Twenty-five years ago, on September 3, 1996 began & ograve; the production of the Skoda Octavia , the most popular model; important of the new direction of the brand, the first after the integration into the Volkswagen Group. In the most recent years recent has played an essential role in the growth of the House and about 7 million customers have chosen it, thanks to this; which has been able to offer since the first generation: lots of space, cutting-edge technology, high-level safety systems and, as always, an excellent quality-price ratio.
Even today it is; the most beautiful car sold by Skoda. The reasons for its great success are many: concrete, practical, versatile, which has grown in quality and content with each generation. Than the most recently Luigi tried the diesel version with the 2.0 150 hp and also the plug-in hybrid and the budget & egrave; positive in both cases.
We still lacked the methane , which stands out from the others only for the G-TEC badge on the tailgate.
DESIGN AND DIMENSIONS
G-TEC TECHNICAL SHEET
G-TEC TEST
ADAS AND SAFETY
HABITABILITY AND INTERIORS
TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD
EQUIPMENT AND PRICES
THE ALTERNATIVES
VIDEO
DESIGN AND SIZE
full LED headlights as standard from the entry set-up level, which can also become LED Crystal Lighting , with a more ugrave; refined and with adaptive technology, and LED matrix , with a pack like the one added to our sample.
Here are its dimensions : length 4.689 mm x width 1.829 mm x height 1.470 mm, with a wheelbase of 2.686 mm.
G-TEC TECHNICAL SHEET
Number of cylinders/Displacement: 4/1.498 cc
Max power: 96 kW /5.000–6.000 rpm
Max torque: 200 Nm /1.400-4.000 rpm
Gas regulation exhaust system: Euro 6d-ISC-FCM
Transmission type: Front wheel drive
Gearbox: 7-speed DSG automatic with mode; tiptronic type manual
Front axle: MacPherson type with triangle lower wishbones and stabilizer bar
Rear axle: interconnected link
Mass in running order: 1,431 kg
Volume trunk min/max: 495/1,560 l
Capacity; petrol tank: 9 liters
Capacity; CNG tank: 17,33 kg
Tires: 225/45 R18
Speed; maximum: 212 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 9,6 sec
Combined consumption: 5,458 & ndash; 6,810 m3/100 km
Combined cycle CO2 emissions: 97.6 & ndash; 121.8 g/km
G-TEC TEST
The natural gas Octavia still maintains the engine of the previous version, a 1.5 TSI 4 cylinder with 130 HP of power and 200 Nm of torque, combined with the 7-speed DSG dual clutch gearbox and powered by three methane tanks for one capacity; of 17,33 kg , plus & ugrave; a 9-liter tank for petrol .
The Virtual Cockpit , the digital dashboard with 10.2 color display & rdquo ;, & egrave; already standard from the intermediate set-up and offers new screens to allow you to constantly see the level of methane and that of petrol; it also shows the total autonomy and that ensured by each fuel.
Our G-TEC is always powered by methane and there is no & rsquo; & egrave; no button to change power. It starts on petrol only when the methane runs out (when the pressure drops below 11 bar), when the outside temperature drops below -10 & deg; C or after refueling.
The driver's seat is; comfortable, whatever your size; you will quickly get used to the small selector of the electric impulse gearbox.
It only takes a few kilometers to understand that even in the methane version the Octavia remains a comfortable and easy to drive car . In the traffic of the city, which is not; just its ideal environment, it does not tire you: the steering & egrave; light, even when maneuvering. Among its shortcomings the poor visibility; rear: at least rear parking sensors are standard in the entry set-up. Only on the pi & ugrave; rich Style version, which & egrave; that of our test, there are also the front ones and the camera as standard.
Our Octavia, as already & agrave; said, she mounts 18-inch wheels: if you live in Milan where rails and pav & eacute; they are part of the newspaper, or in the city & agrave; where there are holes everywhere, irregularities feel a little & rsquo; more, but nothing exaggerated. However, she remains quite comfortable, and very quiet, thanks also to the sound-absorbing materials they have chosen.
This 1.5 turbo from G-TEC stands out for its regularity; and also for its liveliness: great thing, but since this car is chosen to reduce costs, if you have a heavy foot, get used to it a little; because & eacute; if you just push a little bit more & ugrave; revs up in an instant. Leaving the city, if you then choose the mode; sports car of the DSG becomes even more; cheerful thanks to the answer more & ugrave; rapid change, just to convince the most & ugrave; skeptical of methane.
