The Skoda Octavia has been one of the most popular enthusiast sedans in India and Skoda is planning to launch the next generation of the Octavia in India soon, does the base 1.5L engine make sense or is the Slavia a better option? The Skoda Octavia has been a legendary name in the Indian automobile industry. It was launched back in 2001 in the Indian market and was considered luxury for the time.
There was a hot vRS version as well which has had a cult like following in the Indian market. Recent media reports suggest that Skoda will be bringing the new generation Octavia to India as well but they have hinted towards the launch of a 1.5L TSI engine which we get to see in the Skoda Slavia as well.
This has caused an outrage between the enthusiasts and left people questioning if whether they should wait for their favourite performance sedan or just buy the Slavia with the same engine. The Skoda Octavia 1.5L TSI Internationally the 4th generation of the Skoda Octavia is only being offered with a 1.
5L TSI EVO II engine which we have already seen in the Slavia. This is going to be base engine for the car and will also feature mild-hybrid tech in some variants. The engine is paired to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG gearbox.
It is also offered with a 2.0L diesel engine which might not make it to the Indian market as the VW-Skoda cars discontinued all diesels for the Indian market in 2020. The engine is available in two states of tune but we will most likely get the 148 bhp and 250 Nm of torque.
While we love the 1.5L TSI EVO II engine in the Slavia and Kushaq and it is plenty powerful engine for those cars, a Skoda Octavia with less power than its previous version would be sacrilege to the brand value and will not go well with the buyers of these sedans in our opinion. The Skoda Octavia has always been for the enthusiasts as many buyers of this price segment have already shifted to crossovers and SUVs.
Here are the prices of the comparative Slavia with the same engine: Skoda Slavia 1.5L TSI 7-Speed DSG Signature: Rs 16.69 lakh (ex-showroom) Skoda Slavia 1.
5L TSI 7-Speed DSG Prestige: Rs 18.69 lakh (ex-showroom) The top end model of the Slavia encroaches the Rs 20 lakh mark easily while offering the same engine and since the Octavia is going to be a CKD, we expect it to be more than Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom) which begs the question if the Octavia would be a good buy? The Slavia Gets Essentially The Same Engine And Will Come In Much Cheaper Top End Skoda Slavia Or Base Octavia: Which one would you buy? The 1.5L TSI engine is plentiful for the smaller more nimbler Slavia but we are not sure if it would be the right fit for the Octavia in the Indian market.
The 2.0L TSI was the highlight of the previous generation Octavia sold in India and we are not sure if we would pick the 1.5L TSI for 10 lakh rupees more for a car with possibly less features and only a bit larger in size.
The Octavia was always about driver engagement and a truly European product. The vRS might fix things but blunder likes the vRS 245 which came to India via the CBU route and had an obnoxious pricing for a car which was supposed to be affordable performance was a big miss-step by the Czech car manufacturer. The Full Picture The Skoda Octavia is currently only available with a 1.
5L TSI petrol engine abroad but there is an upcoming 2.0L TSI update as well. The media reports did state the previous generation of the Octavia was discontinued due to BS6.
2 norms coming into place but the Taigun and Kushaq have been continuing with the same engine even after the BS6.2 norms. We can also expect Skoda to bring the 1.
5L TSI as the base engine and offer it alongside the 2.0L TSI engine to give the customers more options and the same car at different price points, or Skoda could reserve the larger engine for the vRS models but having just the 1.5L TSI would definitely make a dent on Skoda’s image in the premium segment of vehicles.
It Has Also Been Rumored That The Next Gen Kodiaq Will Also Get A Diesel Engine In India There have also been rumors that the next generation of the Kodiaq might also be offered with a 2.0L diesel engine which is good news for people who like to cover a lot of distance and if that is the case then the diesel might as well be offered on the Octavia for good measure and the select few diesel enthusiasts. Whatever the case may be, it won’t be a surprise if the Octavia is offered with such a small engine because only a few generations back, Skoda did offer the Octavia with a 1.
4L TSI engine as well alongside a larger 1.8L TSI and 2.0L diesel.
A Reasonably Priced vRS Would Definitely Impress The Enthusiasts In the end, we do hope that Skoda brings the Octavia with a respectable engine and the 1.5L is kept only as an options. A diesel would be lovely but an appropriately priced vRS would be the cherry on top.
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