Solid, sensible car. Lots of luggage space. The wife will love it. And then you floor it and discover a very naughty motor. BOB RUPANI explores the fastest way to transport your dog

In quite a short time, Skoda and its Octavia have won the admiration and respect of many Indian car owners. They came here as a relatively unknown brand and most were not familiar with its products and nor did they know much about the company. It was an unheard-of entity and in a way this worked in favour of Skoda. Here they did not face the problem of shedding the image of a Czech carmaker that had its heritage rooted in the ghosts of the Communist era. Riding on the strength of its products, based on the platforms of its new owners Volkswagen, Skoda has now succeeded in establishing itself as an important player on the Indian automotive scene. And after a brief hiatus, we are seeing a flurry of new variants and models from them, and the flow promises to continue.
The Octavia Combi was introduced here recently and is basically the estate version of the hatch with the styling being identical till the rear door. Aft of the C-pillar the hatch transforms into an estate with the roofline that goes on straight and then tumbles down into a flat tailgate merging into the rear bumper. Though this does not actually increase the boot floor area by much, the higher roofline allows more cargo to be carried. A lot more, and loading is made easier by the low height of the floor and the adequately large lift-angle of the tailgate. But if you are looking for more rear legroom, you are in for a disappointment, because the Combi shares the same wheelbase as the hatch.

Skoda have introduced the Combi in two versions, and we drove both the petrol RS and diesel L&K (Laurin & Klement.) The RS of course is the one that sent our pulses racing, and with very good reason. Get inside and the Recaro-type bucket seats in leather hold you in a most welcoming manner. Almost as if they are saying, rest assured that you are now in a seat that will hold you and make sure that you are secure and comfortable to indulge your right foot and go on a drive that will not only be exciting, but also involving. Both the seats and steering wheel offer good adjustment, making for an enjoyable driving position. The dashboard and instruments are also logically laid out. It all feels very well crafted, from the solid door casings to the stainless steel pedals with non-slip rubber. The stereo also operates from the multi-function steering wheel and all the switchgear is easy to navigate and use. Nothing to distract you from the task ahead. Drive, drive because you enjoy it and want to see places. And in the spacious Combi, you can take your family and all that is dear to you. And powering the machine that will get you there, is a four-pot turbo-charged engine with double overhead cams controlling 20 valves (five per cylinder). The same engine that does duty in the Audi TT sold in India.
Turn the ignition key and a sweet-sounding wake-up call for 150 energetic horses is heard. Put the stubby gearlever into first, let the easy-to-modulate clutch out and push down on the throttle. The barn doors are flung open and 150 well-trained horses leap out. Before you know it, the turbo comes on singing a sonorous tune and just like an expert rider digging in the spurs, quickly gets the horses into full gallop. As you shift through the smooth box, selecting gears precisely and feeding light inputs to the steering, you begin to appreciate the feedback and its simply amazing predictability.
Corners are negotiated with confidence and relative ease, because the well sorted out chassis dynamics of the Octavia allow you to stick to your chosen path. And even when you decide to change direction, it does not spring any surprises on you. And when you exceed the decent levels of grip, the Combi simply washes gently wide into understeer. Lift off slightly, feed in some correction and the ever so eager turbo is singing for you again. Soon the benefits of the 16-inch wheels shod with 205/55 tyres, which work in tandem with a well-set up suspension, that is firm but yet compliant, become apparent. The Combi retains its composure and confidently rides over rough patches and undulations that are so common on our roads. Hit a bump hard and the rigidity of the chassis also become very obvious. Here is an estate that is capable of taming rough roads and neutralizing even the worst surfaces with ease. And with discs on all four wheels backed up by ABS, it is also up to the task of slowing down and braking to a halt in good time. All done with a brake pedal that is linear in its application with feel that inspires confidence.
The Combi has many good virtues and qualities, but with estates not having won the affection of most Indian motorists so far, only a very limited number are going to discover and experience them. Skoda are also very clearly not looking at selling large numbers and given this, one wonders why they did not opt to bring in the Combi 4X4. Skoda has traditionally offered AWD (all wheel drive) Octavia models and if this had been introduced in India, Skoda could possibly have carved out a new niche for itself. The Combi is a lifestyle vehicle that is about both practicality and fun, and its 4X4 ability may just have been the added dimension that would have appealed to enthusiasts who like to enjoy life beyond paved roads. Still, we’ll take the RS, for now...