Skoda officially unveils India-bound 2017 Octavia

Having made its online debut late last year, the new 2017 Skoda Octavia has been officially revealed. The much improved D-segment sedan will go on sale later this year in several key markets including India. 

For European markets, Skoda has expanded the Octavia range. The vehicle is available in notchback as well as estate form. In addition, Skoda has also announced an all-terrain version called Octavia Scout. Lastly, there’s the high-performance vRS model. Interestingly, the latter is expected to make a comeback this year in the Indian market.  

In terms of exterior design updates, the front-end gets a wider grille which has been expanded by the new quad headlight design. As an option, the headlights are available as full LEDs with adaptive technology. The LED tail lights, meanwhile, come in a choice of two variants; the C-shaped lights now illuminate in a uniform manner across the surface. The 2017 Octavia has grown by 11mm (notchback) and 8mm (Estate) in length, and the width of its rear track has increased by 20 or 30mm depending on engine and rear axle.

The biggest upgrade on the inside is the addition of new infotainment systems. Besides it, Skoda has also revised the center console layout and introduced new ambient lighting options. All the infotainment systems feature a glass design, starting with the 8-inch Bolero unit. The top-of-the-range Columbus navigation system comes with a 9.2-inch display. 

The 2017 Octavia comes with a host of driver assistance systems. These include Predictive Pedestrian Protection function, Blind Spot Detect and Rear Traffic Alert.

The range of engines include two TSI and three TDI motors with power ranges from 115bhp to 180bhp. At the top end of the upgraded Octavia portfolio are two vRS engines – the 2.0 TSI petrol and the 2.0 TDI diesel. Besides manual gearboxes, DSG transmissions with six speeds are available for almost all of the engines; Skoda offers all-wheel drive for the 2.0 TDI model. 

The Octavia, as we know, is Skoda’s top seller. Since its launch in 1996, the Czech car manufacturer has produced more than five million units of the car. Now in its third generation, the Octavia continues to do well although rising competition has hampered its sales a bit in few markets. With this 2017 model, Skoda is looking for a significant boost in sales.