Cartrade Comparison Test
Hyundai knows how to make cars which look amazing and the same can be seen with the new Hyundai Elantra. One of my favourite cars to be sold in the Indian market, Hyundai Elantra recently got an upgrade in the form of more detailing and additions on the outside. It started its production run in the international markets in 1990. Currently, in its fifth generation, the Elantra looks as good as an expensive coupe. It is available in petrol and diesel engines with optional automatic on both engine types. The Hyundai Elantra is priced between Rs 14.81 lakhs to 18.8 lakhs ex-showroom.
Skoda is one of the strongest selling car brands outside India but then in the domestic market, its charm has never worked. Blame it on expensive spares or poor customer service. Even the fiasco which exposed the malpractices at a dealership made the brand suffer heavily. Their products have a strong engineering background but unfortunately, the post sales experience and poor management have always been in the limelight making many shy away from Skoda cars. The Octavia which had set a new benchmark in the D-segment of cars got a reboot with a new design and platform.
Exterior and Interior Design: Hyundai Elantra Vs Skoda Octavia
Most of the design in the new Elantra Facelift has been retained form the earlier model except for the projector headlights, standard across all variants and LED guide lights. The front bumper has a bolder design with striking contours. It also gets subtle chrome inserts. The fog lamps too have got a new shape and positioning on the front bumper. The newer Octavia too has more lines and contours compared to the earlier version, which looked drab and outdated. Its understated form of styling doesn’t stand strong in front of Hyundai’s flowing motion in static design.
The front row seats in the Octavia are comfortable with sufficient cushioning. The seats score well but the not so good part about the front zone is the crumpled knee room area which makes it feel very congested. The central console is the sole reason for the same. Rear passengers might have to compensate on comfort too because of the seats which are upright. The most important update inside the new Elantra is the 4.3inch touchscreen unit which replaces the earlier dated version. It still doesn’t feature navigation but has convenient options to choose from. It also doubles up as a rear-view camera, a far better option than the eye stressing one on the rear view mirror.
Performance: Hyundai Elantra Vs Skoda Octavia
The New Elantra has a 1582cc diesel mill making 128PS of power and 260Nm of torque and comes equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission. It also comes in petrol and automatic variants. In the Skoda Octavia, the range starts from a 1.4TSI petrol engine to a more rev friendly 1.8TSI petrol engine followed by a meaty torque spitting 2.0TDI diesel engine. The 1.8 TSI comes with an automatic transmission while the 2.0TDI gets an optional automatic transmission.
Conclusion: Hyundai Elantra Vs Skoda Octavia
The new Octavia brings in lots of new things like the MQB architecture on which it is based on. It not only helps developing cars on the same platform in an efficient manner but also concentrate on individualistic characters like weight reduction of engines and gearboxes which in turn helps reduce fuel consumption.
The new Elantra shows a strong dedication by Hyundai to break in the premium class. The results won’t be seen immediately as it takes time for the mindsets to change. Over a period, it will happen. Till then if you want a premium and unique offering which is not seen in many numbers, the new Elantra is a great choice
![Skoda Octavia [2017-2021]](https://imgd-ct.aeplcdn.com/160x89/n/cw/ec/43966/skoda-octavia-rs-245-exterior5.jpeg?q=80 "Skoda Octavia [2017-2021]")
