Review: Skoda Octavia II 1.6 MPI

[Koolaba]

Exterior

Albeit the Octavia II retains the major styling cues from its predecessor, it cuts a sportier and more masculine look compared to the Octavia I. The design elements which contribute to the new look include:

- Broader shoulder which extends from the front fender to the rear fender.

- Chiseled shaped rear fenders.

- More slanted B pillars which help to convey a stronger sense of motion.

- Sharper front headlamp design.

- V-shaped front side fenders, complemented by the sharply slanted bonnet lines. Design cues taken from the VW Phaeton.

 

The following improvements are found on the Octavia II:

- Double-layered seals on all doors: one on the door opening aperture of the body, the other surrounding the boundary of the door. (Single layer door seals were found on the Octavia I).

- Rubber seal at the intersection of the front and rear doors, which help to reduce the level of wind noise.

- Aerodynamically designed weather seals with minimal protrusion at the interface of the window and door to reduce drag.

- Redesigned rear lamp which increases the area of illumination when night driving lamps are switched on. Skoda claims that the area of illumination has been increased by around 50% with this design.

- Aero wipers which come as standard equipment.

[Koolaba]

Interior

The interior design of the Octavia I has been described as functional albeit nondescript and non-nonsense. Designers at Skoda must have taken this into consideration when penning the design of the interior of the Octavia II. The dashboard sports more flowing lines and less angular kinks in its design. The interior has a more up-market look and feel, accentuated by factory-fitted matte silver design ornaments that line the door panels and dashboard section. Prospective Octavia II owners do not need to pay extra for cubic printing of these ornaments, unless they fancy some other designs e.g. glossy black or

Edited September 4, 2006 by Koolaba

[Koolaba]

Dashboard and dials

The general layout of the tachometer, speedometer, fuel level indicator and coolant temperature indicator has remained unchanged from its predecessor. The design of the speedometer and tachometer is very similar to the one on the Superb. The outer edges are slightly raised, with a thin matte silver lining.

 

The area of the matrix dot display has increased compared to its predecessor. With the press of a ▲▼ button on the wiper control stalk, the driver has a choice to choose amongst the following display options:

- Instantaneous fuel consumption

- Average fuel consumption

- Range

- Distance traveled

- Travel time

 

In addition to the above, the following information is permanently displayed:

- External temperature

- Time

- Trip meter

- Gear ratio selected

 

When

[Koolaba]

Engine

According to Skoda, the 1.6 MPI 8 valve engine is similar to the 1.6 SR unit which is used in the Octavia I. Here are the main improvements of the MPI unit over the SR unit:

- 75kW maximum power output (1kW more than the SR unit)

- Electronic-throttle system

- Dual lambda sond sensors

- Revised design for the cylinder head, engine sump, air distributor system, clutch

- EU 4 emission standard compliant

 

Upon cranking, the newer unit exhibits smoother idling characteristic compared to the 1.6 SR engine. The engine note is not so intrusive in the new model compared to the older one, on standstill and on the move.

 

On the Move

The new 6 speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic function of the Octavia II has the following gear ratios:

 

1st gear ratio: 4.148

2nd gear ratio: 2.370

3rd gear ratio: 1.556

4th gear ratio: 1.155

5th gear ratio: 0.859

6th gear ratio: 0.686

 

The 4 speed automatic transmission of the Octavia I consists of the following ratios:

1st gear ratio: 2.71

2nd gear ratio: 1.44

3rd gear ratio: 1.00

4th gear ratio: 0.74

 

The additional gear ratios of the 6 speed box allow better acceleration attributes especially from standstill and more relaxed high speed cruising. At 100km/h, the tachometer registers approximately 2300 rpm compared to 3000 rpm in the Octavia I.

