I like to think of this week’s review car, the Octavia RS, as a family motor equipped to fill the role of everyday driving as well as elevating expectations of high-grade performance.
For my test, I had at my disposal, a 2-litre TSi petrol engine with 265bhp and that power was shifted by a 7spd DSG (which we know well from the Volkswagen mothership.)
There was a lot of smoothly delivered power capable of lifting it from zero to 100kmh in a decent 6.4 seconds (I couldn’t come near that official figure but I believe them).
And you know what? My car had a touch of the ‘woah’ factor. The RS is not an ultra-speed merchant designed for huge power. But 265bhp is not bad by any means. It is much the same as the 2025 Volkswagen Golf GTi and there was plenty of zip for me, thank you.
Best of all, it was done without impinging on the practical: spacious interior, good sized boot, as well as a lot of comfort and technical elements.
You get a fair lash of focused energy for a lot less money than big-name performance motors and still drive it sedately most of the time.
Making the RS story a tad more praiseworthy are its dimensions and attendant bulk: It is 1,457mm tall, 4,709mm long and 1,829mm wide. We had loads of room with four adults.
Even if you gave it a lash of shake, rattle and roll, it won’t run the 50-litre fuel tank dry too quickly. Some performance cars, especially electric vehicles I’ve driven would be gasping for energy if you were to work them as hard as my RS.
But for God’s sake, if you buy one, don’t go mad speeding. The top speed is a jail-sentence of 250kmh. Absolutely ridiculous.
My petrol model is not outrageously guilty of heavy fuel consumption considering what it can muster at the thrust of a right foot. Nonetheless the combined 159g/km (WLTP consumption), and a combined 7-litresl/100km does invoke €280 road tax.
It is a sharp reminder that that regardless of its own prowess, the RS doesn’t come cheap. With optional equipment (including metallic paint, € 1,798), the recommended retail price, excluding dealer delivery, comes to €57,818. It’s a lot of money even allowing for all the good things it gives us.
The RS is now more on the fringe rather than centre stage due to the severe taxation on large petrol performance cars. The standard Octavias will be bought for every-day transport by families while taxi drivers have long since bought the Skoda motor for its longevity, price and relatively good fuel consumption.
Oh! how they took the car to their hearts (and pockets) until, at one stage it looked like there was nothing else on the road. Of course, we know different now. While still staunchly advocated by the committed hard core of taxi drivers, the competition is intense, not least due to the influx of new electric, and electrified, models from Chinese marques in particular.
Ah! it doesn’t seem so long since we had the diesel RS. It was a big seller for Skoda and a great drive. Lots of people loved the fact that you could have great craic with a diesel RS buoyed by the knowledge that there was a frugal powerplant under the bonnet, comparatively speaking.
So what’s the story now? Well, I’m told that a typical buyer tends, as we’ve said, to be a mix of mature RS owners and fleet operations.
At the same time, a good few owners of the previous RS are tending to move to Superb Sportlines (for diesels) as well as Enyaq Sportlines and Enyaq RS.
I suppose it was inevitable that my drive in the 2-litre petrol version would be accompanied by a wee bit of nostalgia, given that so much now is vested in electric and PHEVs. We need greener cars and EVs/PHEVs tend to do performance pretty well too; yet there is something about the sound and feel of a well-endowed RS.
But life moves briskly on. As does the technology.
Skoda’s suspension engineers have mixed stiffness, pliable and sporty robust response into the chassis. It is one great car on tight bends.
Visually it gives a few giveaway clues, such as badges on the sides, black decorative trims, sports bumpers, sporty rear tailpipe, wheel trims and so on.
And there are 19ins alloys, Matric LED headlights, 13ins infotainment system, heated front seats, privacy glass, front/rear parking sensors, unsplit rear-seat bench, split folding backrest, Drive Mode select, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control.
Finally, just to underline its practical and performance appeal, there are ISOFIX child seat anchor points (two in the rear and one in front).
