In 2001, Czech car maker Škoda entered the Indian market with its iconic sedan, the Octavia, assembled in their plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, which opened in 2000. It has been 25 years for the brand in India, and it has persevered to enamour genuine auto enthusiasts with its product reliability and driver-led orientation. But it has not been smooth sailing for the car maker with high cost of ownership, expensive spare parts, limited offerings and a service network. Škoda cars were respected by all, but only a few wanted to own one. This changed with the brand’s India 2.0 vision that started in 2018 and where parent company Volkswagen Group invested a billion euros to develop India-centric automotive solutions. This included models designed and produced locally based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform.
For Škoda, India is the fourth largest market worldwide and Škoda's largest market outside Europe, shares Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India. Škoda's Global CEO Klaus Zellmer has said that India is Škoda's second leg outside Europe.
Škoda Octavia RS KV |
In 2026, Škoda is leveraging its legacy in sedans to lure the aspirational and comfort-seeking Indian driver by showcasing the all-new Octavia RS and Superb TDI along with the Slavia facelift. The former is known for its performance engineering, turbocharged engine and driver-focused character. It features a 2.0 TSI engine producing 195 kW (265 PS), paired with a seven-speed DSG transmission, power-adjustable sports front seats with heating and massage function, Heads-Up Display, ADAS, and progressive dynamic steering, among others. The Škoda Superb TDI brings back space, refinement and long-distance touring capabilities. The return of a diesel powertrain in the Superb, along with LED Matrix headlamps, ventilated and massage front seats, Rear Sleep Package, Dynamic Chassis Control, along with a comprehensive ADAS features, presents a lucrative opportunity to Indian car buyers. Gupta shares why the brand is optimistic about sedans and how it is preparing for a long-term play in India.
What gives you confidence in the sedan segment in India?
We are a 130-year-old brand, one of the oldest automobile companies in the world. Škoda's name has been built on our sedans. The first Superb was launched 90 years ago. It's been a legacy that's been built on timeless design and European engineering. We entered India with the Octavia. From the Superb and Octavia to the Rapid, Laura and Slavia in India, that's how strong the sedan legacy is for us.
I know that the body style has been moving towards SUVs, especially in India. But, you know, sedans do stay relevant. For many customers, a sedan is the original car. For Škoda,
sedans stay relevant because that also helps to differentiate our brand in a world of SUVs. A large part of our portfolio is SUVs, but the sedans also differentiate and define us.
Škoda Superb KV |
What are the differentiating factors for an SUV driver versus a sedan driver?
Car buying is no longer the same as it was a decade ago. Today, most consumers are coming to the showroom with their minds already made up. It is more about what value is there in the car. It is more about the finance options. It is more about reinforcing what the customer has already made up his mind on. So as far as consumer behaviour or differences between consumers of SUVs and sedans is concerned, there isn’t much of a demographic difference.
Can you throw light on the strategy of bringing back Superb TDI?
The decision to bring the Superb back was not about the diesel engine; it was about the Superb itself. Whenever I talk to customers and dealers, the one question that always comes up is: when is the Superb coming back? With this enthusiasm, the decision was made to bring the Superb back to India in limited volumes. And the second part of the decision was which powertrain, whether it is petrol or diesel, and we settled on the diesel. In larger cars, diesel is still available in our portfolio globally, so relatively easier to get it as a fully built unit.
What about the new allocation for Octavia RS? Can you share some observations about its buyers?
Octavia RS is designed for a very particular type of driver. They are enthusiasts passionate about the engine specifications and performance. Last year, during the Octavia RS launch event, we had four generations of Octavia RS owners, right from the first Octavia RS in 2003-2004. All of them were there, and the cars were maintained in pristine condition. We had 100 units last year that sold out immediately; now we’re getting 50 more units. With our legacy and with our brand being built on such performance-oriented cars, RS has always been an icon. What I've seen being in the industry for the last 25 years is that in the last five years there's been a very conscious shift in people—earlier they used only to aspire; now people are willing to indulge in that aspiration. It is no longer about what I would want. It is now about ‘I want it, I will own it.
How does Škoda stay relevant in a dynamic auto landscape like India?
Relevance is key because it is also primary to our growth strategy based on three pillars: relevance, differentiation, and trust. In the 25 years in India, we have made mistakes, but we have learned from them. We are willing to be more agile, flexible and localised, not only in terms of our local content in the car or localisation of the supplier base, but also localisation of our thinking, adapting ourselves to the requirements of the Indian market. An Indian customer is not the same as a European buyer. We’ve changed that mindset of ours, and it is reflected in the India 2.0 vision for Škoda. We have shown that we are willing to change, we are willing to adapt, and we are willing to be faster.
How are you implementing this change?
We are localising heavily in India with almost 90% local content, launching it at price points which were not possible for us earlier. It is also what makes us relevant with the right car in the right space at the right price points. Today, I sit with a network which traverses 190 cities and almost 340 touchpoints. Two years back, I was only in 100 cities and less than 200 touchpoints. So it's been a rapid expansion for us to be relevant to the customers. With it comes the question: What will make the buyer buy a Škoda? That is addressed in the second pillar of our strategy, differentiation. Škoda stands for great build quality, European engineering, safety and driving dynamics. All our product introductions actually are in that line, whether it is the Slavia, safety, standard across all. But differentiating ourselves by launching cars like the Superb, like the Octavia RS, which nobody else can offer.
You also mentioned ‘trust’ as a pillar.
I think the third pillar of trust is the most important for me. What customers look for in brands is brands which generate long-term trust, and trust comes by keeping your promises. It is very important for any brand. If a customer is thinking of buying a Škoda, he knows that he can trust that brand throughout, from purchase to the end of the ownership lifecycle. A big focus this year is on the service experience as well. We started with introducing the Supercare package, which is four years warranty, four years of roadside assistance, and four free services available as a standard across our portfolio. We have also been expanding our service network much faster than our sales network. Last month we inaugurated our 200th workshop in India. We introduced what we call Express Care for fast turnaround in service vehicles. These efforts are proof of promises being fulfilled to customers that generate trust.
What is Škoda Auto India’s future and EV plans?
One thing is very clear: we want to stay relevant in India, and we are very serious about that message. We have to move with the market and if the market is moving towards electrification, definitely we have to move into that space. Electrification is not something that is new to us. We are the market leaders in electrification in Europe. Škoda Elroq is the largest-selling EV in Europe. In India, we need to demonstrate our global EV credentials. It's no longer enough to just speak about something available. Next year, I am seriously considering bringing some of our global cars like the Peaq and Elroq into India in limited volumes. But relevance comes from scale, and scale can come only when you have a local EV. That is what we are heavily working on. In due course, we will make the right announcements about the timing, product and rest.
