Published : 24 August 2022
Read Time : 5 min
Author: Amit Saraswat
As per a few rumours, Skoda India will axe their flagship sedans, the Octavia and Superb, in India by the year 2023. The reason behind this move is the upcoming emission norms that are more stringent than the ongoing BS6 emission norms. The current 2.0L turbo petrol engine, available in the Octavia and Superb, will not comply with the BS6 phase-2 emission norms.
Skoda India are the only remaining mass-market carmaker in India to offer D1- and D2-segment sedans. Both the Octavia and Superb are likely to go off the production in February 2023, with sales ceasing by March 2023. That’s when the BS6 phase-2 emission norms will come into action. Currently, the powertrain in the Octavia and Superb, that is codenamed EA888 evo3 DQ-381-7F, is compliant with the BS6 phase-1 norms but it may not comply with the upcoming BS6 phase-2 norms.
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The successor to the EA888 evo3 is the EA888 evo4, but that will come to the Indian market with four-wheel-drive, codenamed EA888 evo4 DQ-381-7A. This new powertrain will power the Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Kodiaq SUVs but not the executive sedans. As per sources, Skoda India’s product planning team have rejected this powertrain for the Octavia and Superb, owing to price and fuel efficiency measures.
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The only solution could be that Skoda bring the front-wheel-drive version of the new evo4 engine. However, the low sales volume of both the Octavia and Superb won’t justify the investment. In July 2022, Skoda managed to sell only 57 units of the Octavia and 139 units of the Superb. It outsold the Octavia because of its better value-for-money positioning. From April 2023, Skoda India may only have the Kushaq, Slavia and Kodiaq in their portfolio.
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