Skoda recently launched the fourth-generation facelift version of the Octavia RS at Rs 49.99 lakh as its flagship sedan in India. The nameplate has returned after it was discontinued in early 2023. But should you buy the Octavia RS? We list three positives and three negatives we found while driving the sedan on the BIC. Let us start with the pros:
Gutsy engine offers an exploitable performance
Claimed 0-100kph time of 6.4 seconds, 250kph top speed.
The new Skoda Octavia RS comes with the VW group’s EA888 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, which it shares with the Volkswagen Golf GTI. It churns out 265hp and 370Nm and sends power to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The performance sedan does a 0-100kph run in a claimed 6.4 seconds, before maxing out at an electronically limited top speed of 250kph.
Out on the track, while we could not put Skoda’s 0-100kph claimed time to test, we were able to clock speeds of over 200kph on the Buddh International Circuit’s back straight. The petrol mill revs happily and accelerates freely across the rev range. This ensures that there is a big smile on your face every time you push the accelerator pedal.
Handles straight and curvy roads gracefully
Not just fast but also agile around corners.
The sporty performance is complemented by stable handling that instils a lot of confidence on curves and straights alike. The Skoda Octavia RS is offered with an electronic differential lock that brakes the inner wheel tightly on a corner to ensure that the sedan maintains its line. This, coupled with an electronically limited-slip differential, which sends more power to the outer wheel on a corner, ensures that it corners with confidence at high speeds.
The steering is predictable as well but due to the FWD setup, the Octavia RS understeers a bit. Drive modes enable you to slightly tune the steering and powertrain setup to your liking. One thing that the India-spec Octavia RS sorely misses is the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) that offers adaptive dampers. What this means is that the car feels a bit soft on the tight corners of BIC; however, it is not a comfort-oriented sedan and does not feel too roly-poly.
Sporty yet practical interior
Does not let go of practicality, similar to other Skoda cars.
The sporty exterior of the Octavia RS is also well translated in its cabin, with an all-black interior theme and red stitching on the dashboard, steering wheel and seats to add contrast. The front passengers get sport seats, and they hold the occupants well. Skoda has also offered adjustable under-thigh support, making the new Octavia ideal for passengers of all shapes and sizes.
The rear seats also offer plenty of leg room, and the knee room and under-thigh support is more than adequate to fit 6-foot passengers with ease. All three rear passengers get adjustable headrests, and there’s an integrated cup holder on the rear bench that opens up to reveal two pop-out cupholders. However, the large front seats does not allow the rear passengers to get a clear view of the road.
In terms of practicality, the Octavia RS packs massive space on the doors that can hold multiple bottles simultaneously, two cupholders for the front passengers, seat back pockets for rear occupants, two Type-C USB ports each for front and rear passengers and a 15W wireless phone charger with cooling function.
It also gets an electronically actuated 600-litre boot with a lift back feature. The sedan also comes with an 18-inch steel spare wheel, which is always more desirable than the puncture repair kit that some carmakers offer on their models.
Now, let us take a look at the reasons why the Octavia RS might not be the best option for you.
Misses out on physical buttons and some likeable features
Many essential functions are embedded in the touchscreen.
The Skoda Octavia RS comes with a lot of modern-day features, among which is a massive 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is slick to use and has a clean user interface. However, to keep the interior design minimal, Skoda has embedded a lot of features, including the AC controls, into the touchscreen, which is not very user friendly.
There is a touch-enabled slide bar under the touchscreen to control the volume, which again is not very intuitive. Compared to this, the Skoda Kodiaq, which also comes with a 13-inch touchscreen, gets dedicated rotary knobs for controlling AC as well as the volume settings.
Apart from this, the Octavia also does not come with a sunroof and ventilated front seats, something that people hugely desire. At Rs 49.99 lakh, these amenities seem to be an important miss.
Low ground clearance
A 128mm clearance is not ideal for Indian roads.
While the Octavia RS is a desirable car on the track with its lower centre of gravity, its 128mm ground clearance maens it will not be ideal on Indian roads, which is filled with potholes and tall speed bumps.
This means that although the Octavia RS gets all the bells and whistles to be a perfect driver’s car, it will be a bit impractical if the road conditions are not ideal.
Overpriced compared to older generations
Does it have enough to justify its Rs 49.99 lakh price tag?
At Rs 49.99 lakh, the current-spec fourth-generation Octavia RS is about Rs 14 lakh more expensive than the third-generation Octavia RS 245 that had a price tag of around Rs 36 lakh. The Octavia nameplate has always been known for its powerful engine, the aggressive exterior design and feature-loaded cabin that does not lose out on practicality, and the new model is no different. So Skoda really has priced it on the higher side.
That being said, if you still feel that the Octavia RS offers bang for the buck, you will be disappointed to know that Skoda brought it in limited numbers to India, all of which have been sold out. However, as reported earlier, Skoda India’s brand director, Ashish Gupta, has said that more units of the sporty sedan are expected to be imported, which is good news if you are keen on getting your hands on one.
Prices are ex-showroom, pan-India