[sunilch]

Nice. This is good news that a proper sedan will be offered in India, possibly.

1.5TSI won't be an issue for me, I would pick it up if I was in the market for one. However, they need to price it properly.


Right price will give them decent sales and then they can launch a more powerful version (say a vRS) with a bigger engine.

Don't do to Octavia what you did to the Superb recently, Skoda

[one-77]

I don’t think the Octavia will cost anything less than 31 lacs ex showroom. The L&K variant used to cost ~30 lacs ex showroom before they pulled the Octavia out of India, and that is where I think the facelift pricing would start, even with the downsized engine. Those who are expecting Skoda to price it close to the Slavia due to the engine sharing are going to be disappointed.

[for_cars1]

Typical European mindset is that our market does not deserve the "good stuff" and based on all past experiences most Euro OEMs (in any field even outside auto) have offered products that are not on par with what they offer in developed markets. With this approach, they will not thrive in our market.

Example - Renault brought in the ultra cheapo Logan and it backfired, then they got in Duster and other products with sub part safety ratings and shot themselves in their own foot by lowering their perceived brand value in our market.

Bosch doesn't offer direct drive dishwashers here and offer the archaic belt driven systems, something to learn the Koreans who do offer their best products.

VW have started India specific sub par platforms and now there is tendency by all foreign OEMs including the luxury ones to provide under powered engines at premium pricing.

Not sure whom are they consulting to continue with this ill-informed mindset.

They can learn from the Indian (M&M and Tata) and Korean (Hyundai) OEMs that what is offered here should be on par with global offerings.
Ofcourse they will also have to back it up with a strong/customer focused and widespread after sales and service network with competitive maintenance costs if the European OEMs have to succeed and thrive here.

Look at how Honda has started to locally produce the Elevate at very high quality here and exporting it to Japan and its selling there like hot cakes and even higher number than our own market.

Don't take Indian market for granted. Our tax policy does not favor CBU and CKD, it will end up costing a bomb and sales is bound to fail.
The only way to succeed here is to locally manufacture (on par with global offerings) and price it competitively, already many successful OEMs are doing that here.

[parambyte]

Originally Posted by for_cars1

Typical European mindset is that our market does not deserve the "good stuff" and based on all past experiences most Euro OEMs (in any field even outside auto) have offered products that are not on par with what they offer in developed markets.

@for_cars1 this thought would come to my mind and would dismiss it. But now I firmly believe it.

Take the Jeep Grand Cherokee for example. It seems India is the only country in the world where they sell it with a 2 litre engine. Other Right Hand Drive. Ountries like UK and Australia get the 2 litre 4XE version. It seems someone took the efforts to remove the hybrid power train and send a plain machine for a 1 crore price point.

So tired of these lacklustre launches I feel like manufacturing my own engines 🙄

Right now at least for me, there is nothing exciting to buy, and what is there, is grossly overpriced.

[gt3t0uring]

Originally Posted by for_cars1

VW have started India specific sub par platforms and now there is tendency by all foreign OEMs including the luxury ones to provide under powered engines at premium pricing.

Not sure whom are they consulting to continue with this ill-informed mindset.

They can learn from the Indian (M&M and Tata) and Korean (Hyundai) OEMs that what is offered here .

The MQB-A0-IN made for India platform by VW is a 5 star rated platform, how's this sub par when it's providing the essential things that Koreans and others are not able to provide. (Except a few). Yes the plastic quality has come down but core of the vehicle still remains solid.
It's us who need to change our mindset, we need to get deeper and beyond all that glitter splattered all over the interior and get to the core engineered stuff.

[Praveen.gr]

It looks like, all the european brands will vanish from india looking at their approach towards indian market. They have literally killed a legendary product.

[sapien]

There could be a silver lining to this, since everyone complained that Octavia is overpriced in the current generation- Skoda might have decided to launch the next generation at a more reasonable ex showroom cost. And if they indeed launch it at a price ~5-7L above Slavia, it’ll be a great car! Not everyone needs the high performance of a bigger engine.

Lets a say a buyer who wants to buy a car around 30L on road has very few options- Harrier, XUV700, Hector with each having its weaknesses. If Octavia is launched around this ballpark, there would be quite a few takers and it’d help Skoda bridge the gap. But if they are coming from that ‘over engineered’ mindset then God save SKODA!

[Auto_guy_101]

RIP Octavia, RIP Skoda Global!

