2017 Skoda Octavia to be launched in India on July 13

Skoda has announced that it will launch the 2017 Octavia for the Indian market on July 13. This is a mid-life update for this current generation of the Czech automaker’s D-segment sedan that was launched in India in 2013. We have already driven the car and you can find the link to our first drive experience here. This car is expected to be offered across four variants and with three engine options. 

The 2017 Skoda Octavia, on the outside, gets a new face in the form of split headlamps and minor revision for the signature Skoda moustache grille. Moving to the side, we can see a sporty silhouette with a forward sloping roofline and chrome beading around the glass area, while at the back it’s the C-shaped tail lamp (with new LED inserts) that continue to give the Octavia its signature look.

The cabin has been carried over virtually unchanged from the outgoing model save for a new and bigger touchscreen infotainment system which now gets an 8.0-inch display as compared to the older model’s 6.5-inch screen. As luxurious as it is, the Octavia is also very practical thanks to its notchback design and 580-litre boot which can be expanded to 1590-litres with the rear seats folded up.    

When launched, this Octavia will be offered with two petrol motors and one diesel engine. The base petrol is a 1.4-litre unit producing 148bhp/250Nm of torque and can only be had with a six-speed MT. The top-of-the-line petrol is a 1.8-litre unit producing 180bhp/250Nm of torque and mated to a seven-speed DSG.  On the other hand, the only diesel option is a 2.0-litre engine that outputs 143bhp and 320Nm of torque and can be had with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed DSG.

The Octavia is your quintessential D-segment sedan and will rival the likes of the VW Jetta, Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla Altis. It is expected to be priced marginally higher than the outgoing model.