2017 Skoda Octavia Review

Some cars are born special. These cars create their own identity and are revered for their traits. The Skoda Octavia is one such car. The Octavia has just got a facelift. It is based on the same platform and the basics like engine, transmission, exterior design and interior remain unchanged, however, they are upgraded. We review this new car and bring you all the details.

Design

Front

The 2017 Skoda Octavia gets a new front end. What is striking is the new set of split headlamps which look exquisite. These headlamps are full LED ones and also have LED daytime running lights embedded in them at the bottom. The outer lamps are the low beam and the inner ones are high beams. They are adaptive headlamps and they sense the intensity of light and accordingly adjust their  illumination spread. The butterfly grille now gets a glossy finish and also a chrome surround the front bumper is new and gets a chrome strip in the middle the hood also gets new cuts which make it look more muscular.

Side

From the side the 2017 Skoda Octavia is the same and there is not much change, however, it gets a new design alloy wheels which look classier.

Rear

The rear is also similar to the outgoing model but now gets LED tail lamps which are C shaped and look real fantastic. Overall, the Skoda Octavia now with a heavy chiseled looks  is more aggressive, attractive and premium than before.

Also read: Hyundai Elantra review

Interiors

Front

The interiors have the same layout. The two-tone black and beige colour now looks brighter, the dashboard layout being the same as earlier. So is the steering wheel which has rake and reach adjustment. It also has controls for audio and also the MID. There is a cruise control stock behind steering wheel. The biggest change in the new Skoda Octavia, however, is the new eight-inch touchscreen. This touchscreen has Apple carplay, Android auto, Mirror Link and also has a reverse parking camera. The best part about the screen is that it is easy to use and is very sensitive to touch, just like a mobile.

It also gets a dual zone auto air conditioning and the controls are now new much better than earlier, however, we don’t like the piano black finish that looks tacky at places. The Skoda Octavia also gets a cooled glove box which can keep your beverages cool for a long period of time. There is ambient lighting you get in this car, on the door panels and also near the foot. There is also a panoramic sunroof present.

The front seats are very comfortable they have good bolstering and good support. they offer very good under thigh support as well specially which is helpful for your long drives. The driver seat has an eight-way electric adjustment. there is a dead pedal too which helps a lot while driving for long hours.  There is good enough storage available in this car. The door pads can accommodate 1 litre water bottles,  there are cup holders on the floor console and there is a docking space for your mobile or wallet and it has a shutter.

Rear

The rear seats are also extremely comfortable. The backrest has a perfect reclining angle there’s good leg room and head room as well. You also get an armrest which also has cup holders. There are rear AC vents in the car and you also get two fast charging sockets. The Octavia is essentially a driver’s car but even though you are not driving yourself and are chauffeur driven, it’s a very good option to consider. Another interesting feature is that you can operate the cars infotainment system via an app on your phone. This is called the ‘Boss Connect’

The Octavia offers excellent boot space of 590 litres. This is a notchback hence the boot opens along with the rear windshield, giving you ample access area to store luggage comfortably.

Engine and Transmission

As far as the engines go, there is no change from the earlier model. It is available with a 1.4 petrol that churns out 148 bhp of power and is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Then comes second engine which is the highlight of the car. This is the 1.8 TSI petrol which pumps out 177 bhp of power and 250Nm of torque, comes mated to a six-speed manual and also a 7-speed DSG gearbox. This engine delivers excellent performance, right from the word go. The acceleration is smooth and making you pull the car beyond 6500 RPM and the roaring sound it makes, is music to the ears. The gearbox is excellent and the shifts are seamless. This is one engine which we love to drive.

The third engine is the 2.0-litre diesel which has 141 bhp of power and 320 NM of enormous torque, is available with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox.The diesel also is an very punchy engine with fantastic low-end torque which sets in at 1750rpm. It is fantastic and can do those wheel spins while setting yourself in motion from stand still.  if you intend to go for petrol, it is the 1.8 you should be going for , because this brings out the essence of Ithe Octavis. However, the 1.4 petrol is also a sweet engine and the manual gearbox is flawless in operation.

Mileage

Terms of mileage the 1.4 petrol should return your 10 to 12 km/l whereas the 1.8 should deliver anywhere between 8 to 11 km/l, depending upon the variant you choose. The diesel should be giving around 12 to 17 km/l. These mileage figures in real life driving conditions and may vary from driver to driver or even your driving habits in the city or on the highway.

Also Read: New Honda Civic to be launched

Driving Dynamics

This is one area which Octavia users swear by. The Octavia excels in this department and puts to shame many cars from higher segments as well. Impeccable handling and excellent road manners of the Octavia have won many hearts. The suspension setup is brilliant and soaks up undulations as well as potholes on the road with comfortable ease and does not pass on any unpleasant jerks into the cabin.

The rear track width of the interior is now increased,by around 20mm, hence the high speed stability is better as claimed by the company. Well, we never had a complaint about the Octavia as far as high speed stability is concerned. In fact, it is one of those cars which becomes more stable as the speed increases and this gives a lot of confidence on the highway. The car sticks to the road and the steering response is also very good with the electro mechanical steering and it gives a very positive feedbac. as well,

The Octavia now also gets a hands free parking feature. This feature essentially helps you park the car in a proper manner without having to struggle too much. All you have to do is control the brake and gear shift and the car does the rest. It turns itself and senses the correct gap to adjust within the parking are, be it perpendicular parking or parallel parking. It also assists in coming out of the parking.

Also Read: 2017 Toyota Corolla Altis Review

Safety

This car  is good in safety as well you can get up to 9 airbags in the top end variant. You get ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, Anti Slip Regulation (ASR), electronic stability control and tyre pressure monitoring. There is also a feature called Multi Collision Braking which essentially continues braking even after a collision thereby reducing chances of colliding with other obstacles.

Verdict

The 2017 Skoda Octavia comes across as a more accomplished car in most areas. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that it its segment it is the most compelling buy. We presume that the pricing won’t be very different from the outgoing model also the top variants may get a slight increase in price, due to the addition of new features. So if you are looking to buy a premium sedan, the 2017 Skoda Octavia is an excellent choice.

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