New Skoda Octavia review, test drive

The new Octavia is also lighter to drive than you’d expect. It’s easy to guide this 2.0 TDI with nothing more than your fingertips, and the electric power steering system also points the car in the right direction with a good amount of accuracy. It feels light and easy to drive around the city and feels quite Passat like. It turns with the same light, well-oiled feel from the steering and the ride of the big new Octavia is quite similar too; there is a bit of edge to it over sharper bumps but it’s generally pretty absorbent.

What’s also familiar is the diesel motor under the hood. This 2.0-litre unit is probably the VW Group’s most popular motor in India, and here in updated form (now called the EA288), it puts on a good show. There’s plenty of punch in the mid-range as the big Octavia rides the torque curve, and it gathers pace briskly all the way up to speeds as high as 160 or 170kph. It’s not the most silent diesel around though, and it does tend to sound a bit gruff when pulled hard. And, at lower speeds, there is a bit of turbo lag that you need to drive around as well.