Skoda Octavia vRS Hatch – 2023
By Ian Strachan.
The Skoda Octavia is one of those cars that seems to have been around for a long time, and has transformed itself, almost without us noticing.
Through a series of gradual improvements, this Skoda has turned into a very classy and desirable car. The current Octavia is everything you could want in a car of this size – a keen price, high specification, good looking lines and a cavernous boot. And the vRS version I have just tested adds stunning performance and a growling power plant to the mix.
I test drove the Octavia vRS Hatch, powered by an impressively noisy – but in a good way – two-litre 245 horsepower turbo petrol power unit. I have to say it was a driving pleasure. the growl you hear when you press the start button tells you this is a serious car. No Skoda jokes applicable here.
This Octavia moves Skoda about as far from its past as it’s possible to get. This is a very competent, well built, well-specified, great performing, well priced offering in the medium segment and it’s every bit as good as other mainstream competitors. This car drives and handles superbly.
The first thing you notice about the Octavia is its smart appearance, with its sweeping headlights and deep front bumper and grille. My test car came in a striking Phoenix Orange which you certainly aren’t going to lose in a car park – it almost glows. It has a purposeful, robust look to it, even though lines are smooth and rounded.
Inside, the Octavia is roomy and pleasant with lots of features including good quality trim materials and touch screen instrumentation. You get black vRS sports upholstery and black headlining. It’s a bit dark – as are the interiors of many cars in the Volkswagen Audi stable – but it’s attractive, with clear and well laid out controls.
There are lots of storage spaces including a good size illuminated glovebox and central storage under the armrest. The door bins are a good size. Boot space is very impressive, with a variable boot floor. Luggage space can be increased further by folding the rear seats. Despite the generous boot, legroom for rear seat passengers isn’t compromised. I was also pleased to see a wiper on the rear screen. You sometimes don’t get these on hatchbacks and rear visibility can be compromised.
The 2.0 litre engine develops an impressive 245 PS and is very pleasant to drive. It’s a smooth and extremely responsive unit, giving you a 0-60 mph time of around six and a half seconds and a top speed, where legal, of 155 mph. At motorway speeds it cruises effortlessly. It’s linked to a pleasantly sprung six-speed manual gearbox. Fuel consumption is very good despite the car’s obvious power, at up to 40.7 mpg in mixed driving.
Handling is surefooted. The Octavia corners flat and confidently and there’s a good feel to the powered steering.
Specification levels are high. Standard equipment on my test car included 19-inch anthracite alloy wheels, remote central locking, powered boot, all-round electric windows and door mirrors, multi-function heated steering wheel, DAB radio with wireless smart link for Apple CarPlay, satellite navigation via a 10.25 inch touchscreen, front and rear parking sensors, rear window wiper, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, driving mode selection, hill hold and a very good dual-zone air conditioning system.
My test car was fitted with a range of options including blind spot detection (£535), rear parking camera with rear LED lights (£435), winter pack with heated front seats (£510), wireless phone charging (£355) dynamic chassis control (£995) and that stand-out metallic orange paint at £390.
The Octavia vRS Hatch comes at £33,945 on the road without the extras. Any residual prejudices about buying a Skoda have long since gone, and this well-specified car is a very good buy and a great drive. I was sad to see it go.
