Since the launch of Skoda’s Octavia in 1996, the hatchback has secured a spot in the hearts of many. Now with the recent arrival of Octavia, a special blend of quality and space, Skoda is back in the race to becoming the first choice of many when it comes to a mainstream family car. 

The Exterior

The Octavia has a mean and strong look. The enormous vertical grill upfront (encompassed with some chrome work), the 10 spoke wheels, chrome around the windows, and the smooth streaming lines mix together consummately to give it a solid presence on the road. The Elegance (top variant), the one we took out for a test drive, has a panoramic sunroof, Bi-xenon Projector lamps—that follow the steering wheel—and Day Light Running Lamps (DRLs) as extras.

The Interior

The inside of the car is extremely inviting. It is spacious and luxurious—with ample headroom and legroom; the best part, however, is the beige accented leather seats, which gives magnificent thigh support. The enormous boot space is also one of the principal attractions of the car. The 590 litres of storage room can be further expanded by folding the back seats; giving the boot the capacity to fit an amazing 1580 litres of luggage. The arm rest in the middle of the rear seats is a neat feature. 

The central console of the car is well designed. The controls are basic and the touch empowered infotainment framework is simple to use. The CD drive is perfectly tucked in the glove box and it will take just a moment to pair your smartphone by means of Bluetooth to be effectively utilised as a media gadget. There are a total of eight speakers in the car; perfect to enhance a smooth ride with your favourite music. The Air Quality System is also an added plus; it checks the nature of the air inside the cabin to guarantee fresh and clean air.

The driver’s seat in the Elegance variant includes a 12-way electrically adjustable seat. The other seats in the car can also be acclimatised to you taste. In the Elegance variant, there is a feature that will store favoured settings in its memory, automatically adjusting your seat and saving you the time. Unfortunately, this component is missing in the Ambition (lower variation). The steering mounted controls are effectively accessible with your thumbs and the movable lumbar backing is another smart feature.

The Performance

The car we tested, Elegance, was a 2.0TDI Diesel motor that put out 143ps at 4000 rpm and 320Nm of torque at 1750-3000 rpm. The motor 

is extremely responsive and will 

give you a burst of acceleration each time you give it gas. While the Ambition is available in 2.0 TDI 

diesel (Manual and Automatic transmission), the Elegance is available 

in the 2.0 TDI diesel (Automatic Transmission) only.

The Handling

The car has sharp handling, which is useful in moving through the traffic and congested spaces of Nepal’s roads. The steering wheel feels light and responsive; however,you may find that the steering is a little too light at hairpin corners. The delicate sprung suspension framework guarantees a smooth ride with negligible body roll.

The safety

The Octavia is full of safety features. The most vital of them are the airbags. The Octavia Ambition has two airbags for the driver and the front passenger while the Elegance has six airbags: two in front and an airbag at eachdoor. Then follows a host of other safety features: Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD), Hydraulic Brake Assistant (HBA), Anti Slip Regulator (ASR), Motor Speed Regulator (MSR), Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Multi-Collision Braking (MCB). The Parktronic feature is another great addition—the sensors go off when you approach another car, ensuring that you don’t crash into the car behind or in front of you. The tire pressure is continually measured guarantying a quality ride. The headlights turn on automatically as it gets dim and the projectors prepared in the Elegance have a dynamic leveling framework, which conforms the course of the light as per the steering wheel.

The Verdict 

On the outside, its sharp, precise lines and bold new design gives 

the car a highly-appealing look. While on the inside it is spacious, comfortable and practical. With good value for money, the sensible car is available in two shades Brilliant Silver and Candy White.