Skoda Octavia SportLine Revealed For UK; Will It Come To India?

• Skoda to unveil next-gen Octavia later in 2019; SportLine variant introduced on current-gen model.

• Octavia SportLine gets no performance upgrades, only cosmetic tweaks.

• Includes gloss black elements like front grille, front spoiler, rear spoiler, rear diffuser insert and ORVMs.

• The Skoda Superb is already available in the Sportline version in India.

Skoda will be debuting the next-gen Octavia later in 2019. But before that happens, the current-gen is getting its last hurrah updates. Like the Superb, Skoda has now introduced a SportLine variant for the Octavia as well, for now in the UK.

The SportLine variant sits below the L&K and vRS iterations of Skoda models and includes sporty aesthetics without any performance upgrades. In the Octavia as well, the SportLine variant gets gloss black elements like the front spoiler, grille, ORVMs, rear diffuser insert and rear spoiler. It rides on 18-inch alloys which are finished in black with silver accents. In India, the Octavia is offered with 16-inch alloys as standard. The Superb Sportline that is offered in India gets 17-inch alloys, same size as the standard India-spec model.

The Octavia SportLine gets full LED headlights with the adaptive front light system and LED DRLs. In India, these headlamps are available in Style and L&K variants of the Octavia, while the base Ambition variant gets halogen units.

The Octavia SportLine also gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes with Amundsen satellite navigation and integrated Wi-Fi. In India, the Octavia is fitted with an 8-inch touchscreen system with navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility only.

The UK-spec Octavia SportLine gets a sporty treatment on the inside such as sport seats, upholstery, black headlining and a sportier three-spoke steering wheel as well.

In terms of engine options, the Euro-spec Octavia SportLine is offered with a choice of a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and a 2.0-litre diesel engine. The petrol unit produces 150PS of power and can be had with either a 6-speed manual or the 7-speed DSG. The diesel engine also has an output of 150PS, and comes mated to the 7-speed DSG. Neither of these engine and transmission combinations are offered on the Octavia in India.

In India, the Octavia is available with a 1.4-litre, 150PS petrol engine and a 1.8-litre, 180PS petrol motor. While the smaller engine is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission, the bigger gets a 7-speed DSG automatic. The diesel engine on offer is a 2.0-litre unit that produces 143PS of maximum power and is paired with both a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Skoda has not confirmed if the Octavia SportLine variant will be brought to India before the next-gen is launched in 2020. However, we can’t rule out the launch either, since the carmaker chose to offer the Superb Sportline in India as well.

If the Octavia SportLine is introduced in India, expect it to be available with both petrol and diesel engine options, positioned under the L&K variant. While we can’t call the SportLine variant a replacement of the Octavia RS, which is not on sale at the moment, those looking for a sportier-looking Octavia might appreciate it. The Octavia faces off against rivals like the Toyota Corolla Altis, Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra.

Source: cardekho.com