Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI / 2.0 TDI
Transcription
Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI / 2.0 TDI
India ROAD Test Skoda Octavia No791 1.8 TSI / 2.0 TDI *estimated The Octavia is back and is bigger and better but more expensive than before. Price Rs 18-20 lakh (est, ex-showroom, Delhi) On sale October 2013 0-100kph 8.01/9.35sec Top speed 220*/205*kph Kpl (overall) 11.75/14.5 FOR Strong engines l Spacious interiors l Build quality AGAINST Gruff diesel l Styling still a bit tame Ride quality on both petrol and diesel cars improved from Laura. T PHOTOGRAPHY ameya dandekar he original Octavia is the car that defined Skoda in India. The VW-owned Czech brand was completely unknown when it came to our shores at the turn of the millennium, but the Octavia quickly built the company’s reputation. Indian customers appreciated its tough build, quality interiors and strong yet frugal engine. Five years later, Skoda introduced the next-generation Octavia, called it the Laura and positioned it above the original Octavia, which continued to be on sale until 2010. This time around, the latestgeneration Octavia leapfrogs the Laura to sit above it in Skoda’s Indian model range. Skoda is moving further upmarket with the new Octy to take on the likes of the more premium VW Jetta. The new Octavia is not only much bigger than the Laura, but also comes with more powerful engines. When the car goes on sale this October, Skoda will offer it with a 177bhp (17bhp more than before) 1.8-litre TSI turbo-petrol and the ubiquitous 2.0-litre turbo-diesel that powers so many VW Group products. Skoda has planned a third, smaller l Octavia shows new family face and l 177bhp petrol and 141bhp diesel l Octavia wears Skoda’s new, smart- l 16-inch wheels look a bit small in l Petrol gets this tiny lip spoiler l Rear styling a bit bland and some gets LED daytime running lights. engines are strong performers. looking chrome-on-black logo. the wheel arches of the bigger body. to differentiate it from the diesel. design elements from cheaper Rapid. 132 AUTOCAR INDIA september 2013 www.autocarindia.com www.autocarindia.com 1.4-litre turbo petrol with a manual gearbox, which will follow later. Armed with a fresh set of engines and the latest technology (the Octavia is the first car for India to be built on the VW Group’s advanced modular MQB chassis), Skoda believes it has the goods to be the top dog in this segment. In this exclusive and exhaustive road test, we find out if the new Octavia still upholds all the values that first made the Octavia a popular name. Design & engineering The first thing your eyes are drawn to are the 16-inch wheels, which are the same size as the Laura’s but look a bit undersized now that the car is substantially bigger. The new Octavia begs for, at the least, a one-inch upgrade to 17-inch wheels, especially since the increased ground clearance is evident in the car’s tall stance. That said, the Octavia remains an understated and well proportioned if a bit tame design. Its clean-cut looks will certainly appeal to a lot of people and the bold, clean strokes help give it a stance that is difficult to fault. Skoda’s new ‘butterfly’ grille, chiselled headlamps and ◊ ‘The new Octavia is moving upmarket to take on the likes of the VW Jetta and Hyundai Elantra.’ september 2013 AUTOCAR INDIA 133 on the inside l Plenty of quality details like the knurled finish on the air-conditioner control knobs. l Air-con vents for rear passengers, but European Octavia’s plug point is omitted. l Massive sunroof part of rather long standard equipment list on this top-of-the-line variant. The cabin is neatly laid out and easy to use. Big jump in quality as well. l Clever adjustable cupholders in the rear centre armrest. entertainment The Octavia gets a two-DIN touchscreen audio system. Indian cars get a smaller screen compared to top-spec versions sold abroad. However, the big buttons and the clear fonts make it easy to use on the move. The system supports Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming. A six-CD changer and an SD card reader sit in the glovebox. There is also a media-input slot that supports aux-in, USB and iPod connectivity. However, Skoda is not offering satellite navigation for India. www.autocarindia.com