CARRY ON SMILING
Skoda’s new Octavia RS brings hot-hatch character to the family station wagon
As Skoda has grown to be a highly respected brand among those in the know, and pretty much everybody else as well by now (who’d have thought?), it’s become a lot more difficult to put the Czech maker’s models into context.
For the past two decades, Skoda has shared platforms and technology with parent brand Volkswagen. It used to be that Skoda models were roughly equivalent to certain VWs, but they tended to be bigger and less expensive – because that was your reward for the opportunity
cost of buying the uncool badge.
Skodas are now incredibly polished and broadly desirable. They compete directlywith VW product and the choice will more likely come down to tangibles like powertrain or equipment than badge snobbery. Consider the Skoda Kamiq/VW T-Cross, Karoq/ Tiguan or Kodiaq/Tiguan Allspace equation and you’ll see what we mean.
Sure, there are still VW tragics who think those must automatically be of superior quality; and Skoda tragics who think they know something others don’t. But the secret is well and truly out and most of us realise the two are on pretty equal footing now.
So buy a Skoda by all means, but don’t think you’re getting a bargain. Or pulling a swifty on others who choose VW.
Except with the new Octavia RS wagon that is, which is still something of a hidden treasure – especially now that everybody’s obsessed with SUVs (see above).
The Octavia RS was arguably the model that started Skoda on the road to coolness exactly 20 years ago. It still offers VW Group punch in a hugely practical package. And of course station wagons are much more niche now, which makes the RS wagon (or “Combi” if you like) even cooler.
The latest Octavia RS picks up a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four in exactly the same state of tune as the new VW Golf 8 GTI: 180kW/
370Nm. The Octavia is larger (300mm longer) and heavier, a couple of tenths slower to
100km/h . . . but oddly also a couple of tenths more economical.
More to the point, it’s $3500 cheaper and can haul 640 litres in its massive boot, compared with just 381l for the Golf.
That’s partly because the Octavia is a wagon and the Golf is a hatch. But can you get a Golf GTI wagon? Exactly.
Let’s not get too bogged down in Group comparisons. As a standalone machine the Octavia RS looks sensational (definitely some Audi RS in there) and is perky beyond belief. Not crazy-fast, but the way the front wheels chirp off the line suggests it’s calibrated to be bit cheeky, despite the standard XDS electronic “differential lock” (it’s really just a kind of traction control). It doesn’t feel nearly as grown-up as that other 180kW car we were just talking about.
The Octavia is a beaut blend of spirited acceleration and family friendly ride, thanks partly to the long 2686mm wheelbase. Swift, stable – just a sweet family wagon for the enthusiast.
The only slightly cheesy aspect is the weirdly gruff enhanced engine noise that’s piped into the