► Skoda’s sporty estate has a mid-life update
► More power, but diesel and PHEV axed
► Still the do-it-all sporty estate?
In every other country, Skoda’s sportiest nameplate is called RS. But the UK, being typically awkward, refers to it as vRS – the reason being ‘RS’ is too closely associated with Ford in Britain.
Skoda didn’t fancy any trademark infringements back in 2001 when its original sporty Octavia hot hatch debuted. So vRS stands for ‘Victory Rally Sport’ and that’s what leads us to the Isle of Man’s Victory Cafe, up at the top of the Snaefell mountain on the legendary TT course, perhaps the ultimate place to launch a sporty car on this incredible island’s many derestricted roads.
The subject is the facelifted Octavia – a car long famed for its usable, everyday hot hatch fun and one CAR has long been a big admirer of. So can the new model prove just as appealing?
At a glance
Pros: Usable, quick performance, acres of interior space, well-equipped
Cons: No manual available, reduced engine line-up, expensive options
What’s new?
What’s most notable about this updated Octavia vRS is what’s no longer available on it, with both the sporty diesel (available with four-wheel-drive) and the oddball vRS plug-in hybrid discontinued.
So what’s left is the petrol, which gets a small power bump (explored in the next section) and also the removal of a manual gearbox – the Octavia following on from the mechanically similar Volkswagen Golf GTI 8.5 in now only being sold with a seven-speed DSG. Yes, RIP hot hatch fans, as another manual ‘box falls by the wayside.
But more power aside, this is mainly a nip-and-tuck facelift, with the vRS getting the same raft of changes as the regular Octavia, tested earlier in the year. It includes a slightly more angular front end, new Matrix LED headlights and a fresh set of 19-inch alloy wheels. Not too much has changed on the inside bar the addition of a larger 13-inch touchscreen that’s now fitted across the Octavia line-up.
What are the specs?
The choice of diesel, PHEV and petrol was previously part of the vRS’s appeal in the hot hatch world, though the one remaining engine is still a decent all-rounder.
It’s the Volkswagen Group’s EA888 – a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that’s now putting out 262bhp – 20bhp more than before – with torque remaining at 273lb ft. The vRS can crack 62mph in 6.4 seconds (two-tenths of a second down on the previous model) and will top out at 155mph. Not that I quite had the chance to stretch the Skoda’s legs that much on the derestricted roads.
But because it’s the EA888, running costs should still be quite manageable, depending on the strength of your right foot. Skoda claims a smidge over 40mpg, with 158g/km CO2 emissions. Safe to say those figures were a pipe dream on the TT circuit…
As before, the VRS is available as both a large hatchback, which downplays its practicality, and also an estate. Though sales for the latter have fallen in recent years as more shrug hot estate cars, the wagon still accounts for the greater chunk of sales and is the one I’m trying for that reason.
How does it drive?
While the EA888 might not be the most exciting engine, Skoda has usefully dialled up the enjoyment factor from it. That extra power is welcome but doesn’t make a significant difference in the real world, but the engine has also been tweaked to make more noise at start-up, and then when in ‘Sport’ mode. Skoda has resisted injecting it with the sound amplifiers that plague many rivals, meaning it all sounds relatively natural, and I’d take that over a replica V6 soundtrack any day – I’m looking at you BMW M135.
The vRS is the right level of performance for UK roads, never silly quick but a useful amount of shove for a quick overtake. Power delivery is linear and smooth, with this DSG ‘box not suffering from the hesitancy that it often can in other VW Group products. I tried a pre-facelift manual car back-to-back so see if I missed the gearbox. The verdict? While it’s obviously more engaging to have a stick to change, the manual isn’t exactly the best – a bit notchy and vague. Even if the choice is always good, it’s not a manual I mourn losing. Whereas if someone tried to give me an automatic FL5 Civic Type R, I think I’d be in a sulk for some time.
