The Skoda Octavia is an old, trusty namteplate globally and we have seen the model undergoing a smooth evolution over the last decade. It has always been a comfortable and yet fun to drive car in its segment and Skoda has been updating it with all modern tech and features over the years. We recently drove the 2021 Skoda Octavia and it continues to be a car that is put together very well in its segment, set to give a tough competition to the Hyundai Elantra when it goes on sale in our market tomorrow. Here's what you can expect from the new-generation Skoda Octavia.
Also Read: 2021 Skoda Octavia Review
The new Skoda Octavia is longer and wider than the outgoing model.
The Skoda Octavia has been a beautiful sedan since the beginning and it has evolved gracefully over generations without actually losing its original outline. The new generation model is a step-up over the outgoing one but it's still easily identifiable as an Octavia, again courtesy its profile silhouette. The front end and rear have changed boasting the new protruding Skoda grille flanked by sleeker headlights and down there is a reworked bumper. The bonnet too looks more chiselled now and there is a set of new 17-inch alloy wheels called Pulsar Black in Skoda's speak.
The new Octavia gets a sharp styling with that strong shoulder line and the razor-sharp boot accentuated the looks. The L&K's special alloy wheels further add to the angular theme
The rear too looks sharper with sleeker wraparound taillights and angular character lines, and of course there is the new wide Skoda lettering seen on all new models from the Czech carmaker. The new Octavia is longer by 20 mm and wider by 19 mm, while the height remains unchanged. The wheelbase stands at 2680 mm which is 2 mm shorter than the outgoing model.
The cabin is plush with quality levels matching that of the entry-level German luxury cars. The seats and dashboard is upholstered in suede leather as standard.
It's the cabin of the 2021 Skoda Octavia that has changed more than the exterior. Like other carmakers, tablet like touchscreen infotainment system has caught Skoda's fancy as well and it takes centre stage on the Octavia. The dashboard is all new too and air-con vents on the central console have moved down with switch knobs placed atop.
The 600 litre boot is massive on the Octavia which can be further expanded to 1555 litres with the rear seats folded.
Black and beige dual-tone colour them continues to dominate the cabin and seats are draped in suede leather. Skoda has also used wood inlays and brushed chrome very minimally and tastefully across the cabin. Then, it also gets a new two-spoke leather wrapped steering wheel.
The new-generation Octavia offers a largely digital cabin experience with the Virtual Cockpit and the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment unit. Both are rich in graphics & information and intuitive to use
Like before, the new Skoda Octavia is loaded to the brim with latest and segment standard creature comforts that you expect in this segment. To begin with, the new 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system we spoke about earlier supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, there is a customisable Virtual Cockpit system and the range-topping L&K trim gets wireless charging and a 600 watts 12-speaker Canton audio system that sounds fantastic. Other features include a dual-zone climate control comes with rear AC vents, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, Type-C charging at the front and rear and in the rear view mirror to install a dash cam. That said, it misses out on fancy features like a sunroof or ventilated seats which buyers in this segment would want to have.
The new-gen Octavia's suspension has been tuned for comfort and the car handles bad roads with more ease than before. But this does bring a certain softness to the driving dynamics
The 2021 Skoda Octavia is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder TSI turbocharged petrol engine that puts out 188 bhp between 4180 rpm and 6000 rpm and a peak torque of 320 Nm between 1500 rpm and 3990 rpm. The engine is paired with the 7-speed DSG automatic as standard.
The new Skoda Octavia gets eight airbags and a slew of electronic aids.
There are a total of eight airbags in the new Skoda Octavia and other features include multi-collision brake, fatigue alert, and electronic aids including ABS, ESC, EBD, ASR, and Electronic Differential Lock (EDS) as standard. Features like adaptive lights, the very convenient Park Assist and TPMS are also specific to the L&K trim. Skoda has also added the 'MySkoda Connect' app that brings Geo-fencing, driving behaviour, trip analysis, and more. It will connect you with emergency services or roadside assistance if the car senses an accident.