 

The 6 speed gearbox shifts very smoothly compared to the 4 speed unit found in the Octavia I. It is difficult to detect the changes in the gear ratio unless the driver constantly observes the gear ratio selector on the dot matrix display. Downshifts are equally smooth and devoid of jerks. Upon deceleration the automatic gearbox selects the appropriate gear ratio, taking into consideration the speed travel. In so doing, engine brake is applied. This can be seen from the instantaneous fuel consumption meter which registers a reading of 0.0l/100km when the accelerator is not depressed at all.

 

The ride quality in the Octavia II is smooth with undulations and road imperfections well-absorbed. The car remains firmly planted to the road even when one engages in more aggressive driving while negotiating a sharp bend with speeds of around 40km/h. Combined with the accurate feedback from the steering, the strong chassis of the Octavia II inspires confidence in the driver when driven hard. An achievement which is a tall order for most Japanese branded medium- and large-sized family sedans. Prospective buyers will be pleased to note that Anti-Spin Regulation (ASR) traction control system is standard on the 1.6 MPI model. This system facilitates smooth acceleration at all speeds, eliminating the presence of wheel-spin, especially on slippery roads.

 

More information on the ASR can be found on: http://www.audi.com/audi/com/en1/glossary/...trol__ASR_.html

 

Fuel Consumption

During the test drive which consisted of 100% city driving, the average fuel consumption recorded was 9.4l/100km (equivalent to 10.6km/l). Not too bad a figure considering that the car is new with less than 150km on its odometer and the car was subjected to short sprints and enthusiastic driving around some bends. Expect improved fuel consumption figures when the engine has been properly seasoned.

 

The electronic throttle system is very sensitive to variations in the pressure applied on the accelerator. To achieve good fuel consumption figures, one must observe discipline with one

Edited September 4, 2006 by Koolaba

[Magfocus]

Nice pics, but i think its pretty spartan..

[Tashi]

hi bro

This Octy II looks very nice actually. If I am driving just for myself, would buy it, given a decent pricing of course. Like you mentioned, does share some similarities with the Superb. very nice!

 

bless

tashi

[Beanoyip]

Can test drive it w/o buying? wanna have a feel of it..

[Prata]

hmm... no rear aircon vents??

[Falc]

wow sounds very impressive overall, except for the engine.

Any idea on the omv? If the omv is high, at least the higher price is justifiable.

[Dudemobile]

yah man, what happened to the rear aircon vents? Even SE told me it's standard.... very useful in our climate.

[Koolaba]

Yes, you can test drive the Octavia II without buying. Contact our SE.

[Koolaba]

If additional features such as rear air-con vents, dual zone climatic controlled air-conditioner are specified for our local Octavia II, the car will be a steal for its current selling price.

[Koolaba]

Unfortunately not. This feature was not specified when the indent of the Octavia II was made.

[Koolaba]

I stand corrected that the Sales Manager is the one who finalised the specifications for the Octavia II. The SEs will find out what the specifications are, when the cars reach Singapore.

 

I reckon you can make a guess why the rear air-con vents have been excluded.

[Koolaba]

Concur with you, bro. Pricing is the key. With the current specifications of the Octavia II, it could be a volume seller if it is selling below SGD65k.

 

From my visit to the Octavia II production line in Mlada Boleslav, I am told that Skoda provides a comprehensive list of equipment (aka goodies) which importers can opt to specify. The rear air-con vent is one such example. If this were to be a reality, it will be a strong selling point of the Octavia II. The majority of 1.6l family sedans cannot be specified with this feature at all.

Edited September 4, 2006 by Koolaba

[Hondaskoda_]

any update on the price might be?

[Tashi]

hi dear bro

if the dealer can position the price right, it would be a great thing to further the brand, and invariably help all of us owners too, as it becomes a more mainstream marque (like its brethren in Europe).

 

bless

tashi

[Magfocus]

  Quote

If additional features such as rear air-con vents, dual zone climatic controlled air-conditioner are specified for our local Octavia II, the car will be a steal for its current selling price.

Yup I think so too..that wld be excellent