Skoda has refreshed it Octavia in time for the upcoming162 registration plate and the star of the show is a new 1 litre TSI petrol engine that delivers more power than the original car’s 2 litre.
Priced from €22,880 the 115hp three cylinder engine is available in the level 2 Ambition trim only. The 1.2 litre (110hp) it is replacing will remain available until the end of the year in the entry level Octavia.
We tested the new turbocharged engine on a variety of roads around Prague in manual and DSG guises. The VW Group engine pulls really well and at motorway speeds uses surprisingly few revs. The torque is impressive at 200nm and delivered in a flexible way. The 7-speed DSG Combi estate we tested was effortless to drive, quite and refined.
The manual version encouraged us to drive with a bit more spirit. The engine would get vocal when revved hard but at the same time never felt harsh. There was minimal vibration felt from the driver’s seat and only some noise made its way into the large cabin. This engine is quite remarkable as Octavia is a big car and the engine is physically tiny. The 1 litre is more efficient delivering 4.5l/100km of combined fuel consumption an improvement over the 1.2 and has low CO2 (103g/CO2) attracting €190 annual road tax.
As with the growing trend to lower capacity petrol engines we all must learn to look at the performance figures first (nm/hp) and forget about cubic capacity.
Skoda presented us with an interesting study that suggests that you would need six year of average use to justify a diesel Octavia over a 1 litre petrol.
According to Cathal Kealey, PR Manager at Skoda Ireland: "The primary reason for purchasing a diesel vehicle is to acquire motor tax and fuel savings over a petrol vehicle. The basic premise is you pay a premium for the diesel car but over time you will recoup the savings by reducing your operating costs. The question is how long will it take to achieve these savings? Take the new Octavia 1.0 TSI, 115bhp engine which consumes just 1.1 litres more per 100km than the 1.6 TDI 110bhp engine. Using today's fuel prices it would take 6-years for the diesel version to justify and recoup the savings on fuel alone. This really brings petrol back into the equation."
Also new for the slightly refreshed Octavia is a dynamic chassis control package offering selectable drive mode system. The choices are eco, comfort, sport or individual. While each impacts on how the car drives the main difference is how the suspension operates. The third innovation is the option of Phone Box wireless phone charging. This requires a compatible smart phone and is the new gadget on the block for many manufacturers.
Skoda is celebrating 20 years of Octavia production, a car that accounts for 41 percent of the firm’s total car production. The new 1 litre Octavia impressed us and enhances the reputation Skoda has for delivering a lot of square footage for your money.