Need advice: Confused between the Octavia and the Superb

Heart is still set on the Superb, but mind says get the Octavia, you are just driving with 2 people on board 95% of your time.

BHPian SR-71 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am right now confused between these two sedans and I am unable to make a final call on this.

Octavia:

• Based on the newer MQB Evo platform.
• Carries the same powertrain and gearbox that many of its expensive siblings carry.
• Better handler and best power to weight ratio.
• Cheapest of the Skoda premium lot.
• Worrisome unladen ground clearance at 135 mm.

Superb:

• Sheer class, space and looker.
• Compared to the A6s and 5 Series of the world.
• Based on the older MQB platform.
• Current generation is close to being replaced in a year.
• Bangalore OTR is expensive by 8L compared to its smaller L&K cousin.
• Worrisome laden ground clearance 90mm.

Common traits:

Reliability issues, both mechanically and dealership wise. Is it worth spending big money on VAG cars if I cant rely on them to serve me well for 8 years? I just read this recent post about someone's Rapid gearbox going for a toss at 70k kilometers. We pay 1.5x what the rest of the world pays and we don't even get 10 year warranty like some countries do (thanks to our lazy policy makers).

My confusion:

Heart is still set on the Superb, but mind says get the Octavia, you are just driving with 2 people on board 95% of your time. For the price of a Superb, I can get the 4x2 AT Fortuner in Bangalore. But its pretty low on my priority list as I have been a sedan person all along. However the one thing I get with the Fortuner is 10 years piece of mind and the capability to go most places without breaking a sweat. The most common advice I have got from quite a few experienced fellow BHPians is, if its just the 2 of you on-board for most times, buy the Octavia, save money or simply look at the 330i Sport if you can stretch the budget.

Here's what BHPian nishithrao95 had to say on the matter:

What I can tell you is that the Superb's ground clearance is just perfect. In fact, my previous gen Octavia TDI (A7) scrapes at bad spots and the Superb just comfortably absorbs any bad patch of road and clears the biggest of speed breakers without breaking a sweat.

Having driven both the new Octavia (1200 odd kms) and Superb (3k odd kms), the Superb seems to be better built, but is slightly softer and you cant really expect it to be a corner carver. The previous gen Octavia and the RS are better at that.

And to answer your point of dealership woes, Skoda India has actually been doing great work to improve the experience. It's much better than what it was during 2010-15's.

Hope you find yourself the right car. Cheers!

Here's what BHPian faderifts had to say on the matter:

I have been in the same confusion and after multiple test drives of both, the Octavia and the Superb and getting quotes from multiple dealerships. I got a decent discount on the Octavia considering the current shortages and its around 9 lakhs lower than the best quote I got for Superb L&K in Bangalore , so went ahead with the booking for the Octavia. The premium didn't feel justified being it will primarily be self driven and most of the time only 2 of us on board , also with the new Superb coming in 2023. Expecting the delivery of the Octavia this coming week.

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