Skoda Octavia returns to Indian market with sportier RS model, limited units; check booking details

Skoda Auto India on Thursday said it will re-introduce its premium sedan Octavia in a sportier RS version as a fully-built unit (FBU).

Octavia was the company's first model in India. The company later discontinued it in 2023.

"25 years of Skoda's legacy in India has been defined by one car with which we started our journey in India, and that's the Octavia,” Ashish Gupta, Skoda Auto India Brand Director, said.

And so what better way to celebrate the unique 25-year legacy in India of the Octavia but with the pinnacle of Skoda's engineering, and that is the Octavia RS, he added.

Booking details

Bookings for the 2025 Octavia RS will open on October 6, while deliveries are scheduled to commence from November 6, Skoda Auto India Brand Director Ashish Gupta told PTI.

Prices will be announced on October 17.

The Czech automaker will import only 100 units of the UK-spec model this year under the GSR 870 rule, which allows limited homologation-free imports.

“Currently, we are not in discussion for local assembly or parts and components operation,” Gupta added.

Powered by a 2.0-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine producing 261 bhp and 370 Nm of torque, the Octavia RS comes mated to a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The sedan sprints from 0-100 kmph in 6.4 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

The performance-oriented model sits 15 mm lower than the standard Octavia and features a different exhaust system, along with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) for enhanced handling.

The reintroduction of Octavia is part of the company’s plan to build on strong sales momentum.

Gupta said Skoda sold 46,600 cars as of August this fiscal, up from about 35,000 units a year earlier.

“So this is a big jump for the brand in terms of sales volume, and the biggest months that are September to December have just started,” he noted.

Skoda, which had a domestic passenger vehicle market share of less than 1% at the end of last year, aims to double its market share in the country.

The Octavia RS will be manufactured in the Czech Republic and brought to India in limited volumes as a premium offering.