Both Skoda Superb and Octavia are powered by the same 2.0L turbo-petrol engine making 188 bhp and 320 Nm of torque
Skoda has been one of the default choice when it comes to premium sedans in India. Especially in the D1 and D2 sedans segment, Skoda has always been a strong player. These vehicles were close to global-spec vehicles too and appealed to premium vehicle buyers that had an eye for the details.
Octavia was the successor of Laura and was launched at a time when customers were flocking towards SUVs. Many had regarded that sedans were dead for good. But guess what? Octavia was a success initially as it offered immense value. Same goes with Superb too. When launched, it even gave Honda Accord a run for its money. It offered more space than a then Mercedes E-Class that cost more than twice.
But now, we’re likely to see the demise of these prominent sedans in the Indian market. This development is rumoured to occur in January 2023 while sales will completely halt by 31st March.
Skoda Superb & Octavia
But why will the sales cease exactly on 31st March? Is there something special about that date? Yeah. There is. Remember the BS6 emission standards transition that was a massive leap from BS4 emission standards? See, those norms were categorised under Phase I which required manufacturers to come up with emission targets in test conditions and not real-world conditions.
Phase II, however, requires manufacturers to come up with emission targets in RDE (Real Driving Emissions). This second phase of BS6 emission standards have to be implemented by manufacturers on all vehicles sold after April 1st, 2023. That’s why Skoda Superb and Octavia sales will cease by March 31st.
But why? Both Skoda Superb and Octavia currently use EA888 evo3 DQ381-7F (F means FWD) drivetrain. This is the 2.0L TSI engine that is coupled with the 7-speed DSG. According to a report, this drivetrain won’t cut it when it comes to Phase II of BS6 transition.
Transition to a compliant drivetrain like EA888 evo4 DQ381-7A (A means AWD) wouldn’t be cost-effective for company as Superb sold around 139 units and Octavia sold just 57 units in June 2022. This evo4 powertrain is similar to what we see on the imported Audi Q2 with Quattro AWD system. But this EA888 evo4 DQ381-7A is said to be offered with SUVs like Skoda Kodiaq and VW Tiguan.
Future Products
Skoda and VW cars have always had cousins. Polo had Fabia, Vento had Rapid, Octavia had Jetta and Superb had Passat. But VW counterparts of both Octavia and Superb are long discontinued. With Octavia and Superb discontinued from D1 and D2 sedan segments, it is less likely that this segment will flourish again. Right now, both Skoda and VW are concentrating a lot on C-segment sedans with Slavia and Virtus and are seeing decent sales and associated profits. This is it. The beginning of the end of D1 and D2 segment sedans.
