2017 Skoda Octavia Preview: Everything You Need To Know Before The Launch

Skoda is set to launch the 2017 Octavia in the Indian market on 13 July. We list out the new features of the car you should know about.

By Stephen

Updated: Thursday, July 13, 2017, 12:06 [IST]

The Skoda Octavia has been a success for the Czech automobile manufacturer in India right from the time they first launched it here in 2002. It was so successful that, Skoda decided not to offer the second generation Octavia in India as an update but instead, as a separate model - The Skoda Laura. Skoda finally launched the current-gen Octavia in India, in 2013, much later than in international markets.

Skoda displayed a facelifted Octavia at Vienna in January 2017, and showcased it at major auto shows around the world shortly after. Now, finally, Skoda is set to launch the facelifted Octavia in India, as competition has been heating up, and Skoda wouldn't want to be left behind.

As Skoda readies to launch the 2017 Skoda Octavia facelift is today in the Indian market, we bring you the list of new features on the updated model.

Design aspect of the 2017 Skoda Octavia:

At first look, it might look like the Octavia has seen some major changes, especially from the front. A longer glance though would reveal that the basic profile remains exactly the same. An eye for detail though, would appreciate Skoda for not treating it just as a facelift, and for actually making substantial design changes to the car.

The entire front end of the car seems to have changed, as it sports a redesigned bumper and hood, all-new headlamps and grille too. The tail lamps too have been redesigned and the headlamps are now split, almost similar to the previous-gen Mercedes-Benz E-class. The top spec variants even come equipped with Full LED lights.

Premium Interiors in the 2017 Skoda Octavia:

The interiors of the 2017 Skoda Octavia is where a majority of the changes are. The biggest change visible up front is the large 8-inch touchscreen infotainment screen, and the car for the first time, now offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, seamlessly connecting to almost all smartphones out there.

The centre console is finished in piano black, lending the interiors a classy touch. A panoramic sunroof and cooled glovebox will continue to feature in the Octavia, while the top-spec models will feature expected to get 10-colour ambient lighting,

Engine and Performance:

The facelifted car will see no changes in terms of powertrain, and since its weight would be the same as the current model, it would have similar performance figures. The car is available with a choice of two petrol engines and one diesel engine. 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre TSI petrol engines, with an output of 148bhp, 250Nm and 180bhp, 250Nm respectively, power the petrol variants of the Octavia.

The diesel variant is powered by a 2.0-litre TDI unit with 140bhp and 320Nm. Even the transmission options will be the same as the current-gen Octavia, with a six-speed manual gearbox transmitting the power to the front wheels in the 1.4 TSI and 2.0 TDI engines. The 1.8 TSI, on the other hand, is fitted with a 7-speed DSG as standard.

2017 Skoda Octavia Safety Features:

Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Hill Hold function try to prevent any untoward incidents from happening. However, if the unanticipated happens, the Octavia is a pretty safe car to be in, with its eight airbags.

Hands-free parking in the 2017 Skoda Octavia:

The top trump of the upcoming Skoda Octavia though, has to be the hands-free parking feature. Available only on the top-spec variant of the Skoda Octavia, this feature allows the driver to take his/her hands off the steering wheel and let the car park itself, while controlling just the throttle and brakes manually.

We experienced this on our first drive of the 2017 Skoda Octavia facelift, and must say it is quite a party trick to show off.

2017 Skoda Octavia Launch:

The facelifted Octavia will be launched on today and we will be bringing to you updates, live from the launch event. Watch this space to know more about the price and specifications of the 2017 Skoda Octavia.

DriveSpark Thinks!

The 2017 Skoda Octavia is not a new generation car but is just a facelift. However, it is very impressive to see Skoda treating a facelift with so much importance, equipping it with many more features, including some which are first in the segment. Given that Skoda had already reduced prices of the Octavia with relation to GST coming into effect, pricing the facelift would not be a hard task for Skoda.