Skoda Market Position Around the World

[My_Yeti]

As you all know, a long time ago, Skoda was positioned higher than VW, which started by producing the "people's car".

Nowadays, in Europe and most conuntries, Skoda are sold as "value" alternative to VW counterparts. However, browsing on a Chinese car site led me to believe otherwise.

The Chinese built Octavia is £500 more than the equivalent Chinese build Mk6 Golf in every engine and trim level.

The Chinese built Superb 1.4 TSI is £500 less than the equivalent Chinese built Passat 1.4 TSI, but the Passat has 7 spd DSG, whilst the Superb has to make do with the 6 speeder, so arguably the price difference is virtually non-existent.

Whilst the top of the range Chinese built 2.0 TSI Superb is £300 more than the top of the range Chinese built 2.0 TSI Passat.

Am I missing something here? I personally prefer the Superb to the Passat on every aspect and I think it is a better car, but why is there a price difference between the Golf and the Octavia, and the lack of price difference between the Passat and the Superb, in a world where we are led to believe that VW is better than Skoda?

[Beryl's Chief Pilot]

An interesting post thankyou.

[RapidRonnie]

Skoda are regarded as a premium brand in China and India.

[lfc958]

These new markets obviously are not aware of the situation in Europe.

It appears that while in Europe consumers have realised that VW is not actually value for money & are loosing sales to Skoda, in the new marketplace of China & India, they are trying to promote VW as being value for money, by overpricing Skoda ( not really a cynical view)

[My_Yeti]

I think the Chinese and Indian car markets are very interesting, there are so many different brands and fierce competition. Yet, given the price of Skoda or VW in China, they are not considered cheap when Nissan and Toyota could undercut them by at least 15% for a similar car.

Until 3 years ago, I never thought VW was upmarket, I just consider them to be similar to Peugeot et al. However, nowadays a Golf cost £10 cheaper than an A3 with the same engine and perhaps 1 or 2 options less.

I notice when the first A4 (the one after the 80) came out, it is substantially cheaper than Mercedes or BMW and similarly priced as a Volvo S40, when nowadays an Octavia is more closely priced to a similarly specced S40 than a Jetta/Bora or A3.