Skoda discontinues Octavia from Indian market: Delists car from official website

The popular car manufacturer Skoda recently removed its popular D-segment sedan, the Octavia, from its website. This indicates that the premium sedan has been officially discontinued from the Indian market. Skoda had launched the current generation Octavia in India in 2021, but the manufacturer is discontinuing this model due to the updated BS6 phase 2 emission norms. The new set of emission norms were implemented in the country from April 1 of this year. It is not just Skoda that has discontinued models from the market.

The current generation Skoda Octavia was available with a petrol engine only. The engine offered with the premium sedan was not compliant with the updated emission norms. The Octavia uses an EA888 evo3 DQ381-7F drivetrain that is not compliant with the new emission norms. Updating the evo3 drivetrain to evo4 means more investment, and Skoda did not see this as a financially viable option. This is one of the main reasons why Skoda discontinued this popular sedan.

The other Skoda product that is likely to be discontinued soon is the Superb. This sedan had also received an update recently. It also faces the same issue as the Octavia, and updating the engine is not a financially viable decision as it would increase the price of these already expensive sedans. Skoda is yet to remove the Superb sedan from its website, though.

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The Skoda Octavia is a very popular car among enthusiasts. The first generation Skoda Octavia was launched in 2001, and the Czech car manufacturer also introduced the performance version of the sedan in the market. We received four generations of Octavia in India, and it was a sedan that catered to the needs of both enthusiasts and customers who were looking for a premium and comfortable sedan. Skoda Octavia’s journey in India has come to an end after two decades. Other products from Skoda India’s line-up will be upgraded to meet the updated emission norms.

What are RDE norms?

Real Driving Emission (RDE) norms are described as phase 2 of the BS6 emission norms, which were implemented back in 2020. As per the new norms, a vehicle requires an onboard self-diagnostic device that will monitor real-time driving emission levels. The device will constantly monitor parts like catalytic converters and oxygen sensors to ensure that they are meeting the emission standards. The RDE test measures the pollutants emitted by the vehicle, such as nitrogen oxide, in real-time instead of a laboratory.

As part of making the car RDE compliant, manufacturers will have to upgrade the semiconductors to monitor throttle, crankshaft positions, air intake pressure, temperature of the engine, content of the emissions from the exhaust, and programmed fuel injectors to control the level of fuel burnt. Just like before, making these changes would make the overall cost of the car go up, and diesel engines would be the most affected.

It is not just Skoda that has discontinued products from the market due to the updated emission norms. India’s largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, was forced to discontinue its popular entry-level hatchback, Alto 800, as it did not make financial sense to update. Similarly, Renault also discontinued the 800-cc version of the Kwid hatchback. Manufacturers like Honda have also discontinued their Jazz, 4th generation Honda City, and WR-V models from the market.

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