Skoda Renames Octavia Style Plus Variants As L&K

Skoda has renamed the Style Plus variants of the Octavia to Laurin & Klement (L&K). That means the number of variants remain the same - eight. However, to justify a hike of approximately Rs 31,000 in the asking price, the Czech carmaker has added a 10-speaker (9 speakers plus 1 sub-woofer) Canton sound system (up from an 8-speaker setup) and L&K insignia on the front fenders, door sills and the gear knob. Everything else in the kit remains exactly the same as the axed Style Plus variant. The petrol-powered Octavia L&K costs Rs 21.94 lakh, whereas the diesel L&K is priced at Rs 24.01 lakh.

Launched in July this year, the refreshed Octavia came in to topple the heat it faced, not only from its direct competitors, but also from the SUVs that have been trying to push D-segment sedans into oblivion. Direct rivals to the Octavia include the highly reliable Toyota Corolla Altis and the gorgeous Hyundai Elantra. On the SUV front, the Octavia battles with the likes of the Jeep Compass, Mahindra XUV500 and the Hyundai Tucson.

The petrol-powered L&K features a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine producing 180PS of power and 250Nm of torque. The diesel-fed L&K, on the other hand, houses a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that produces 143PS of power and 320Nm of torque. While the petrol motor comes mated to a 7-speed automatic gearbox and returns a claimed 15.1kmpl, the diesel comes with a 6-speed auto and is good for 19.5kmpl. The range topper in the Octavia lineup wears an RS badge and its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol pumps out 230PS/350Nm. That added power and some sporty character comes at a price of Rs 25.49 lakh (ex-showroom India).