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My experience attending the Fans of Skoda monsoon event

11th July 2023, 17:08 by Ananth Iyer

At Novotel this time, as a part of the Škoda Drive Experience event, the members were offered a Škoda fleet car to drive on a short drive track, specially designed to test their driving skills and the capabilities of the respective vehicle as well.

BHPian dr.Vikas recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I think for any petrolhead, Monsoon could be the most desired season to take the steed out for a challenging long drive. So on one fine morning, when I had a call from Škoda Media team inviting me to participate in their yet another FansOfŠkoda meet, there wasn't any apparent reason for me to say 'No' !

Eventually on Sunday the 2nd July, a new chapter of FansOfŠkoda event was organised by ŠkodaAutoIndia at Hotel Novotel, Khopoli with the theme being 'Škoda Drive Experience'.

The itinerary -

Škoda India though currently lacks on the much needed, diversified product line-up especially due to recent discontinuation of Octavia & Superb, still keeps on inviting some selected customers for such regular meets keeping their continuous effort to build a strong network of fans, existing customers & also some prospective buyers alive.
Truly great initiative by ŠkodaAutoIndia to ascertain customer-centricity along with the brand value.

And in any such meeting, the fans & the customers get an exclusive opportunity to interact with the top leadership team of ŠkodaAutoIndia. IMO, such direct interactive sessions are immensely useful and also important for building confidence among the customers.

With top leadership team of ŠkodaIndia -

At Novotel this time, as a part of the Škoda Drive Experience event, the members were offered a Škoda fleet car to drive on a short drive track, specially designed to test their driving skills and the capabilities of the respective vehicle as well.

It was a bit of 'fun filled' yet challenging experience !

This track activity rightfully reminded me of the obstacles one needs to clear at the RTO test while obtaining DL, like making a figure of 8 or reversing back & parking the car to the desired spot without hitting the dividers etc.

Škoda Slavia on the 'Drive Experience' track-

In fact, this challenging activity was conducted in collaboration with the Off-road training school 'Learn Offroad' located near Pali. It's currently Asia’s only I4WDTA certified school & is started by our fellow Distinguished Bhpian Dr. Tejas Kothari, Tejas@perioimpl.

You may learn more about the school HERE.

Not to forget, I was offered to have a short spin of 2.0 TSI Kodiaq also on the Pali road during the event. Though driving the 2.0 TSI Kodiaq was indeed impressive and also full of excitement for me, yet it was roughly be like driving a high seating Octavia as the refinement, power on tap, DSG shifting and road manners being almost the same. Never felt like I was driving an SUV of this big size & that for the first time.
I'm sure if it comes to own one, I would rather prefer a pre-worshipped 2.0 TDI Kodiaq anyday over this 2.0 TSI.

During the short TD of Kodiaq 2.0 TSI -

I enjoyed the pleasant Monsoon Drive in my 1.8 TSI Octavia AT, especially during my return journey out of the entire 640 kms drive spread over 2 days. Surprisingly for me, no any traffic challan was issued this time. Otherwise the online challans usually hit faster than any of my over speeding episode in the Octavia.

Despite of the heavy rains & usual traffic congestion on NH4 & in Pune City, my Octavia returned FE of 15 kmpl. Simply awesome !!

FE figure in the MFD of Octavia -