The new Skoda Octavia RS will make its India debut at the upcoming Bharat Mobility Show, alongside the new Kodiaq SUV. The Kodiaq will also be shown in India for the first time.
- Octavia RS 245 was the last RS sold in India
- New Octavia RS makes 265hp, 370Nm
- Will be displayed to gauge customer feedback
New Octavia RS could come to India as a CBU
Skoda sold the last two iterations of the Octavia RS – the RS 230 and RS 245 – in limited numbers as CBUs in India. The Octavia RS 230 was launched in 2017, while the more powerful Octavia RS 245 was launched at the Auto Expo 2020.
The standard fourth-gen Octavia, which was assembled in India, went on sale in 2021 and was discontinued in 2023 as BS6.2 emissions norms kicked in. The car is still on sale overseas and has even received a mid-life facelift.
Sources tell us that the fourth-gen Octavia RS will be on display at the show to gauge customer feedback, and could be introduced in limited numbers a little later. It is powered by a 2.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol good for 265hp and 370Nm. We expect it to command a high price as it will be brought in as a CBU.
Skoda had earlier hinted at locally assembling the facelifted fourth-gen Octavia; however, this still remains a distant possibility. The Octavia coming to India will most likely carry the ‘Exclusive Selection’ or the more familiar ‘L&K’ name, which makes sense given the Octavia’s premium positioning in our market. If Skoda locally assembles the Octavia, one can expect it to be priced competitively at around Rs 30 lakh.