september 2013 AUTOCAR INDIA 135 on the inside ∆ square jaw are really attractive and the detailing on the remainder of the car is minimal and almost Audi-like in its exclusion of unnecessary elements. There is, of course, the now standard VW group offering of LED-based daytime running lights though, which look fantastic. If anything, the rear of the car is a bit too bland and looks a lot like the cheaper Rapid’s rump, with identical slashes around the number plate area and similar Cshaped tail-lamps. As for telling the petrol and diesel apart, the petrol gets a tiny lip spoiler on the boot lid, and though our test car didn’t have it, the diesel gets TDI badging. The new Octavia’s enlarged dimensions clearly place it at the upper end of the executive car segment. It is longer and wider than the outgoing Laura, but crucially, the wheelbase is a massive 110mm longer, translating to a dramatic enhancement of rear legroom. Despite the jump up in size, the new Octavia weighs 70kg less accommodating front seats is the big step up in quality. The plush seats, faux-wood on the doorpads, high-quality splashes of chrome, piano black surfaces and soft-touch materials everywhere point to an exceptionally well-built cabin. Look closer and you’ll see Skoda’s attention to detail – the glovebox opens with an expensive, welldamped motion and it is felt-lined. There’s a rubberised cubbyhole ahead of the gearlever for your cellphone, and even the door pockets are lined with beige felt (although this might get dirty very soon). Then there are the little things, like the new angular air-con vents that look really smart, and the superbly clear dials, as you’d expect in a Skoda. If anything, the India-spec model doesn’t get as much kit as the European one – the touchscreen, for example is not the full-size one you get in the top Euro spec, it doesn’t have the selectable driving modes, and there’s no plug point below the rear air-con vents. That The front seats are particularly comfortable and get seat memory as well. ‘Despite the jump in size, the new Octavia weighs 70kg less than a similarly specced Laura.’ than a similarly specced Laura and is substantially lighter than the Jetta, pointing to the tech – lots of high-tensile steel and lighter components to name some – that has gone into making the new chassis as light as possible. Not that you would be able to tell though – the door shut and build quality are still as solid as you would expect of a Skoda. Interestingly, the diesel and petrol have different suspension, and we’re not talking about mere settings here. The petrol comes with an all-independent, multi-link setup borrowed from the European vRS, while the diesel gets a more cost-effective non-independent torsion-beam axle at the rear. The rest of the specs are the same – both get electrically assisted steering and disc brakes at all four corners, and the diesel weighs 19kg more than the petrol’s 1,376kg. Interiors What’s most apparent when you slide into the wide and www.autocarindia.com apart, you won’t be left wanting for much – there’s a massive sunroof, a powered driver’s seat with seat memory, Bluetooth, a six-CD changer (wonder how many people still use CDs though), dual-zone climate control, parking sensors, remote locking and a media input port. The cabin’s design, meanwhile, is clean and simple and the additional display systems are easy to read and operated by large buttons. The air-con controls in particular, with their knurled finish, feel great to operate. The view out is good as well – the Octavia doesn’t have the high dashboard cowl that the Jetta has and with the huge range of seat and steering adjustments, it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position. The biggest improvement over the Laura, though, is in the rear seats – the extra wheelbase has liberated a lot of space and the seats themselves are supremely comfortable, with adequate thigh support, a broad seat base and superb cushioning. We also liked ◊ Lots of legroom, a supportive seatbase, good headroom. Top marks for rear seats. 