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-   -   Review: Skoda Octavia (3rd-gen) (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-drives-initial-ownership-reports/142516-review-skoda-octavia-3rd-gen-47.html)

Thanks adi, and santosh, too.
While I do find a fair amount of lag, you are right, that it considerably improves in S mode.

Regarding the voice commands, I had a feeling this may be the reason, but, I remembered reading this review (http://www.thinkdigit.com/Car-Tech/T...-is_18612.html) , in which the writer says "it was again a hit and miss in terms of how quickly and precisely the system could understand the name of the person you want to call." This, to me, implied the car (at least his) had the voice recognition. Any thoughts?

Alas, my sunroof, too has developed the rattle, which is beginning to get rather annoying. Disappears when opened or tilted up, but, when closed and going over a slightly rough road, it is definitely there. Opening & closing the roof doesn't seem to help in mine. I am planning to take it in to Skoda to have them check it out and resolve it. If anyone else has had any luck getting this fixed, do share.

Thanks.

I booked a TDI ambition DSG the third week of november and was given 7-8 weeks delivery time. I'm still waiting. According to the dealer, Kerala got only two octavias in Jan. They are expecting 8 cars in Feb and if that includes a white ambition DSG, I'll get mine. :Frustrati

That is quite frustrating! Going by the TBHP sales reports, Octavia sales has been declining since the month it was introduced. Not sure what could be the reason for this slump in production.

Check out this post. akshay1234 has suggested a silicon lubricant that will take care of this issue. I believe many other users have also used the same approach for the door rattling issues.

I hear that its only 4 cars for this month at Marikar skoda and they still havent got the details regarding what cars they are getting. Its become like a lottery now. If your lucky ud get it ! clap:

Great. They've promised to let me know this monday. If I don't get a positive reply or there is no reasonable explanation for the delay there is no point waiting anymore. Marikar claimed the Skoda officials visited them last month and that they are ramping up production from Feb. Doesn't look like that is the case.

@ the Auto expo

This is back.
What is the catch with "*Available through SKODA Finance only." as stated on the page.

Can someone confirm what is the Model name / number of the Bolero Unit on the Elegance Model.

Can this be retrofitted?

http://vagtune.in/index.php/skoda/sk...980551a-detail


If not, is there any rear view camera which can be retrofitted into the existing Headunit or by changing the headunit and not lossing out the functions of the original one?

Took delivery of a Rio Red 1.8TSi a week ago. Have done about 100km, and it is indeed a pleasure to drive. The bixenons are the highlight- pun intended . Am sorely missing a reversing camera!
Here is a photograph. Rendition of the colour is not easy- this is as close to the original that I could get.

To all Octavia owners,

There seem to be number of folks who have purchased the new Octavia. But, so far we have no ownership reports at all. Can somebody post his ownership report soon? This will help a lot of potential owners like me..

Congratulations!!! That looks awesome in red. Didn't think it would look this good.

About the reverse camera, why are you missing it? Is the car difficult to reverse without one or are you just used to having a reverse camera?

My god! this is quite a looker. Even better than the blue that I saw in the showroom. Going purely by the stance and colour, this would be one of the best looking cars out there this side of 35 lakhs. I see in the Skoda page that there is a parktronic display on the central system on the elegance model.
So this does not have a camera? what does it do then?


Congratulations and hope you have a happy association with the car and please attach more pics from all angles.

Here is the initial impressions and experience with the 1.8TSi Elegance model. I hope it is useful for those awaiting to go in for one or waiting for theirs to arrive.

Ownership Report

I recently took possession of a Rio Red 1.8TSi Octavia. It has been with me for about 2 weeks. I have attempted to chronicle the events surrounding the purchase and also my initial impressions of the vehicle.

I owned a 2010 Honda City v-AT at the time the Octavia was announced. The Honda was reliable, gave me no trouble whatsoever. It is a modern car. I had got a Caska ICE system installed-therefore had Bluetooth connectivity to my phone, a reverse camera, GPS from Maymy India and the usual music connectivity. So really a solid vehicle. The only issues were:
1. terrible head lights-this in my opinion was the weakest link in the car
2. the ground clearance-which was partially ameliorated by upgrading the tyres. But alas, the terrain around my house is a moonscape masquerading as a road!

The buzz surrounding the Octavia launch caught me and I fell for the Octavia. So a couple of test-drives later, booked a Silver 1.8TSi from Tafe Access on Hosur Road in Bangalore. The sales agent was helpful, got the vehicle a couple of times for the test drive and was generally a good guy. Made the booking in the first week of December and was told that there would be a couple of months waiting. That was fine by me.