Just yesterday, I saw a video by Matt Watson on the new Gold GTI, which at £40k came with the 2.0 TSI tuned to 270+ bhp, and I thought perhaps we could see a nice Octavia vRS in India with this tune at a nice 40L otr. I'd have bought that, and there are many of us who, if we have the budget would've just gone and booked a car like that.

Here's what skoda has been doing:
- Created an India spec SUV that was smaller than the competition but matches or exceeded its price.
- Cried fowl when the sales didn't pick up to what they thought it would, Missing the obvious size issue.
- Launched an amazing sedan in India spec (Slavia), got undercut by Hyundai and aren't happy there either
- Sell a petrol 4x4 that is really great, except every other competitor sells a diesel in that space. So that's not going great either.
- Launched a highly overpriced sedan (superb) as a CBU, that too the previous generation, but failed to bring tech like hybrid systems that their global cars already have.
- While skoda does sell AWD sedans globally, India doesn't get any

India might have complex regulations, but now it's Skodas call in whether they'll have a case study on how they shot themselves in the foot, or they'll have one on how they grow their presence in one of the most competitive markets in the world.

[Auto spawn]

Downsize the engine and jack up the prices!!
Just when I was hoping to get my hands on the new Octavia. The only option now is to go the pre-owned route :(

[PetHead009]

Originally Posted by Auto spawn

Downsize the engine and jack up the prices!!
Just when I was hoping to get my hands on the new Octavia. The only option now is to go the pre-owned route :(

Exactly, I was also planning to get one if it’s with 2ltr engine.

Sadly, Last year I just missed it after getting very close when the last lot was getting sold. But, life had other plans. Now, the childhood dream of owning it since when it used to be Laura will be dusted.

Looks like only used market can fulfil the desire. But the feel of brand new car hits different.

[Vik0728]

So basically:

2024 Hyundai Verna 1.5 Turbo is arguably faster than the Virtus GT and Slavia 1.5. The MT version of this Korean rocket undercuts the European twins by a lakh or more.

Now 2024 Octavia will also have the same 1.5 TSI engine, and some additional bulk!

An enthusiast with the Verna Turbo can run circles around this new D-segment car and still save some money for a couple of "Refreshment" drinks


And you VAG Stalwarts are complaining about "Over Engineered" cars!!

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

So basically:

2024 Hyundai Verna 1.5 Turbo is arguably faster than the Virtus GT and Slavia 1.5. The MT version of this Korean rocket undercuts the European twins by a lakh or more.

Now 2024 Octavia will also have the same 1.5 TSI engine, and some additional bulk!

An enthusiast with the Verna Turbo can run circles around this new D-segment car and still save some money for a couple of "Refreshment" drinks


And you VAG Stalwarts are complaining about "Over Engineered" cars!!

Honestly nothing new here. Hyundai had plonked the same 1.6 / 1.5 Diesel (as Verna / Creta) in Elantra before they called off. Same is with Honda in their Civic too. But the fact is everyone has given up and packed their bags in D segment sedan. Skoda is still contemplating on this.

As much as I wish Octavia to come with 2 litre engine, I hope at least they get it in whatever form. Hope they price sensibly, that’s the only thing.

[Auto spawn]

Originally Posted by PetHead009

Exactly, I was also planning to get one if it’s with 2ltr engine.

Sadly, Last year I just missed it after getting very close when the last lot was getting sold. But, life had other plans. Now, the childhood dream of owning it since when it used to be Laura will be dusted.

Looks like only used market can fulfil the desire. But the feel of brand new car hits different.

Totally agree on the new car part.

I was in the same boat as you. The deal offered to me wasn’t that great for a car that was getting discontinued so I decided to wait for the FL version.

Unfortunately the Octavia is engineered so well that I’ll be tempted to go for the 1.5 Octavia if they manage to price it at around the same price the offered the previous Octavia at

[PetHead009]

Originally Posted by Auto spawn

Unfortunately the Octavia is engineered so well that I’ll be tempted to go for the 1.5 Octavia if they manage to price it at around the same price the offered the previous Octavia at

Yes, I agree it will be great buy if it’s priced the same having the electric motor paired with 1.5.
But, as per the pattern goes from Skoda, its seems like getting priced way higher. :

Anyways, hope they keeps the price sensible enough so that folks like us can get one.

[sharmanova]

Skoda Octavia RS confirmed to come to Bharat Mobility Show 2025.

“Bringing Octavia RS to India or Kodiaq RS to India is an option. Whether it’s only (as a) CBU, probably yes. We’re bringing Octavia RS to Bharat Mobility in January,” Petr Janeba said.

Link: