You have to admit the Octavia has aged pretty well. Seven years since its launch in India (a decade internationally) and the Octavia has yet to run out of steam, so much so that when the latest generation Octi was launched in the country she had to get a new (and rather unfortunate) name (Laura) so as not to confuse buyers. Even today, with strong competition in the D-segment (Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic) the Octi continues to sell well and that, in the main, is down to the diesel engine under its hood.
With diesel Octis selling so well you have to wonder why other manufacturers have waited for so long before hitching their wagons on to the diesel bandwagon. Sure there was the Elantra but the Hyundai didn’t have half the image of the Octavia - something that’s so very important in this segment. And so, for seven years, Skoda has had the segment all to itself.
Not any more. General Motors (who, if you haven’t being paying attention, now sells more cars in India than Honda and Toyota ) has finally given the Optra a new lease of life by shoe-horning a 2-litre common-rail diesel engine, freshening up her nose and slapping on an enticing sticker price. On the face of it the package looks brilliant but is it enough to knock the Octi off her pedestal?
Design & Engineering:Traditionally handsome Octavia no match for the contemporary Optra
Astonishing, isn’t it, for a decade old design to look attractive today. But the Skoda manages just that - to look both classy and upmarket despite Octis roaming the city-side in hordes. Of course with so many of them around no longer will you get noticed when you pull up in an Octi; that job is best left to the Optra Magnum.
The Optra, styled by Pininfarina, was always a handsome car. With the new nose borrowed from the SR-V hatch (with the addition of the bold, aggressive bow-tie grille) she gains a more contemporary air and of course visual differentiation her from her older cousin. Viewed in isolation the teardrop headlamps don’t seem to gel with the angular tail lamps and chiselled muscular flanks but on the road it all works well making for a stylish, upmarket ride to arrive at the club in.
From the inside too the Chevy’s in a league of its own. The swoopy two-tone dash with its fake wood inserts, chrome rings round the air-con vents and beige leather upholstery is a livelier and more pleasant place to spend time in compared to the Octavia’s sombre black. Of course the latter feels better built, like a tank even, but if we’re being honest, the cabin is too dull, the seats too hard, the controls too heavy, the rear seat back too upright and space (head and knee room at the rear) at too much of a premium.
In contrast the Optra’s cabin is so comfortable you could spend days in it. The seats are plush without being too soft, rear passengers are treated to great ergonomics and ample head, knee and shoulder room and you’ll immediately notice that there is a plethora of nooks and crannies to throw knick, knack and mobiles into. On practicality and comfort it’s a no-contest.
Engines & Performance:Optra simply astonishes with her pace
Crank up the Octavia and its 1.9-litre direct injection 8-valve diesel engine shudders into life, settling into a noisy rattle at idle. Once warmed up the old-school engine pipes down considerably but...
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