590-litre boot bigger than Laura’s 560 litres. Rises to 1,580 litres with seats down. september 2013 AUTOCAR INDIA 137 on the road Octavia retains its unique wide-opening hatchback. ∆ the wide door openings and the generous headroom. In fact, it is now at least on par with, if not better than the VW Jetta, which had until this moment, the best seats in the class – high praise indeed for the Octavia. Then of course, there’s that Octavia strong point – its huge rear hatch that opens to reveal an equally massive boot. With the Manually operated sun-blinds for rear passengers. rear seats in place, there’s 590 litres of boot space, and this goes up to a gigantic 1,580 litres with the seats down. Engine, gearbox & performance The diesel Octavia gets the same 1,968cc four-cylinder engine that’s carried over from the Laura, albeit with some minor tweaks to improve its torque spread and driveability. Plenty of expensive felt lining, even in the door pockets. You get the same gruff character, and at high revs, the drone doesn’t let you forget that there’s a diesel under the hood. However, adopt a slightly relaxed pace and the drone quietens down to an unobtrusive hum, while the six-speed, twin-clutch automatic gearbox shifts up smoothly and almost imperceptibly. There’s no lack of grunt either – the 32.6kgm of torque coming in early in the powerband and propelling you forward with a nicely linear pull. This updated engine has a wider powerband than the one in the Jetta too – where the VW’s torque curve falls off at 2,500rpm, the Octavia’s hangs on for another 500rpm more. There is a hint of lag at low revs, but otherwise, it’s a very tractable engine and the clever ◊ ‘The difference between the rear suspension of the petrol and diesel is quite noticeable.’ www.autocarindia.com september 2013 AUTOCAR INDIA 139 on the road Under the skin tALKING TORSION ∆ gearbox negates the need to use the tip-tronic function most of the time. The DQ250 gearbox shares identical gear ratios with the Jetta, and yet the Octavia is over half a second quicker to 100kph than its cousin. Its 141bhp helps it hit 100kph in 9.3sec, which is 0.7sec better than the VW’s. Performance is strong all the way up to 170kph too, after which power starts tailing off. Also in its favour is the punchy mid-range and a tall sixth gear, which makes the diesel Octavia a www.autocarindia.com great long-legged cruiser. But for those looking for pure driving thrills, it has to be the 1.8litre TSI. This third-generation EA888 motor now develops more power than before – 177bhp to be exact – and that makes for a really special engine. As before, the TSI is unbelievably smooth and refined right through its rev range and there’s a deliciously engaging snarl when you really wring it out. It’s not the most responsive engine at low revs, but serious shove comes in at around 2,500rpm and simply doesn’t let up The torsion beam rear suspension of the diesel Octavia is quite cleverly engineered. To save weight, it uses inlay sheets of different lengths to vary the torsion rating of the axle across its length. This new method of construction has saved 15kg from the traditional welded-in stabiliser bar and is more rigid as well. The MacPherson struts up front have not been ignored either. Both the wishbone and the rocker pivot have been redesigned, and a greater use of high-strength steel has resulted in a modest 2.8kg weight reduction at the front axle. until 6,500rpm, where the gearbox snatches up the next ratio. Speaking of which, enthusiasts might bemoan the fact that Skoda isn’t offering a manual version this time around – the TSI is available only with a seven-speed DSG similar to the one in the Superb. The good news is that this ’box is as impressive as the engine and it’s evident that Skoda has programmed it to provide maximum thrills. Stick it in manual mode and it will downshift on demand, accompanied by a blip from the throttle. In fact, with the 1.8 TSI, you will feel the need to use the tip-tronic mode more often, especially when you are pottering around. Unlike the six-speed in the diesel, this seven-speed gearbox isn’t as eager to downshift quickly in the normal mode (in the interests of fuel economy, we presume) when you tap the throttle. This prompts you to move the superbly finished stubby lever across the gate into manual mode to command it to jump down a gear or two. That said, the Octavia 1.8 TSI DSG is quicker than the manual Laura TSI, but not by as wide a margin as expected. The Octavia gets