In the meantime, the famous “Gurudevmotorsgate scandal “ broke on these very pages. I panicked-truly! After much mulling dashed off mails to Skoda India. Received a very prompt response-a phone call and a mail. Essentially stating that there were no know issues with the Octavia and that they are going beyond the usual to ensure that the vehicle and it’s ownership was trouble free. Theirs was a single message, that the Octavia for them is a major model and they are going the extra mile to ensure that things are trouble free. The extended warranty issue has been discussed in the forum many times-to repeat, it will be available in the first quarter of this year and everyone who is on the current This reassured me and I decided to go ahead with the purchase.

Fast forward to 3rd week of January. The SA called to say that there was a Rio Red vehicle that had come in and asked if I wanted to see it. He sent me a few pictures and they looked good . I went to the yard and saw the vehicle. Later got my wife and a couple of cousins to see it. The verdict was unanimous and favorable. SO decided to go ahead. The payments were made and delivery planned.

I learned that in case of the Octavia, the car control unit is directly connected to the Skoda servers and the final PDI is completed only after the company signs it off. This, I was given to believe, was the first time this modus operandi was followed. The dealer is not authorized to complete the PDI on his own. This surely is a good thing.

The delivery was arranged as per my requirement and things went off smoothly. There was enough petrol to get home, temple for the pooja and then the petrol pump. The first tankfull costed my Rs.3787-that is full capacity from reserve level.
Unfortunately, for several days after that I could not take the car out for a drive. Finally managed to have 2 25km odd drives-one in the day and the other after dark. Have done about 180km so far.

Here are my initial impressions:

1. Exteriors and “wow” factor:
a. The car is a looker, especially with the xenons and daytime running lights on.
b. My neighbour commented the Octavia was a “He”, with strong muscular lines as against the City that was a “She”-smooth and flowing
c. However, the colour is a dust magnet! My cleaning schedule needs major reorganization.

2. Driving experience
a. Has been good
b. Am strictly following the “running-in” instructions in the manual, so have been driving at a pretty sedate pace.
c. The DSG is smooth and the shifts are not perceptible. Only the display on the maxidot screen and rev counter dipping are the only indicators that the gear has shifted.
d. The accelerator needs a significant nudge before the car moves. This is sharply different from the city, were a light tap would get the car moving. Once the initial motion starts, the accelerator is linear and predictable.
e. The breaking is sharp and again linear and predictable
f. Haven’t drive in the S mode yet.
g. Tried the cruise control, it works well. Activation is a 2 step process and there is a facility to keep it in standby.

3. Ground clearance
a. Have had no issues with this at all.
b. There is a rough road package underneath too.

4. Lights
a. The bi-xenons are the brilliant.
b. When it comes on, it swings to and fro, up and down and then aligns itself-it is really a great sight. The car looking around and then settling down it seems.
c. The light itself is brilliant and driving was a pleasure even at night.
d. The adaptive system works very well and kept the illumination in front of the car optimal at all times.
e. The chaps driving down the opposite side with high beams on, now tend to dip more often.
f. In comparison to the City, this is truly a generational shift

5. Comfort-driver and passengers
a. It is easy to find a driving position that is good.
b. The position is adequately high and gives a good view of the orad ahead.
c. The seats are comfortable and well supported.
d. Both the wife and the kids in the rear are a happy lot.
e. The AC works well and can be set to work efficiently or powerfully, in addition to the regular settings.

6. ICE console
a. The central console is good
b. The reverse parking camera is missed
c. The GPS is missed.
d. The screen is a capacitive touch screen with a proximity sensor that activates the menu when you try to reach for it
e. The phone system is great. It synced easily with my iPhone5. The contact list is easily accessible and the name appears on the screen-not just the number. The voice quality is good. There is a compartment under the dashboard that allows the phone to be kept away from sight. There is supposed to be an induction coil in the floor of this compartment that connects to the antenna in the car rear windscreen and help reception. I am not sure if this is in the Indian model.
f. The media player is good. It shows the album/song artwork on the screen.
g. Have yet to get the media connector-the SD card and CD plays fine
h. The music turns down when there is an incoming call or the parktronic is activated.

7. Parktronic
a. The parktronic provides good indication of distance in front and behind the vehicle. It can get troublesome in traffic as the alarm keeps beeping when a jaywalker walks past , too close to the car. The parktronic can be deactivated via a switch on the dash
b. However, visibility through the rear windshield is very poor, a camera is required. I hope Skoda come up with something efficient.



Have still to get familiar with all the hardware in the car. It will keep me happily busy for a while…Am waiting to get over the required running in period and push the car –just a little!

Will add a few more pictures shortly.

Here are a few pictures.:


1. the car from the front



2. The dials at night



3. The central console with the artwork

Many congratulations Docsr for your prized purchase. I had booked a Cappucino Beige 1.8 Elegance (though I am yet to see the colour in skin and only judging by the same colour in Rapid) in Dec first week and after many schedule shifts I have now been scheduled for March first week (if I am lucky ;) ) . I wish I could see all colours at one place and make a better decision.