New Skoda Octavia returns to India

Skoda has unveiled the latest generation Skoda Octavia for the Indian market marking the return of the brand to India after being discontinued in 2010. The Skoda Octavia was the first Skoda car made in India and launched in 2001, continuing up to October 2010.

Skoda killed the Octavia brand in India after the launch of the Skoda Laura in 2006. The Skoda Laura was actually the second-generation Skoda Octavia in Europe, but in India, Skoda sold the previous generation Octavia and the Laura alongside in order to get more volume and position them differently. Also see: New Skoda Octavia, more photos and details

Now with the launch of the third-generation Skoda Octavia, Skoda is bringing the brand back to India and will again sell it alongside the Skoda Laura – having both cars on sale simultaneously like it did with the earlier Octavia-Laura combination. However, this time the Skoda Octavia would be positioned slightly above the Skoda Laura. Also read:Skoda cars to become cheaper

The new Skoda Octavia is bigger and longer than the current Laura. It is being touted as the safest, most practical, most comfortable and most environment friendly Skoda Octavia ever. It will be pitched at an “affordable price” according to Skoda, although no price announcement has been made yet. The car will go on sale in September after the price announcement. It is being manufactured at Skoda’s plant in Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

So far Skoda India has sold 1,78,300 cars since its inception in 2001. Between 2001 and 2010, Skoda sold 44,900 Octavias – the car that actually built the premium mid-size segment in India, priced between Rs. 10 lakh and Rs. 15 lakh.

The Octavia will come with new engine choices which include a 1.4 TSI (turbo-petrol) putting out 120 bhp. It will also come with a 1.8 turbo-petrol with power increased to 177 bhp from the present 160 bhp. There will also be two diesel engine choices – a smaller 1.6 litre diesel that puts out about 105 bhp and a 2 litre diesel putting out 147 bhp (the present diesel engine with increased power output). These engines will come with a choice of a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox or a six-speed manual transmission. Also read: Skoda to bring back Octavia brand name to India