Skoda Octavia 1500km Long term review

The Skoda Octavia is my first long term car after joining ZigWheels, and I must say that I struck gold. After skipping on smaller cars and bulky SUVs, the Octavia seemed to fit the bill perfectly on the practicality front. What we have here is the Skoda Octavia with a 2.0-litre diesel mill mated to a 6-speed DSG in the Elegance trim. This top-end variant comes with the automatic Adaptive headlights which does a snazzy job of adjusting the beam throw when you turn the ignition on. Also, included are six airbags, a panoramic sunroof and a very functional infotainment system.

One biggest advantage for the photographer me is the massive 590 litres of boot space which not only fits all my gear, but me too! Practically living out of the car when travelling between Mumbai and Pune, I don’t have to think twice before packing an extra bag or two if need be. And, this aspect was tested again when I shifted my home recently and multiple trips were avoided to move most of my stuff.

The interior of the Octavia is spacious as well. The quality of the plastics, fabric and leather is top-notch, although, the beige leather needs some extra care. The touch screen infotainment system bags my vote. Re-connection of Bluetooth devices is super fast and the UI is very well designed. Apart from accessing your phone, the 5.8-inches TFT not only lets you to access usual stuff such as media and radio, but also gives you detailed information about the trip computer and fuel consumption. A tyre pressure monitor has been plonked in as well.

Driving the Octavia in the city is a boon thanks to the DSG gearbox, but keeps shifting between second and third which can get annoying.  Slotting into Sports mode doesn't solve the matter either as it gets too edgy, But this is nit picking. Paddle shifters are something we missed here.

Braking is progressive and inspires confidence when doing high-speed on the highway or entering corners in the twisties.  And, then comes the handling, be it the highway or the ghats, this sharp sedan is in control with its suspension set on the stiffer side. The ride is firm, but it won’t glide over long broken patches of the tarmac like the softer Japs or the Koreans. 

The smile that is brought to your face when driving the Octavia doesn't fade away even when you are fueling it up. With a mix of city and highway runs the Octavia has managed to give us an average of 14.33kmpl which is really good considering the size of the car.

The Skoda Octavia doesn't stop to amaze me, even after driving it for every single day since we received it. It won’t be a long shot to say that it will serve us well in the coming months.

Date Acquired: November 2014

Total km till date: 26331km

On-test km: 1709km

Fuel consumed: 141 litres

Efficiency: 14.33 kmpl (As tested)

Cheers:  Space, Firm ride, Infotainment system, Fuel Economy.

Sneers: Lack of paddle shifters.