The VW Group which owns the likes of Skoda, SEAT and Audi are masters at creating very
different models using shared components.
So, if you want a quick family car, you could go for a Leon FR, sporty Golf, upmarket A3,
or this…the fast and hugely practical Octavia vRS Estate.
Available with either the 2.0-litre petrol or diesel from the Golf GTI or GTD, it has
a top speed of more than 140mph, but can also take on the daily grind, and consume all your
luggage with ease.
It’s perhaps ever-so-slightly more workmanlike than the Golf in here, but the difference
has never been smaller.
All the materials on show look classy, feel soft to the touch and feel well-made.
It’s no racing car, but subtle touches like the metallic effect dials, carbon dash inlays
and vRS badges, remind you of its performance.
The front seats are also very attractive and feature lots of adjustment, particularly for
height.
It’s easy to get comfortable, and the flat-bottomed steering wheel is good to hold.
Headroom and shoulder room shouldn’t be a problem and there are huge door bins, enough
cup holders and even this thingy-ma-jig to stick your phone in.
Incredibly, despite all its performance, the Octavia vRS is no less practical than the
standard car.
Hop in the back and there’s loads of room in all directions, so you could even get three
people back here.
Open the rear hatch and the 610-litre boot is close to the class-leaders, and features
these handy toggles to drop the rear seats with the minimum of fuss.
So, what’s it like to drive.
Well, there’s plenty of power, with either 182bhp in the diesel we’re driving, or 217bhp
in the petrol model, with sprint times to 62mph of 8.2 and 6.9 seconds depending on
your preference.
They are both very flexible engines too, pulling from well low revs, with a muscular surge
of power from the turbo, although it’s a shame this diesel is quite noisy.
The automatic DSG gearbox is excellent, with seamless shifts once up to speed, although
it can be jerky in low speed manoeuvres.
In terms of handling, two words spring to mind, and those are “competent” and “stable”.
The Octavia rarely feels flustered by anything, it just grips and goes with a shrug of the
shoulders and feels equally at home on a b-road, in town or on the motorway.
In fact, it’s easy to see why Police and Paramedics like them, as you can drive quickly
with little effort and lots of confidence.
The downsides?
Well, the ride at low speeds is quite fidgety, so the optional 19-inch alloy wheels are probably
best avoided, and the Focus ST estate, Golf and Leon are more playful and rewarding to
drive.
The petrol vRS estate is cheaper, costing from just under £25k, but they are only separated
by a few hundred pounds, while adding DSG costs around £1,400.
The diesel manual can return over 60mpg and costs only £30 each year to tax, but this
goes up to £110 with the DSG ‘box.
The petrol is a bit pricier, with economy in the mid 40s and a tax bill of £145.
If you need a practical estate, but don’t want to be that person causing a queue of
traffic, the rapid Octavia vRS is a sensible choice.
It’s not quite as fun to drive or desirable as the Golf GTD, but for many people its extra
rear space and massive boot will more than make up for it.
But do you think the Skoda Octavia vRS is sporty enough for you?
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