A Skoda for all reasons
IMAGINE if you will a big family estate with loads of space that drives and handles like a brilliant hot hatch. No such thing? There certainly is – the Skoda Octavia vRS is the car for a family man or woman who still loves their driving as much as I do.
This is one of only a few cars that I could live with for the rest of my days and never be bored. It’s right out of the top drawer.
I still find it hard to believe that the Octavia is based on the same chassis as the VW Golf. It has far more interior space and, even in hatchback form, the boot is way larger too.
That vRS moniker means the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine comes from the Golf GTi and gives marvellous performance in all six gears.
Prod the loud pedal in this one and you get a kick in the back that few other estates can copy, thanks to 230 horses beavering away under the bonnet.
This drives the front wheels through a quick changing six-speed gearbox with a light clutch and a comfortable left footrest. Some cars still don’t fit footrests and its daft because it can make for much more comfortable long-distance trips.
The ride is also more than acceptable. It does feel the bumps and lumps in the road but doesn’t crash and bang over them, as some do, and is reasonably comfortable even on rough country roads.
The interior is vast, with loads of front and rear legroom and that enormous boot into the bargain, and a security cover to keep your stuff away from prying eyes.
It comes with footwell lights that stay on day and night and give just enough light to help without being too bright, and plenty of storage around the cabin. In fact it has more space overall than quite a few medium-sized people carriers.
The Octavia vRS Estate is truly a car for all reasons.
The Skoda Octavia vRS Estate I drove costs £26,880.