Upcoming Skoda cars in India in 2017: From Rapid Monte Carlo Edition to Kodiaq SUV

Czech automobile manufacturer Skoda Auto's Indian subsidiary Skoda Auto India Pvt Ltd kickstarted 2017 with the launch of Octavia Onyx edition in February. Available only on the fully loaded Style Plus variant and limited to 100 units, the Onyx edition comes with an array of sportier add-ons highlighted in black.

Also read: 2017 Skoda Rapid facelift unveiled; all you need to know

That seems to be just a tiny bit of the upcoming product onslaught that Skoda has lined up for 2017. The company will launch a special edition of the Rapid, performance spec Octavia model, a facelift to the Octavia and the newly introduced flagship SUV in India this year. The plan indicates Skoda India will have a busy 2017.

Here are all the details you need to know about the upcoming Skoda vehicles in India.

Skoda Octavia facelift

Skoda has given a mild facelift to its international best seller model, the Octavia. The face-lifted model will debut in India mid-2017. A majority of the nip and tuck in the new Octavia is focused at its face. The sedan now comes with split headlight design resembling the Mercedes E-Class W212. The new headlight optionally comes with full LED technology that replaces the bi-xenon and LED daytime running lights combination of the pre-facelift version. The model also has restyled front bumper and fog lamps. How customers react to these changes on the face of the Octavia is something that remains to be seen.

The India-spec model will continue to draw power from 148bhp 1.4 TSI and 178bhp 1.8 TSI petrol engines and 142bhp 2.0 TDI diesel engine. Apart from the standard six-speed manual transmission with both engines, the petrol mill will be offered in seven-speed DSG and diesel mill in six-speed DSG.

Skoda Rapid Monte Carlo edition

The Rapid Monte Carlo Edition pays homage to Skoda's racing heritage and comes with some prominent cosmetic add-ons. Launched globally in 2015, the Monte Carlo edition gets blacked out front grille, roof, alloy wheels, boot lid spoiler, wing mirrors, bumper and side skirts. The red exterior shade will be exclusive for the special edition.

The interior will be spruced up with all-black upholstery with contrast stitching, a new flat-bottom steering wheel and metal finished pedals. Powertrains will remain untouched meaning the same 1.5-litre diesel and 1.6-litre petrol engines will power the Rapid Monte Carlo edition.

Skoda Octavia RS

Skoda will bring back the RS nameplate with the Octavia this year. The potent avatar of the Octavia sedan is powered by a 2.0- litre TSI engine belts out 227bhp (up from 217bhp) and has a maximum torque of 350Nm at 1,500 to 4,600 rpm. The front-wheel drive sports model sprints from 0 to 100kmph in 6.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 250kmph.

The performance spec sedan now features a wider radiator grille, which has been extended with additional headlamps cluster. The sedan gets wider air intakes with a honeycomb structure in the redesigned bumper. The four full-LED headlights with Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), as well as the LED side-mounted headlights, are step up from the previous version. The rear is dominated by a black diffuser and red reflector lamp above. These additions lend a sporty touch to the rear.

On the inside, the Octavia RS version gets sporty black interior. The RS-Sport seats are available in leather/fabric combination in addition to the newly introduced Alcantara version. The recesses of the door handles are illuminated, the pedals get an aluminium finish, and the entry panels bear the RS logo.

Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda unveiled its new flagship SUV, the Kodiaq, in the global markets in 2016. The model will make its India debut by the end of 2017. The Kodiaq is the first SUV extracted from the VisionS design study concept that Skoda unveiled at the 86th Geneva Motor Show in March 2016. It features precise and crisp body lines and a face similar to the current generation cars of Skoda. The long wheelbase and short overhangs point at the large interior and the wheel arches are slightly angular. The signature C-shaped tail lamps get LED treatment.

Skoda will offer Kodaiq in a choice of five engines: two TDIs and three TSIs. The engine in the range of 1.4-litre to 2.0-litre will develop power output from 123bhp to 189bhp. The most powerful petrol engine, the 2.0-litre TSI, will develop 177bhp, while the most powerful diesel engine, the 2.0-TDI will belt out 189bhp. Depending on the engine, there is a 6-speed manual gearbox or DSG transmissions with six or seven speeds.