gives it an overall elegant look.
Talking about its interior, the new facelifted Skoda Octavia features an 8-inch Amundsen touchscreen infotainment system that supports Navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car also gets MirrorLink technology that allows you to pair a smartphone with the car and a new “Boss Connect” app helps you to operate the infotainment system from the rear seat. Other luxury features offered by the sedan include a revised instrument console, ambient lighting with 10 selectable colour options, a new three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel—inspired by the Skoda Superb, a large electrically operated panoramic sunroof and two USB charging ports for the rear passengers. To offer passengers more comfortable journey, Skoda has also provided a large boot space of 580-litre and can be further extended by folding the rear seats to adjust heavy and bigger luggage. Apart from this, the company has also added cup and bottle holders to the interior features.
Power:
Talking about its mechanical department, the new generation Skoda Octavia will continue to be offered in three powertrain options — one diesel variant and other two petrol variants. The diesel variant Skoda Octavia is powered by a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine that churns out 143 bhp of peak power against the peak torque of 320 Nm. The diesel engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed DSG automatic transmission gearbox. On the other hand, the petrol variant Skoda Octavia comes with two petrol engine options—One variant is powered by a 1.8-litre TSI petrol engine that generates 178 bhp of peak power and comes mated to a 7-speed DSG transmission, while the other variant is powered by a 1.4-litre TSI Turbo petrol engine that produces 147bhp of peak power and is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox that sends the power to the rear wheels.
Safety Features:
In terms of safety, the 2017 Skoda Octavia sedan offers various safety features including ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution), ESP stability control, ASR traction control system, Driver fatigue detection system, Hill-Start Assist, Brake Assist, Rear-view camera, Electric parking brake and Auto parking assist. The top-end model of Skoda Octavia comes with eight airbags, while the base model gets four airbags for the passenger (dual airbags up front and dual airbags at the sides).