The Isle of Man’s fast, flowing corners are perfect for the vRS, which shrugs them off with little fuss. It’s a very satisfying and easy car to drive quickly, with top-tier refinement meaning it’s quite easy for the speed to get away from you. The steering is direct, though not exactly bursting with feel – a Volkswagen Golf GTI perhaps slightly more engaging. Body roll is well-controlled and grip plentiful, with almost no understeer to contend with even when you dial up the commitment.
It’s quite a lot of power for a front-wheel-drive car, and occasionally the Octavia struggles for traction, wheels spinning if you put your foot down on a rougher surfaces – and the Isle of Man’s many bumpy back roads.
Though large 19s are standard, the vRS is one of the better-riding hot hatches/estates on the market. Even the standard suspension is generally comfortable with only occasional jiggliness, with the optional adaptive DCC dampers having a greater degree of suppleness – and the ability to select from 15 ‘comfort’ settings – but at more than £1,100, I think I could live without it.
What’s it like inside?
The main change on the latest vRS is the addition of a new 13-inch touchscreen, commonplace across the Octavia line-up. It’s a big improvement over the old car’s often-frustrating infotainment that was riddled with bugs, and the screen, though larger, fits neatly into the same surface areas as before.
The button count is still low, though the Octavia still has a more usable cabin than a Golf, with real buttons to change driving mode and for the demister far more welcome than prodding a distracting screen. Similarly, turning off lane assist and the infuriating speed limit bonging is easier than in its Volkswagen cousin – two presses on the steering wheel compared to navigating the screen.
Body-hugging sports seats are standard and the vRS gets the usual red detailing that this nameplate is renowned for – with stitching and ambient interior lighting in the colour helping to inject a bit of flair into the Octavia’s cabin. That said, it’s never what you’d call an exciting interior. The quality is generally very good and in tune with Skoda’s usual standards – though the carbon-effect trim on the dash feels cheap.
As before, the Octavia vRS’s real selling point is its practicality. It is quite simply huge inside, regardless of whether you opt for the hatchback or the estate. Tall adults can sit comfortably in the rear of either, and the 640-litre boot (600 litres in the hatch) is absolutely massive. It can comfortably rival the practicality of the best estate cars from the class and size above.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
Though this isn’t quite the performance car bargain it once was (an original Mk1 Octavia vRS cost just £15,000), when you compare it to rivals, the Skoda is still more than favourable.
Prices for the Octavia vRS kick off from £37,935 for the hatchback and £39,040 for the estate – figures that almost mirror a Ford Focus ST, one of the few hot hatches still available as a wagon. There will be an updated Cupra Leon Estate available and in showrooms by the end of 2024, too.
Those prices look a lot until you compare it to a Volkswagen Golf GTI, costing almost £40,000 in entry-level form, even despite it being considerably smaller and less practical than the Skoda.
You get plenty for your money with the Octavia, too, with standard features including Matrix LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and an electric boot. Options are expensive from Skoda, though. DCC is available for £1,185 (double what it costs as an option on the Golf) and a heated steering wheel is a lot at £450.
Verdict
If you want a fast, practical yet still faintly affordable performance car, I honestly believe there is nothing as good as an Octavia vRS. It’s a bigger, more useful version of the Golf GTI for a cheaper price, and that alone is little wonder why it continues to prove so popular.
The loss of a sporty diesel is understandable – the vRS PHEV less so – but the remaining 2.0-litre petrol is still such a solid all-rounder that even with the loss of a manual gearbox, it doesn’t feel like too much negative.
Skoda has knocked out some excellent new cars in 2024 with the latest Superb and Kodiaq SUV and the Octavia vRS is a fine example that it still knows what it’s doing with a performance car. There are more fun hot hatches and estates out there, undoubtedly, but few that can slot so well into family life. Regardless of whether you happen to find yourself on the Isle of Man TT course or stuck in a queue in the M25.