Skoda Auto is all set to launch the 2017 Octavia facelift in India this year and according to the information we have received, the car will be launched by next month. Some of the Skoda dealers across India have already started accepting bookings for the car and the booking amount ranges from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000 in Mumbai and goes up to Rs. 50,000 in Pune. In fact, one of the dealers we spoke to even gave us a tentative launch date for the car, which is the 25th of June 2017. The bookings, however, have been started only at the dealership level and official bookings are expected to start by the end of May or early June.
While there might be some uncertainties about the launch date, for now, all the dealers we spoke to have confirmed that the deliveries for the Skoda Octavia facelift will begin in July 2017. So, even if you book the car now, you will have to wait for at least a couple of months before you can get your hands on it. Some dealerships are also offering 100 per cent refund guarantee on the booking amount, in case the customer decides not to buy the car.
Skoda has already revealed the 2017 Octavia facelift in the international markets and in terms of styling and design, the India-spec model will be no different. In fact, just last month we shared the first spy image of the car being tested in India and that too without any camouflage. The test mule looked identical to the facelifted Octavia revealed in November 2016 and so we can safely say that up front, it will come with the same split headlamps underlined by LED daytime running lights and Skoda's signature butterfly grille that has been tweaked for the new model. The bonnet looks unchanged but the ORVMs have been slightly restyled. The 2017 Octavia also gets a new front bumper with bold lines and a wide airdam with a chrome strip running along its width along with horizontal LED foglamps on either side. Other changes include new alloy wheels, new LED tail lamps, revised boot lid and more. The cabin will pretty much remain unchanged in terms of design, except for the addition of a larger 8-inch touchscreen display and new interior trim options.
Dealers have confirmed that mechanically the Skoda Octavia will remain unchanged, offering its existing petrol and diesel engines. The petrol version will be powered by a powerful 1.8 TSI petrol engine that churns out 178 bhp and 250 Nm mated to a 7-speed DSG transmission and the diesel version will be powered by a 2.0 TDI engine mated to a 6-speed DSG transmission. There is also a 1.4 TSI petrol on offer that makes 148 bhp and comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox.
Few dealers have also confirmed the arrival of the 242 bhp Skoda Octavia vRS that comes with a 2.0 TDI engine. The Octavia vRS, however, will be a limited edition model and will be launched around the festive season.
