Its furrowed frontal frown — with many lines converging from bonnet to grille — gives the Skoda Octavia RS an air of intense concentration.
It’s a mood that carries through to how the car handles. When you’re behind the wheel of the latest Skoda Octavia RS, you’ll appreciate the purposeful nature of this Czech model.
Skoda cars in recent years have upped their driveability factor.
While their functionality is evident from the roominess and modern conveniences of connectivity and comfort in a range of sedans and SUVs, they have also been injected with appropriate levels of driving relevance. Comfort for those who desire it, and spiritedness for those craving a little more.
With the Octavia RS, that palpable sense of engagement kicks in as soon as you power up and hit the accelerator. The growling of the turbocharged 2-litre engine is evident in the cabin and serves as an appropriate soundtrack as the front-wheel-driven car picks up speed smoothly (0 to 100kmh in 6.7 seconds).
The handling is sharp as it powers through the gears smoothly, the paddle shifters responding smartly, even if you have to peer at the tiny indicator on the digital display to check which gear you’re in. Most of the time it’s likely to be in drive, but on the odd occasion you’d like to get a bit more pep, it’s there when you need it.
And all this achieved without draining the 50L fuel tank.
Enhanced Reputation
The Czech brand’s reputation took a turn for the better when it was acquired by Germany’s Volkswagen Group, in the early 1990s. It is now among the top earners for the Group and a leader among Czech brands.
Skoda’s stock has risen over the years and its cars are often highly regarded in terms of a value-for-money proposition.
Value for money and cars in Singapore are not often mentioned in the same breath. The Octavia RS retails for *$209,000 which may seem high, but given that it can knock out 180kW and has good aerodynamics for improved performance and greater efficiency, it may work out to be a worthwhile deal compared with the price points of other cars in that category.
The sporty sedan looks the part in the right colour. In the case of the test drive, a bright red with similar hues on the Alcantara seats and the display panel. But if you want something a little less loud and a little more executive, there are more muted colours. Or if your tastes swing the other way, there’s always the eye-wateringly bright Mamba green option.
The Octavia RS is packed with new technology which keeps you in lane, alerts you to potential issues, has space-saving shift-by-wire technology which is managed by a stylish shifter rather than the usual gear stick, and has parking assist. It also has a virtual pedal, though that requires some deft footwork to spring the boot open.
The interior of the Octavia RS with its carbon fibre touches and sporty black upholstery is comfortable and contemporary. Electric seats get you into a good position and the multifunction leather steering offers relevant features that you would need to access, like the music controls, telephone and your displays. A head up display would have been nice to have.
Key controls for the car’s set-up are on the touchscreen, which is perhaps placed a bit too flat against the dashboard. Most brands with touchscreens have them slightly tilted towards the driver for easy access.
While many functions can be set before the journey, there are times you’ll need to access that touchscreen; for instance, if you want to deactivate the auto start/stop feature. There isn’t a physical button to hit, you have to hunt it down on the touchscreen.
Such little quirks won’t detract from the enjoyable drive offered by the Octavia RS, which would cause the usual leaders in this segment to look over their shoulders in equal parts of envy, admiration and concern.
SKODA Octavia RS
Displacement: 1984 cc
Engine: 4-cylinder in-line 16 valve turbocharged
Transmission: Automatic 7-speed DSG
Max output: 180 kW
Max torque: 370 Nm
0-100kmh: 6.7 seconds
Top speed: 250 kmh
Fuel consumption:6.5 L/100m
CO2: 150 g/km
Fuel tank: 50 L
Length: 4,702 mm
Width: 1,829 mm
Height:1,457 mm
VES band: B
Price: *$209,900
*Confirm price with dealer
skoda.com.sg