If you want more, you have to add 150 Euros to get the Driving Mode Select, the driving style selector, which also changes the response of the engine and steering. But it just doesn't seem like the right car for this sort of thing. You can't & ograve; not even have the optional Dynamic Chassis Control, the adaptive chassis with electrically adjustable shock absorbers: & egrave; reserved only for versions with at least 150 CV.
Between curves it behaves good: the suspension and the 18-inch lowered tires also help to be more & ugrave; precise; the weight also helps: in running order we are at 1,431 kg .
Only if you really drive it to the limit, do you realize that the steering is; a little & rsquo; too light and not precise enough and that the wagon stretches a bit & rsquo; more & ugrave; to the roll: here we note the absence of the multilink , intended only for the more Octavia; powerful: those driven by engines with powers below 150 HP at the rear have interconnected wheels.
But, as I said again, we are talking like driving enthusiasts: most of the potential customers of this car will not complain and can always count on a safe station, with a rather neutral dynamic behavior and with electronics that keeps everything under control.
On the motorway you travel well: comfort & egrave; ensured by silence, thanks to favorable aerodynamics, and good absorption of bumps; by the shock absorbers; at 130 per hour in seventh the engine snores at only 2600 rpm and you hardly hear it. Especially on motorway journeys you will appreciate the good resumption qualities of the engine, even after a decisive slowdown. The braking system is; always safe, under all circumstances.
The Octavia Wagon is also pleasant to drive on methane; if you want some & rsquo; of numbers, can & ograve; reach a speed maximum speed of 212 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9 & rdquo; 6.
Speaking of numbers, the House declares a consumption of fuel in the combined cycle WLTP between 3.9 and 4.1 kg per 100 km. Indeed in the days when I had the car with me, sometimes driving it a little bit. let's say cheerfully, I actually recorded an average figure of 4.1 kg per 100 kilometers, so in line with what was promised.
I filled up with methane, at 0.849 euros per kg: 15.25 for 12.95 euros. The day we shot the video, between highway, suburban and city; I traveled 195 km with an average consumption of 4.4 kg per 100 km. The value of the real autonomy with a full tank also depends a lot on the methane pressure at the time of refueling, which can; vary according to the outside temperature.
When the methane is running out, you don't notice anything but come promptly informed by the virtual cockpit that tells you that you are now running on petrol.
Petrol the autonomy declared by the on-board computer is; of 120 km : traveling on petrol we verified an average of slightly more; of 6 liters per 100 km. So in total should guarantee a mileage of around 540 kilometers .
Skoda says that by running on natural gas, G-TEC reduces emissions of CO2 25% compared to the petrol version, a value that can & ograve; reach 35-40% using 20% biomethane and even 90% if you fill up in centers that almost exclusively use methane obtained from biological waste.
The petrol tank is; of just 9 liters, for & ograve; in this way & egrave; approved as monofuel , and allows you to save 75% on the road tax (in some regions the discount is 100%) and free access in some cities; to the ZTL areas. Let's say that gasoline is; our & ldquo; reserve & rdquo; when maybe the methane distributor & egrave; a little & rsquo; more far away.
ADAS AND SECURITY
The Octavia & egrave; also very safe and ADAS speaking already offers; a lot with the entry level and standard versionthere are: adaptive cruise control, with automatic distance adjustment up to 210 km/h, Lane Assistant, the lane maintenance system that corrects the trajectory as soon as you approach the dividing line, the driver fatigue and the Front Assistant, radar monitoring of the space in front of the car with emergency braking and pedestrian and cyclist recognition.
What is missing is cheap, because & eacute; with only 400 Euros you can add the Travel Assistant Pack and I recommend it because & eacute; adds: road sign recognition system, predictive function of adaptive cruise control (which adjusts speed based, in addition to the vehicle in front, the route and road signs), Adaptive Lane Assistant, the car maintenance system in the middle of the lane and the Traffic Jam Assistant, the semi-autonomous queuing system.
When you are in a queue in traffic, the system intervenes on the engine, brakes, and steering, and makes our Octavia advance according to the speed; of the cars in front of us. It also includes the Emergency Assistant in case the driver does not respond to system alerts.
If the budget allows it, I also recommend adding the pack that includes the LED matrix headlights : they are money well spent because & eacute; allow you to travel even farther; safe.
HABITABILITY? AND INTERNAL
Taking a look at the interiors, which we know well by now, I notice that with this new generation it takes an important step forward in terms of quality perceived .
