The Skoda Octavia was something close to God-sent when it first arrived in 1998, at least as far as Irish drivers were concerned. Secure in the knowledge that it was essentially a VW Golf underneath (VW had bought out Skoda in the post-communist euphoria of a newly free Czechoslovakia) but equally knowing that it came with a bigger boot and a smaller price tag. Well frankly, what’s not to like?
The Octavia became an instant strong seller in Ireland, and popular with hard-working types. There’s still a second-generation 2007 Octavia knocking around that has more than a million kilometres on its odometer, proving that with a little maintenance and care, a humble Skoda could threaten mighty Toyota when it came to longevity.
When it came to fun, the Skoda Octavia was a more obvious threat. That first-generation Octavia RS has gone down in legend, becoming known as the Farmer’s Ferrari.
Last year, we had to wave goodbye to one branch of the Octavia RS, when the production of the diesel-engined version came to an end.
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Even though it’s probably a good thing, overall, that we’re moving away from diesel (certainly good for air quality), it was impossible not to be beguiled by the Octavia RS TDI’s mix of performance, practicality and parsimoniousness. It was also surprisingly sharp to drive, easily the equal of its cousin, the VW Golf GTI, and that was with the extra weight of the estate car version’s bodywork hanging out the back.
With diesel dead and the slightly odd, but good, plug-in hybrid RS on hiatus, it falls to this, the petrol-powered Octavia RS to fly the flag for fast farmers in the epoch of this latest Octavia. That makes it sound like a new car – it’s not; it’s more of a mild, but thorough, update of the car that became Ireland’s third-best-selling model last year, proving that SUVs don’t have a full stranglehold on the market.
The update brought with it new styling at the front, with a revised grille and new, slightly deeper headlights which are full of LED units for bright night-time driving (they come with automatic high beam dipping as well, of course). There are more new lights at the back, including scrolling LED indicators (possibly the most pointless piece of car equipment since ‘gesture control’), while there are also new colour options. I would have loved the citrusy look of Mamba Green but the more subtle Race Blue of our test car still looks smart, especially with the 19-inch Elias alloy wheels.
Inside, there have also been changes. The 13-inch infotainment screen is carried over, but the software which runs on it has been improved. That said, it’s still occasionally frustrating to use, and it would help if Skoda copied across the little physical rotary controllers from the Superb and the Kodiaq.
There are some new interior trim options, and the general feeling of quality has been given a boost so that the Octavia can now pretty easily bear comparison with Audi. The high-back bucket front seats, with their Bentley-esque diamond quilting, are very comfy, but the material used on the seats could be a bit nicer and more expensive-looking.
As ever, there’s loads of space in both front and back – four big adults can get comfy – and the 600-litre boot is simply massive (a comparable Golf GTI carries just 380 litres).
To underline the legend of the Farmer’s Ferrari, the Octavia RS has also had a power boost, bringing its 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder TSI engine up to the same 265hp as the Golf GTI, along with 370Nm of torque.
All of that is passed through the front wheels (alas, there’s no longer a four-wheel drive option) via a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox (alas, alas, there’s no manual option any more either) and the clever XDS electronic front differential (no alas needed as that’s brilliant, and helps the Octavia RS sniff out extra grip and traction in slippery conditions).
Thus equipped, the Octavia RS will scamper to 100km/h in a brisk 6.4 seconds, yet Skoda claims that it can average 7.0-litres per 100km fuel economy. We managed a little better than that on our test drive, proving that the Czechs rightly err on the side of caution with such calculations.
So far, so predictable. A time of 6.4 seconds to 100km/h won’t trouble any real Ferrari (well, not one made in this century anyway, although it’s enough to mug a 1980s 308 GTB), but the Octavia is a classic hot hatch in that it’s fast enough to be fun, but not so overpowered that you’re going to be constantly hauled up before the local circuit court for vehicular naughtiness.
However, there might be a problem. You see, the update for the Octavia comes on the heels of a similar round of updates for the VW Golf, what has been dubbed the Golf Mk8.5. In the Golf, those updates were transformative, turning it, and especially the GTI, from being a bit too dull to drive to a near-perfect blend of sharpness and sweetness, like a well-balanced lemon meringue pie.
In the standard Octavia, the updates were solidly implemented but didn’t make too massive a difference to a car that was already good. In the Octavia RS, though ... It’s not that things have turned to dust or anything. The Octavia RS is still an agile, quick, and enjoyable car to drive. It’s just that some of the sharpness of old seems to have been turned down.
In some ways, that’s not a problem. The RS rides comfortably (especially if you have fitted the optional €1,135 adaptive suspension dampers), even though the suspension has been lowered by 15mm for better handling and a more sporty feel. It’s fairly quiet at a cruise, although tyre noise does intrude. And when you get it on a twisty road, it’s responsive, sure-footed, and fun.
It’s just that it used to be more fun. That diesel estate Octavia RS I drove last year had the right blend of sharpness and comfort. This blue saloon version? It errs slightly too much towards comfort, and those are the words of a near-50-year-old bloke with a dicky back.
So, is it still the one true Farmer’s Ferrari? Yes, it is, and I would absolutely still love to have one as my daily car. However, this generation of the Octavia RS is just a touch less fun than the old one.
Lowdown: Skoda Octavia RS
Power: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with 265hp and 370Nm of torque driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
0-100km/h: 6.4 secs.
Emissions (motor tax): 159g/km (€280).
Fuel consumption: 7.0l/100km (WLTP).
Price: €57,818 as tested. Octavia from €32,150.
Our rating: 3/5.
Verdict: Still one of the most talented all-rounders you can buy, but a bit of the old sharpness has gone.