to 100kph in 8.01sec, which is just 0.2sec quicker than the car it replaces. It’s because the DSG gearbox has a protection mode that won’t allow a proper smoking-tyre launch. But this little niggle doesn’t prevent the 1.8 TSI from being the most exciting four-cylinder petrol motor in the country today. ◊ september 2013 AUTOCAR INDIA 141 data log Figures in green for diesel Fuel Petrol/diesel Installation Front, transverse Type 4-cyls, 1798cc, turbo- petrol/ 4-cyls, 1968cc, turbo-diesel Bore/stroke 82.5/84.1, 81.0/95.5mm Compression ratio 9.6, 16.1:1 Valve gear 4 valves per cyl DOHC/ 4 valves per cyl DOHC Power 177.5bhp at 5100- 6200rpm/141bhp at 4000rpm Torque 25.49kgm at 1250- 5000rpm/32.63kgm at 1750-3000rpm Power to weight 128.99/101.07bhp per tonne Torque to weight 18.52/23.39kgm per tonne Specific output 98.72/71.64bhp per litre transmission Type Front-wheel drive Gearbox 7-speed /6-speed dual-clutch auto Ratios/kph per 1000 rpm 1st 3.765/6.93, 3.462/8.12 2nd 2.273/11.47, 2.05/13.71 3rd 1.531/17.04, 1.3/21.63 4th1.122/23.25,0.902/31.17 5th1.176/ 30.51,0.912/41.59 6th 0.951/37.73, 0.756/50.18 7th 0.975/36.80 Final drive ratio 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th/5th, 6th & 7th 1st,2nd,3rd&4th/5th&6th 4.438/3.227 - 4.118/3.043:1 chassis & body Construction Weight Tyres Spare Four-door saloon, monocoque 1376/1395kg 205/55 R16 Full size suspension That’s how much longer the Octavia’s wheelbase is when compared to the Laura. That’s how much more power the 1.8 TSI now makes over the Laura’s rated spec of 160bhp. 142 AUTOCAR INDIA september 2013 940 (max) 680 (min) 610 (min) 2688mm 4659mm steering Type Rack and pinion Type of power assist Electric Turning circle 10.4 m brakes Front Rear Anti-lock Chassis Based on the VW group’s MQB platform, the steel monocoque chassis is now more rigid than the Laura’s. 0.90 1.61 2.21 2.79 3.43 4.12 4.92 5.85 6.89 8.01 9.38 10.79 12.34 14.16 16.16 18.38 20.87 23.97 28.04 33.03 15.72 Braking 80-0kph 28.31m 26.04m economy Test India 2.58s 2.40s City 9.5/12kpl Highway 14/17kpl Tank size 50 litres drumming sound from the suspension over lumpy surfaces, which gets amplified by the large boot cavity. It’s a sound that makes you think the ride is bumpier than it actually is. Drive the petrol’s more sophisticated setup over the same bit of road and you’ll find it rides quieter and softer, and in fact sets the benchmark for ride quality in this segment. However, it’s the diesel that feels more rock solid on the highway. The slight lumpiness you get at town speeds melds into a flat, unflappable poise at higher speeds, which is typical of a European car. The petrol makes you concentrate harder at high speeds – the softer suspension setup results in a rear end that’s constantly moving around over bumps, and you need to constantly make small steering inputs to counter this. We aren’t complaining though – the involving nature of the 1.8 TSI makes it an utter joy to drive. In fact, both variants have an exploitable chassis that promises good fun behind the wheel. There’s plenty of grip, especially from the front wheels, that lets you really lean into corners, and even when you overstep the limits, the ESP will smoothly and almost unobtrusively cancel out the resulting understeer. Keen drivers may be disappointed by the steering, which though fairly quick and accurate, has an inert feel. Also, the brakes are quite ROAD Test Skoda Octavia 50 litres TIME (sec) 0.78 1.45 2.07 2.76 3.43 4.34 5.36 6.50 7.81 9.35 11.08 12.92 15.15 17.55 20.31 23.44 25.56 33.00 39.35 48.64 16.57 Ride & handling The new Octavia’s MQB chassis is significantly stiffer than the Laura’s old-generation A5 platform and this has allowed Skoda to get away with a softer suspension setup. You can see this in the way both the petrol and diesel better isolate you from expansion joint intrusions and rough sections of road so much better than the Laura ever did. However, there are noticeable differences between the dynamic behaviour of the 2.0 TDI and 1.8 TSI Octavias, mainly because of the different rear suspensions. The diesel’s setup, for example, is slightly less pliant than the Jetta’s multi-link rear suspension and, at lower speeds, the torsion beam setup has this mildly annoying India ACCELERATION Kph 0-10 0-20 0-30 0-40 0-50 