The Toyota Corolla, the world's largest selling car, is here bang in Skoda Octavia territory. That the Corolla has what it takes to steal market share from the Octavia there is no doubt. But can the Japanese icon change the balance of power?

Toyota Corolla (E)

List priceRs10.80lakh (Delhi)

Top Speed196kph

0-100kph9.07sec

kpl10.55(overall)

For Performance. comfort, looks Against Suspension, light build, no ABS

Skoda OCTAVIA 2.0 (Amb)

List price Rs10.68lakh (Delhi)

Top Speed 185kph

0-100kph 11.96sec

kpl 9.1(overall)

For Solid build, super ride, big-car feel Against Lacklustre performance, cramped rear seat, dull interior

Prices ex-showroom

Finding an empty gap in a crowded car market is becoming increasingly difficult. However Skoda found a niche between the upper mid-size cars and the bigger luxury cars and plonked its Octavia bang in the middle, pricing it at a very competitive Rs 11 lakh. At this price, the Octavia instantly became a runaway success and continued to rack up healthy sales every month and there seemed to be little by way of competition. Not any more.

This month Toyota launched the Corolla at an aggressive price to spoil not just the Octavia's party but also take a swipe at the Honda City. The Corolla is a formidable contender wherever it goes, riding on a giant reputation for reliability and a hassle-free ownership experience. It is an important model for Toyota in India and the last couple of years have been spent localising and adapting it to Indian conditions. That the Corolla walks into the ring as the favourite, there's little doubt but despite what conventional wisdom suggests, the brilliantly built and engineered Octavia is no walkover. Who wins? We answer the question in this comparison test.