Skoda Octavia RS 2014 Review

As Australians, we usually admire the underdog, and in terms of the all-encompassing Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG), the Skoda brand is definitely that. Where it has shone in the past is in value, but that’s usually been at the expense of technology (older platforms) and finish quality.

This appears to have changed with the arrival of the new-generation Skoda Octavia, now completed by the headline act – the third-generation Octavia RS.

“We see Octavia as the main sales pillar for Australia,” says Michael Irmer, Director of Skoda Australia. “And, like in the UK, we see the RS brand as being very important here.”

We’ve already examined the Skoda Octavia RS’s pricing and specifications in detail, but Skoda has given us some 350km of Snowy Mountains tarmac to explore the range’s capabilities.

Jumping into the understatedly sporty 162TSI manual wagon, first impressions are good, the RS-specific front pews, here in standard cloth trim (leather is optional), with their integrated headrests offering solid leg and side support, though the support decreases at shoulder height. Also bespoke to the model is a three-spoke steering wheel, which continues a Skoda tradition of being quite large and bulky to the touch.

The RS shares the latest Octavia’s dimensional growth over its predecessor, the 102mm wheelbase stretch, 45mm wider body, 73mm extra legroom and boot volume to 588L in wagon, 568L in sedan form being the highlights. This translates to a comfortable, specious cabin with decent rear seat amenity, even for six-foot-plus journalistic counterparts.

Inside the controls are obviously VAG in their ease of use, though the ambience still feels one step under a ‘comparable’ VW Golf product. Bluetooth connectivity is simple to access for phone use, however, an attempt at acquiring the audio stream of an iPhone failed in this example.

Twisting the key – the Octavia will only gain keyless entry and start with the arrival of the Tech Pack option package later this year – with the clutch depressed fires up the 162kW/350Nm, 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot. Actually, ‘fired up’ is the wrong term; it’s quiet, both at idle and (more surprisingly) under load, with only a hint of the raucous induction noise this engine delivers in other VAG products.

The clutch’s easy action is a precursor to the gearbox itself. The gate is both short and narrow, enabling snappy shifting, but is also easy enough to modulate around when cruising. Only fast cross-gate downshifts require a second thought; otherwise, the shift provides a sense of almost nostalgic interactivity.

The gearbox ratios feel nicely matched to the engine’s performance, which is also impressive. Its linearity -- punching all the way from 1500rpm to the 6500rpm redline, though there’s no need to rev the Skoda out -- with no noticeable step-ups in tempo.

It’s this stable, clockwork predictability that permeates throughout the peppy RS’s controls that really defines it as a sporting machine. Under braking, for example, the pedal feel is beautifully assisted by a larger brake booster; top of travel feel gradually builds in pressure the more you flex your ankle. Stable, also, is the chassis.

Sitting 13mm lower than the standard wagon (12mm in sedan), the Octavia RS rides just as well as its lesser counterparts, with the added benefit of a substantial increase in cornering grip. It takes on a slight roll upon corner entry, allowing you to lean on the available grip with confidence.

The tyres – Continental SportContact 2s in 225/40/R18 size – are nicely matched, offering solid grip and progressive feel while assisting the multi-link rear in keeping things resolutely planted. Even multiple mid-corner bumps do little to distract the RS from your chosen line.

Back under power the XDL electric differential is vastly improved over earlier iterations, blending away power progressively, the front end remaining faithful to your steering inputs.

Steering: It’s perhaps the dynamic weak point of the Octavia RS, though it employs a technically-interesting ‘progressive’ steering system which effectively alters the ‘ratio’, giving more immediate response at steering angles between zero and 120 degrees.

Ostensibly designed to assist at both parking speeds and on ‘curvy roads’, in practice the off-centre feel is a little too darty, before the assistance appears to level off, returning to the stable predictability the rest of the car displays.

Curiously, the launch vehicles aren’t fitted with the ‘Drive Mode Select’ system that was earmarked as a standard fitment in Australia. “We expect this to be fitted in cars from May (2014) onwards…it wasn’t available in the initial allocation,” explains Irmer.

Moving into a (DSG-only) 135kW/380Nm diesel wagon, the immediate impression is, “Where’s the fun gone?”.

On-paper the thumping mid-range, where that 380Nm torque peak is delivered, should give the diesel a real chance against the petrol on these twists. Not so. The engine is devoid of character, and is out of puff before the 5000rpm redline.

What’s more frustrating is the gearbox; even in ‘full’ manual mode it will kickdown (when the false throttle stop is breached at certain revs), change up (before the rev limiter), or hold shifts of its own volition (try asking for second gear into a hairpin at 50km/h).

One plus of going diesel is of course discovered at the bowser, the diesel returning 7.9L/100km during performance road testing compared to the claimed 5.3L/100km (the petrol wagon, incidentally, consumed 10.4L/100km of the recommended 98-octane PULP, against a claimed 6.4L/100km).

Interestingly, both wagons suffer from road and wind noise, though it’s more noticeable in the petrol variant with its less intrusive engine note.

Finally, we alight in a petrol DSG sedan. It’s definitely quieter inside on-road than its wagon equivalent, but there is something less Q-car about it.

The dual-clutch gearbox, six speeds here also, seems better suited to the petrol motor, more willing to accept manual inputs, perhaps due to its wider power band.

Overall the sedan is still a stylish, spacious, comfortable dual-purpose machine, but the wagon somehow feels cooler. We’ll have a petrol wagon, then – and please, make it a manual.

2014 Skoda Octavia RS wagon pricing and specifications:
Price: $37,840 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 162kW/350Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 6.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 147g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP