New Skoda Octavia RS India Review: Back With A Vengeance

Months after sister brand Volkswagen unleashed the iconic Golf GTI for the first time in India, Skoda has brought back for its fans a car they have dearly missed. The Octavia RS represents the epitome of performance for the Czech family saloon. While the mother brand was discontinued a few years ago, the RS spearheads the return of the Octavia brand in India. Given that sedans have lost ground to SUVs, Skoda India wants to ensure it puts its best foot forward first and rekindle some love for the once-favoured body style.

Skoda Octavia RS: Design & Dimensions

The RS is based on the facelifted fourth-generation Octavia, which is yet to come to India. Visually, there is a lot of drama going on here. It looks sharp and sporty from most angles. The face is dominated by a black glossy grille with an RS badge flanked by LED Matrix headlights. The sports bumper looks muscular. The performance looks lingers at the rear with a boot spoiler and twin exhaust pipes in black.

There are animated blinkers which add to a premium feel. The RS sits on specially made 19-in ‘Elias’ alloys shod with 225/40 sports tyres from either Bridgestone or Goodyear. The spare tyre is a narrower, 18-inch space saver.

Also Read: Skoda Octavia RS Launched In India At Rs 49.99 Lakh

At over 4.7m long, the RS is a reasonably big saloon. The wheelbase is over 2.6m, which affords a spacious cabin. There are five seats, but like most cars in this segment, the rear seat can ideally accommodate two in utmost comfort. There will be a bit of a squeeze in terms of shoulder room. The Octavia isn’t your regular three-box saloon. The rear hatch opens into the cabin, so that means there is 600 litres of luggage space. So, no limitations there. And if there are no rear passengers on an inter-city or airport run, the rear seats can fold and swallow over 1,500 litres of luggage.

LxWxH: 4709x1829x1457 mm
Wheelbase: 2677 mm
Boot space: 600 litres
Fuel tank: 50 litres
Tyres: 225/40 R19
Kerb weight: 1528 kg

Skoda Octavia RS: Power & Performance

In RS guise, the Octavia comes with a 2.0-litre petrol. It uses both turbocharging and supercharging (TSI) – a tech that many VW Group cars now successfully employ for a power-packed performance. The engine revs freely and is super smooth. In fact, it is the same engine used in the recently launched Golf GTI. In the Octavia RS too, it makes 262 bhp. Peak torque is a hefty 370 Nm and is available from as low as 1600 rpm up to 4700 rpm. That gives the RS a punchy feel when you dump the throttle. Power goes to the front wheels only via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The latter is quick and precise and works well in tandem with the throttle inputs. A sporty exhaust note adds to the charm. Of course, the sound is no comparison to some bigger, more expensive performance machines, especially from the German borders.

Also Read: Skoda India Reports Best Ever Yearly Sales In 2025; 61,607 Units Sold In First 10 Months

Despite its generous proportions, the 1.5-tonne Octavia RS can still do 0–100 kmph in under 6.5 seconds. Top speed is, however, electronically limited to 250kph. Tuners would have fun with this car here, as there is potential to make it sprint faster and touch higher speeds. Check the road legality, though, in case you intend to get it done. Same for the exhaust note. The downside of high performance is, of course, fuel efficiency. The onboard computer kept displaying 6–7 kmpl during our test runs. But to be fair, the car was on the limit on the track.

SPECS:
Engine: 1984 cc
Fuel: Petrol
Gearbox: 7-speed DSG
Drive: FWD
Power: 262 bhp
Torque: 370 Nm @ 1600–4500rpm
0–100 kmph: 6.4 s
Top speed: 250 kmph

Ride & Handling

For a performance car, the Octavia RS manages to offer a supple ride that’s not too stiff. The car’s suspension is tuned to return a sportier handling experience, but it doesn’t shudder and jolt your insides. It isn’t as good as the last-gen standard Octavia, but that is expected given its sportier intentions. Passengers both at the front and rear can enjoy rides in reasonable comfort akin to an everyday premium saloon. Ground clearance is at a low 128 mm, so you need to be careful of unruly speed breakers.

Also Read: 2,831 Kilometres On A Single Tank: Skoda Superb Diesel Sets A World Record

With progressive steering and a road-hugging stance, the Octavia RS feels nimbler than other saloons its size. The progressive steering gets heavier as speed builds, giving confidence to the driver when at high speeds. At low speeds, it is still a tad heavier in comparison to other saloons, but hopefully, you don’t end up using the car only for rush-hour duties between home and work. Given its size and the intent of keeping the ride quality in check, there is some amount of body roll that crops up. But on a track, that adds to the fun quotient as you can push it to the edge and back with ease.

Skoda Octavia RS: Equipment & Features

The Octavia RS will be available in only one variant in India. The interiors use suede/leather upholstery judiciously on the seats and trims. Feels great to touch and visually adds to the sporty touch. There is a carbon-fibre finish on the dashboard too for effect. The driver’s view includes a three-spoke chunky steering wheel with the usual controls for telephone, music and some ADAS functions.

There is a fully digital 10.24-inch instruments display and a heads-up display as well. The steering rake can be adjusted for angle and reach. A bit clichéd, but it comes with aluminium pedals too. The front seats are power-adjustable and come with massage functions, but they miss out on seat cooling, which is a bummer given our high temperatures. There is three-zone auto climate control for individual comfort.

Also Read: New Skoda Kodiaq vs Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line: What I Learned After Driving VW Group's Latest SUVs Back-To-Back

The car comes with advanced driver-assist systems such as adaptive cruise control, autonomous braking, lane assist and park assist. To help with the latter, there is a 360-degree view too, although it isn’t one of the best out there. Apart from charging ports, it also gets a wireless charging pad. You can also run Android Auto and Apple CarPlay wirelessly on the crisp 12.9-inch touchscreen. A 675-watt, 11-speaker Canton system can keep the rest of the passengers equally entertained… almost.

Apart from the ADAS suite, the Octavia RS comes with an array of safety features. A total of 10 airbags in case of any unfortunate incident is complemented by other active and passive safety functions. Disc brakes all around ensure you get just enough stopping power.

Verdict

Believe it or not, the first Octavia RS came to India almost two decades ago. Some say it was the first turbocharged passenger car to be launched here. Nevertheless, the car has garnered enough fans since then. The Octavia RS has been built using Skoda’s vast motorsport experience – especially on the highly competitive World Rally scene. And going by our first go in the latest avatar, there is reason to believe that a lot of that rally lineage has trickled down in the form of a saloon that’s more than your everyday car when it comes to the driving experience.

At Rs 49.99 lakh, the car, imported from the UK, is more expensive than it has ever been but is good value given the lack of equivalent competition in this price segment. The price also includes a 4-year/1 lakh km standard warranty alongside 4-year roadside assistance. Despite being a saloon, it even undercuts the Golf GTI, which is nearly similar in performance, albeit a bit smaller in size. The first lot of Octavia RS has already sold out, but the new year will bring in more units. It is your cue to start working towards that New Year resolution.