What I’m going to do here is not a regular review, but a comparison of what differentiates the Octavia from the Laura, especially the diesel engines since the latter has been given a dose of fresh technology with its latest facelift – and it was the TDI badge that made the Octavia gain cult status in India.

Even before I turned the ignition key on the Octy, I couldn’t help but notice its age. It was smart enough back in the day. It exuded a sense of solidity that its main rivals couldn’t manage, and those straight lines were a hit with consumers. The Octavia was the first proper European design in the D segment – it was straightforward, understated and classy. A proper gentleman of a car. But that was then. Today, people want sexiness overflowing from every inch of their cars – in that respect, the Octavia is clearly dated, both inside and out.

The Laura too, though immensely more modern than the Octavia, is still somewhat conservative in its appearance. Alright, Skoda may point out the aggressive front-end, and you have to grant it to them, but it’s essentially an evolution, rather than a revolution. And whatever happened to the back end? Did the designer take a leave of absence after designing the front?

Moving on – looks aren’t the central topic of concern here anyway – what I’m particularly interested in is telling you about is the way the two Octavias drive. And right at the onset, let me tell you there’s an absolute world of difference. Historically, there have been three cars dominating the entry-level D segment – the Toyota Corolla, which had excellent ride quality, the Honda Civic, which has a fighter-jet cockpit in purple illumination, and the Skoda Octavia, which stamped its authority in the handling department. The entire capsule of us motoring journos went gaga over the planted feel and sharp handling of the Octavia. A few years ago, I got the chance to drive this trio across the length-and-breadth of the nation, and I came back with a grinning face and a sore back after driving the Octavia. I realized that the handling was great, but the seats were just not supportive enough to make your travel comfortable. And the ride was on the firmer side of the measuring scale.

But the moment you drive the Laura, you notice the leap Skoda has taken in every department. The seats are immeasurably better, and the quality of everything has risen to a different level altogether. But is that all? Hardly!

Running on diesel, the Octavia is powered by a 1.9 litre Pumpe Duse (PD) engine. Now, PD is quite a rare commodity in this space of engines – with only the Volkswagen Group using the technology. A PD unit comprises of a high-pressure pump that pressurises the fuel to injection pressure, and an injector that injects the pressurised fuel into the cylinder. This assembly is also famously called unit injector assembly.



There is one unit injector on the cylinder head serving each cylinder, and it’s operated by the camshaft. PD engines are famous for producing very high injection pressures (~2000 bar). This results in an increased torque rating, as opposed to traditional diesel technology, and, since the injection pressure is so high, PD engines also have lower emissions. But a PD engine is more complex, and requires a specially designed cylinder head to tackle the pressure, and thermodynamics associated with it. All this makes it more expensive to manufacture too. It is considered safer, however, because the fuel isn’t stored at high pressure in the engine – instead it generates that pressure whenever required. But the safety aspect can be debated, as modern injection technologies monitor the engine and driver behaviour continuously.

The Laura, on the other hand, now runs on the more widely accepted common rail diesel technology. The common rail injection system consists of an engine driven pump that pressurises fuel to an extremely high pressure. A steel tube running along the cylinder head (the common rail) supplies pressurised fuel to the cylinders via individual injectors.

The compression pressure of diesel engines is very high, which is why the fuel needs to be injected at high pressure in order to undergo efficient combustion. When the engine is spinning, the pump works overtime to continuously pressurise fuel in the rail. This allows for a permanent reserve of pressurised fuel. When you turn the key and the engine comes to life, the fuel is pressurised within moments, and each injector supplies the pressurised diesel at 1600 bar. This eliminates the emission of start-up smoke that became somewhat of a custom with conventional diesel engines. You also have small electronic chips that monitor engine and driver behaviour, and constantly alter injection timing and fuel dosage to extremely precise levels.

The common rail injection system also eliminates the characteristic knocking that diesel motors of the by-gone era were notoriously famous for. This is done by an interesting concept known as ‘pilot injection.’ A very small amount of fuel is injected into the cylinder before the main injection takes place, which leads to a small explosion before the engine goes ka-boom. This is done to allow for a gradual rise in the temperature of the combustion chamber, as opposed to a sudden burst, which thereby reduces clatter.

The Octavia’s 1.9 litre motor was a temperamental kid, and was not without its share of vibration. The 2.0 litre oil-burner in the Laura feels a lot smoother, more relaxed, and performs with a lot more enthusiasm if you have the right foot made of lead. The Laura also scores on dynamics, refinement, quality, gearshift, and comfort – everything you can imagine really. Though the Octavia was always considered to be an extremely well built car, Skoda itself has moved the game so high that even the king of the segment from a few years ago feels defeated. But then, had it not been for the Octavia, the Laura wouldn’t have seen the light of day. And for that very reason, the Octavia will always remain a cult favourite. It’ll be mentioned in special fonts in the Indian automotive book, if it ever gets written.