0-60 0-70 0-80 0-90 0-100 0-110 0-120 0-130 0-140 0-150 0-160 0-170 0-180 0-190 0-200 1/4 mile Rear suspension Diesel gets non-independent torsion beam while petrol gets independent, multi-link setup. Ventilated discs Discs Yes Front Independent, MacPherson strut, stabiliser bar Rear Independent, multi-link, stabiliser bar/ non-inde ACCELERATION IN GEAR pendent, torsion beam 20-80kph (kickdown) 4.95/5.32s 40-100kph (kickdown) 5.53/6.93s 110mm 17bhp Potdar Design 850 (max) 1476mm ENGINE 50 litres autocar verdict HHHHHHHHHI Latest Octavia sets a new benchmark in the executive car segment. Safety The Octavia scored a very impressive five-star EuroNCAP crash rating. Kerb weight The Octavia TDI auto weighs 70kg less than the Laura TDI auto despite being much bigger. max speeds in gear equipment checklist 1 45kph 6500rpm 40kph 4900rpm 2 75kph 6500rpm 65kph 4700rpm 3 111kph 6500rpm 108kph 5000rpm 4 151kph 6500rpm 155kph 5000rpm 5 199kph 6500rpm* 198kph 4800rpm 6 220kph 5800rpm* 205kph 4100rpm* 5 205kph 5600rpm* 7 CD changer 6 USB n Aux-in n Bluetooth connectivity n Steering adjustment Reach/ rake Steering-mounted audio controls n Electric seats with memory Driver Electric folding/heated mirrors n Rear windscreen blind n Dual-zone climate control n Sat nav NA Sunroof n Parking sensors Front & rear ESP n Airbags 6 NA=Not Available, O= Optional ROAD Test Read all our road tests at www.autocarindia.com www.autocarindia.com No 791 Test scorecard COMFORT HHHHHHHHHI Spacious cabin and extremely comfortable seats. VALUE HHHHHHHHII More expensive now, but bigger and better equipped. T engines 1.8 Petrol 177.5bhp Rs 18 lakh* 2.0 Diesel 141bhpRs 20 lakh* AUTOCAR INDIA test results are protected by world copyright and may not be reproduced without the editor’s written permission. Power and torque-toweight figures are calculated using manufacturer’s claimed kerb weight. Fuel efficiency The diesel Octavia is slightly more fuel efficient than the Jetta, because it is lighter. Its 12kpl and 17kpl in the city and highway better the Jetta’s figures by 0.2kpl in either cycle. The TSI was surprisingly fuel efficient for the power it makes. Its tech helped it post 9.5kpl in the city and 14kpl on the highway, which is quite impressive. However, be warned – this engine is sensitive to the way it is driven. Constant visits to the redline will result in a drastic drop in fuel efficiency. REFINEMENT HHHHHHHHII Diesel can get gruff, petrol is unbelievably smooth and quiet. Range at a Glance RPM in 7th/6th at 100kph = 2700/2000rpm grabby and a touch over-servoed, and this takes a bit of getting used to. But apart from these foibles, there isn’t much else to complain about. PERFORMANCE HHHHHHHHHI Petrol sets performance benchmark, diesel is linear and punchy. *estimated Rs 18-20 lakh (est, ex-Delhi) NA 950 mm Price Warranty Technical layout Width 1814mm Front track 1539mm Rear track 1514mm Ground clearance 155mm Rear interior width 1380mm Boot capacity 590-1580 litres 930 mm skoda octavia he Octavia feels grown up, and by that has moved its game up without sacrificing we mean it’s bigger, the interiors are any of the qualities that endeared the far more sophisticated than original Octavia to owners – the testers’ notes new car is still solidly engineered before and quality has As good as the DSG is, we seriously improved. With a pair and superbly built. Of course, missed the manual gearbox of capable engines on offer, a at an estimated Rs 18-20 lakh on the 1.8 TSI. properly comfortable rear seat (ex-showroom, Delhi), the new Octavia now gets autoand a generous equipment list, Octavia is more expensive, but headlamps and rain sensing wipers. the new Octavia has something then again, you are getting a lot for both the enthusiast driver and the more car for your money. This car could be a chauffeur driven. And the best part is that it new chapter for Skoda once again. AI www.autocarindia.com SAFETY HHHHHHHHHI Test cars have six airbags, ESP and ABS which is par for the class. RIDE HHHHHHHHII Petrol is pliant and comfy, diesel slightly stiffer. HANDLING HHHHHHHHII Lots of grip and lots of fun to drive, steering could have been better. BUILD & QUALITY HHHHHHHHHI Feels really well built, has typical European solidity. Big up in quality. september 2013 AUTOCAR INDIA 143