I would have booked an Octavia right away, but my family had started moving towards SUVs,
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Background:
I moved back to India in December 2019. I started using my dad’s Honda Jazz for daily rides to work and other things. Dad had already stopped driving and now prefers Ola or Uber.
I had plans to buy a new car after coming back and was always smitten by the looks and performance of the Octavia. Then came COVID, and we dropped all plans to get a car soon. we weren’t going anywhere!
The itch to get “my first” car started again in 2022, and I started looking at existing cars and new cars that would be launched.
Requirements:
We are a family of four, and here are our preferences in descending order:
- Driving dynamics and performance.
- Safety and comfort for two adults at the front and two growing kids at the back.
- Good suspension setup for Indian roads.
- Good interiors.
- Good music system.
Some other simple requirements:
It had to be a petrol automatic.
The initial budget was set at around 20-30 L after discussion with wifey.
The contenders:
Jeep Compass: I had my heart set on it once I saw it in flesh after coming back to India. The facelift also improved the interior quality.
The TD experience was meh. The petrol engine did not appeal to me.felt lethargic for such a big car. Also, the space inside is a letdown. Still was my first crush, but it wasn’t to be.
Hyundai Tucson: During college days and my early career, I drove my dad’s Santro / i10 / i20 a lot. I didn’t like any of them, so I assumed we wouldn’t get another Hyundai. I saw the upcoming launch of the Tucson and saw / read the international reviews. The car is a looker. I loved it. I thought we would definitely have to wait for it. Saw the India launch, but then saw the petrol specs – disappointed. 153 bhp and 192 nm of torque? in a 30L car! I still thought, “Let’s do a TD”, but the showroom never sent a petrol for a TD. The salesman flatly stated that there is no petrol version of the TD. It was probably for the best. dropped.
Skoda Octavia/Superb: Loved the Octavia’s smooth ride, awesome comfort, and good build. There was a problem with availability. I saw tons of reviews and drooled over it every time. I would have booked it right away, but my family had started moving towards SUVs, so we at least had to consider other SUVs before we said yes to the Octavia.
I also tried the Superb again and found it to be excellent.no complaints. However, an Octavia would have sufficed. I didn’t need the “longer” Superb.
VW Tiguan: I liked the car, felt very nimble to drive, and it had plenty going for it. had started considering it seriously and went for a second TD with family this time. They liked the car but were not wowed by it. The interiors feel bland, the seats are OK, and it would not feel luxurious even after spending 41 big ones. kept in consideration but did not finalize. In the midst of all of this, we considered the Kushaq, which was significantly less expensive than the Tiguan.
Most folks suggested getting the Kushaq or go for the Kodiaq.
Skoda Kodiaq: During all of this TDing and researching, I asked my kids (8 and 11) to make a spreadsheet with all of the features we wanted in a car and fill it out for each of the shortlisted vehicles. They came back after a few days and said Kodiaq is the winner. I knew the Kodiaq was a solid car and was recommended to buy it by my German neighbour who works for VW. Discussed again with wifey and we agreed it will not be a stretch for us to go for a 40L Kodiaq.
But it was already sold out for 2022, and I called the dealers, and they said they weren’t taking bookings. But suddenly, sometime in August, they declared they were taking bookings for Q1 2023.
When I inquired again, I was told that there would be a 6-month wait with delivery in March 2023. Went with family to the showroom, saw a parked Kodiaq, checked it out, but did not get to drive it.
BMW X1: We had put the Kodiaq on the shortlist On the same day we saw the Kodiaq, we visited the BMW showroom and drove the X1. The drive is smooth, the performance is good, and it has the snob badge. But that’s it; there’s nothing else I could like.
Interiors are just ok—there is a lack of space and features.struck it out.
I returned with the impression that Kodiaq is providing so much for so little, or, as GTO puts it, “value luxury”.
Paid the booking amount for a Lava Blue Kodiaq L&K on 22nd September 22. Then the wait started.
Why we booked the Kodiaq without driving it:
- Luxurious interiors.
- Awesome reviews within the forum and outside. I didn’t hear a single negative comment about the drive or performance.
- Loaded with safety features.
- Amazing music system.
- It has fantastic looks and the added benefit of seating two children in the third row.
- Quality inside and out.
The booking and delivery experience:
As is currently the state of things, it’s a sellers’ market, and we buyers are at the mercy of most dealers and manufacturers. I had booked the Kodiaq but was wary of waiting for six months. I was always on the lookout for something better.
Kept calling the dealer every 1-2 weeks. One day he mentioned there is a white Superb available, but by the time I got back to him, he said it had gone. Then he mentioned that there was a Lava Blue Kodiaq available, but only if I paid in full as soon as possible. I said I would take a loan, but that will take a few days at least. I called him back after a few hours, and he said it was taken by someone who paid the full amount.
So I told him to keep an eye out and let me know if another allocation became available; this time, I will pay some down payment and process the loan as soon as possible.
I have no idea how allocations happen. Skoda India appears to manufacture white and grey in large quantities but not Lava Blue and black. Allocations are also happening randomly, and either people are not claiming their allocations or the dealers play a game of who has the most money to throw and push the car their way. There’s no way to tell. That’s the way things work here.
Fast forward two months, and on November 29, I got a call again that I may be able to get a Graphite Grey Kodiaq L&K as it is allocated to them. I tried to dig into it, like whose allocation it was initially, but got no satisfactory answer. I talked it over with my family, and they all agreed on Graphite Grey. I went down to the showroom, met the showroom manager, paid 10L, and confirmed. They immediately started the loan process, and within 2–3 days my loan was approved, and they sort of pressured me to release the disbursement. I went again and checked out the car in person, confirmed the VIN, and did a basic PDI.
I bargained hard for the insurance and finally got them to give me TATA AIG’s full comprehensive 1+3 plan for 102k. I couldn’t haggle for the accessory set, which was going to set me back 23k, up from 17k in June 2022.
Delivery time was set to be on December 9, but due to delays in getting insurance (they had trouble getting approval for matching the external quote), it got pushed to December 11.
I took it out of the showroom after all the customs and filled her up with Shell V Power. I will be looking for XP95 bunks for next time.
The family is ecstatic on getting this amazing car, and we soon want to go on some longish drives!
Thanks for reading!
I haven’t had a chance to take better pictures of her since delivery day.
Keyword: How I bought a 2022 Skoda Kodiaq L&K without even test driving it