The dashboard is; entirely upholstered in soft materials, at the top and bottom and then a fabric band in the center. In the central tunnel there are plastics a bit & rsquo; more rigid but well assembled.
The trend more & ugrave; recent sees reduce more and more; the physical controls in the cockpits: here the climate controls are all in the dedicated menu on the touch display; you can & ograve; call up with one of the few keys present. I do not like this choice very much, we must also do a little bit about it; habit.
Habitability instead passed with full marks: in four you can & ograve; to travel comfortably; if a fifth passenger is added, he/she will have to; coexist with the central tunnel that & egrave; narrow but rather tall.
Two of the methane tanks are made of composite material and are located under the loading platform: thus eliminating; the double bottom and reduces the capacity; of the trunk to 495 liters, which can become 1,560 (the other versions instead declare 640 and 1,700 liters). The third cylinder, in steel, is; instead under the rear sofa.
TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD
He already has some technology on board; Luigi spoke: having infotainment based on the MIB 3 platform , one of the best on the market, is not; little thing.
Octavia already offers a lot; from the entry level version: a multifunction display with 4.2 '' on-board computer, radio with DAB + digital, 10 '' touch display, Bluetooth and 8 speakers, voice assistant, mode wireless for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto , 2 USB Type C ports
In the intermediate set-up are added Virtual Cockpit with 10.2 '' display. and navigator with Gesture Control and free updatable 3D Europe maps.
EQUIPMENT AND PRICES
The Skoda Octavia G-TEC & egrave; offer in four layouts : Ambition, Executive, Style and the pi & ugrave; sporty Sportline, which is & egrave; recently added with the model year 2022 . Of course you can also have it sedan . Rich equipment since the entrance version and we already have it; seen.
Offered only with the DSG gearbox , has a price list which starts from 29,350 Euros for the sedan, and 30,400 for the station, and reaches 33,600 for the Wagon in the Sportline version which gives it a more elegant look; gritty: it stands out for its glossy black exterior details (grille, side mirror caps, handrails and window frames), 17 & rdquo; & ldquo; aero & rdquo; design. L & rsquo; lowered by 15 mm for the methane version is not c & rsquo; & egrave ;, for & ograve; also the cockpit & egrave; a little & rsquo; more sporty with dark-colored upholstery, which extends to the insert on the dashboard in fabric, contrasting stitching, sports steering wheel and aluminum pedals.
There are few cars that, like the Octavia, can boast a & rsquo ; offer so & igrave; wide : with petrol turbo TSI and Turbodiesel TDI engines, the mild-hybrid versions, the plug-in hybrid , the sporty RS , with 245 HP petrol or plug-in hybrid, and 200 HP with the 2.0 TDI, also 4×4. Without forgetting the versionScout with raised trim, dedicated bumpers, underbody protection and electronically controlled all-wheel drive.
Then c & rsquo; & egrave; our G-TEC , which can & ograve; obtain the tax reduction and other tax incentives but impose, like all methane cars equipped with steel and composite tanks in the same car, two different revisions : on the new ones, the revision of the composite material cylinders after 4 years from the purchase and then every 2 years, while that of the steel cylinder every 4 years. The cost of overhauling the cylinders is; free (because it is financed by an excise duty included in the price of methane), the costs of labor and the eventual replacement of the cylinders are faced. Prices vary widely between the various authorized centers: usually the cost for disassembly and reassembly of each single cylinder is around 120 Euros.
Of this more & ugrave; recent generation of the Skoda Octavia we already & agrave; praised the qualities: more & ugrave; beautiful and technological as before, spacious, capable of offering quality & agrave; of life on board, pleasant to drive and very safe. In the methane version the very reduced costs are added: it is spent as with a small car, it is difficult to spend less than about 4 Euros to travel 100 km.
Skoda believes in it and offers three CNG models : Kamiq , Scala and Octavia sedan and wagon. But above all there is good news for us & ograve; which concerns the capillarity & agrave; of the network of distributors in our country, which still suffers a little in certain regions; for the reduced offer for those who choose natural gas. There are almost 1,500 to date but Snam already has; plans to build another 150 to refuel with natural gas and biomethane; the first self-service vending machines arrive, another great thing.
THE ALTERNATIVES
Among the few alternatives c & rsquo; & egrave; also the & ldquo; cousin & rdquo; Golf Variant TGI , powered by the same 1.5 turbo engine with 130 HP. But what do you think of the new natural gas Skoda Octavia?
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