Skoda is set to launch the Octavia facelift in India on Thursday. Some of the noticeable changes in the 2017 Skoda Octavia are:
1. New front exterior design – The 2017 Octavia (facelift) gets a redesigned front end that now features split headlamps. The light source is LED now. The model that it replaces used to come with a bi-xenon setup. The front bumper has also been tweaked around the fog lamp assembly area.
2. Tail lamp layout and rear bumper – The Skoda Octavia facelift features the same tail lamp design but the inner light layout is a bit different now. The rear bumper is also differently designed than before.
3. Rear track – The Octavia facelift petrol (1.8-lt) features multi-link rear suspension (independent) while the diesel version gets a torsion beam setup (non-independent). The pre-facelift diesel Octavia features a compound link crank axle setup at the rear. The change in suspension setup requires the rear track to be wider by 20mm for the diesel Octavia and 30mm for the 1.8-litre petrol version.
4. Features – The new features on the Octavia facelift include an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, ambient lighting with multicolour option and hands-free parking.
Engine and transmission setup remains the same in the Octavia facelift. The Skoda Octavia will continue to come with a choice of two petrol engines and one diesel. The transmission duties remain in the same hands – a 7-speed DSG for the 1.8-litre petrol, a 6-speed manual for 1.4-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel, and a 6-speed DSG for the 2.0-litre diesel Octavia.
The Octavia competes with cars like the Hyundai Elantra and the Toyota Corolla Altis. The Altis received an update earlier this year while the new Elantra was launched in India last year. The Octavia facelift is expected to remain in the Rs 15 lakh to Rs 23 lakh price range.
Source: CarDekho.com
