Skoda Octavia VRS
A Fast Fleet favourite returns to the ranks in its latest, 245bhp guise
SAY HELLO TO THE LATEST IN A LONG LINE of Skoda Octavias to earn their place on the evo Fast Fleet. This is in fact the sixth we’ve run over the years, and is the most powerful yet, coming with the 242bhp 2-litre engine that was once optional and is now standard for petrol vrss.
There’s still a diesel VRS (with 197bhp), should you want such a thing, and these days there’s a hybrid too, the VRS iv, which pairs a 1.4-litre engine with an electric motor for a combined 242bhp and an extra 200kg to lug around. But, this being evo, we’ve plumped for the most performance-biased variant of the trio, which is also the only one available with a manual gearbox.
Yes, you read that right: while the Skoda’s Volkswagen and Cupra relatives have become Dsgonly, with the VRS you still get to choose between a six-speed manual ‘box or the seven-speed DSG. I’m sure you can guess which we’ve opted for, and I have to say it’s a real treat being back in a car with a stick and a third pedal.
One option I’m less keen on is our car’s Moon White Metallic paint. It’s not that it doesn’t suit the VRS, rather that it undersells it. There are five other no-cost colours to choose from, and they include Race Blue Metallic and Hyper Green, either of which would be more fitting to my mind. Then again, perhaps you’d rather your VRS was understated. Or maybe you want to play tricks on friends and colleagues by popping up behind them on the motorway then watching them pull into the slower lane because they think an unmarked police car has just locked onto them.
vrs-specific kit on the Octavia includes 19-inch Altair anthracite alloy wheels, sports suspension that is 15mm lower, upgraded brakes with red callipers, more aggressive-looking bumpers, black window surrounds, a lip spoiler on the tailgate and chrome exhaust tips. I’ve been a fan of the estate versions of the VRS since I ran one back in 2016, as they offer a combination of space, pace and price that is pretty much unrivalled, but I rather like the sharp looks of this latest hatchback, which might be worth trading a little practicality for. That said, the boot is still massive and the back seats are just as comfortable as the fronts.
And talking of the interior, it doesn’t disappoint, looking every bit as good as those of some recent Volkswagens that I’ve been in, if not better. There are supportive sports seats and a leather sport steering wheel, while a 10-inch touchscreen controls the heating and entertainment, though Skoda has wisely left some analogue buttons to aid usability. Our car has a few extras too, including blind spot detection (£510), a winter pack (£485 for a heated steering wheel, windscreen and washer nozzles) and wireless charging (£335), taking the car’s basic price of £30,620 up to £32,775.
I’m very much looking forward to spending time in our Octavia over the coming months and finding out how it raises the game above earlier versions I’ve driven. If there’s anything you’d like to know about this latest VRS, drop us a line at fastfleet@evo.co.uk and we’ll endeavour to answer your questions.
Date acquired July 2021 Total mileage 1401 Mileage this month 601 Cost this month £0 mpg this month 32.1
‘It’s a real treat being back in a car with a gearlever and a third pedal’