Test Car Specifications
Model: 2025 Skoda Octavia vRS Hatch 2.0 TSI 265PS DSG
Price: vRS from £39,650
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine
Transmission: seven-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Power: 265hp
Torque: 370Nm
Emissions: 158-160g/km
Economy: 40.2-40.8mpg
0-62mph: 6.4 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Boot space: 600-1,555 litres
Styling
The Octavia design is pretty handsome these days, but the vRS adds a sportier edge to the look, thanks to a full-width rear deflector, lots of black trim and 19-inch alloy wheels. You get black exhaust finishers, too, and a 15mm reduction in ride height compared with more conventional models. Peek behind those alloys, and you'll see red brake callipers, too. But perhaps the most remarkable part of the Octavia's design are the colours on offer. Where so many manufacturers simply choose various shades of grey, the Octavia vRS gets lurid Hyper Green paint as standard, while Race Blue is an option. Velvet Red and Royal Green are also available, along with Phoenix Orange, making the Skoda's palette much brighter than some.
Interior
Aside from a handful of design tweaks, including sports seats with red stitching, some vRS badging and a sports steering wheel, the Octavia vRS's cabin is pretty similar to that of a standard Octavia. That means it's very nicely made, with each and every panel fitting snugly alongside its neighbours, and every switch feeling well engineered. There are a few ergonomic issues, such as the lack of switchgear and the strange volume slider, but otherwise it's a very pleasant place to be. And those seats are surprisingly comfortable despite the 'bucket' design.
Technology has been a bit of an issue for Skoda in recent years, with some ergonomic problems from the central touchscreen systems, but the newer models seem much better. There are still some awkward menus, but the Octavia now has a much more user-friendly system that looks great and offers bags of functionality. Even the touchscreen climate control system is relatively easy to use, thanks to the inclusion of controls at the foot of the screen no matter what you're looking at. We still prefer the conventional switches in the Superb and Kodiaq, though.
Practicality
A key part of the vRS's appeal has always been its practicality, inherited from the more conventional, yet still ultra-spacious Octavia models. And the new generation is no different, with the same huge 600-litre boot that makes the Estate version feel a little superfluous unless you really need to fit bulky things back there. And don't go thinking that space has come at the cost of passenger legroom, because the rear seats are perfectly generous in the space they make available, offering ample head- and legroom for all but the very tallest rear passengers.
And naturally, the Skoda's practicality runs deeper than just the space available. There's an umbrella in the driver's door, just in case the weather catches you out, and there's an ice scraper in the fuel filler flap. There's a clip for parking tickets on the windscreen, too, and you can even have a special litter bin attachment for the pockets in the doors. It's a very well thought-out vehicle.
Performance
Up front, all new Octavia vRS models get the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine as the Skoda Kodiaq vRS. With 265hp heading to the front wheels via a seven-speed twin-clutch automatic gearbox, the vRS is pretty brisk, getting from 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 155mph. That kind of speed is more than adequate, but the Octavia isn't about to break any records or impress your mates in the local pub. And though the car's synthesised noise generator is pretty good, the sound of an inline four-cylinder engine is never going to be all that engaging.
So while the vRS is brisk without being exceptional, it is at least fairly economical. The official figure suggest you're looking at around 40mpg, and you should be able to achieve something in the high 30s on a long run. It isn't as efficient as the old diesels, which were spectacular all-rounders, but it's perfectly adequate for most. However, with no plug-in hybrid option available on the new vRS, there's no way of shrinking the company car tax with the high-performance Skoda.
Ride & Handling
Skoda has put sports suspension in the Octavia, which lowers the ride height and naturally impacts comfort slightly, but that can be mitigated by choosing the optional Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) that was fitted to our test car. That means you can set the car up as you want it, with a softer setting for long journeys and motorway miles, and a stiffer setting when you want to have fun on a good country road.
In fairness, the Octavia never feels outrageously firm anyway, so even the sportier settings are tolerable on the motorway, whereas the softest settings make it feel a bit slack and loose in the bends. That said, the vRS is never quite as sharp in corners as a Golf GTI, so don't go expecting wonders from what is really a fast family car. Yes, it's sportier than a standard Octavia, and that improvement is welcome, but it's no replacement for an Audi S3.
Value
With prices starting at a smidgen under £40,000, the Octavia vRS is not perhaps the working class hero it once was. Choose a snazzy paint scheme and you're looking at a car that incurs the government's 'premium' vehicle tax for the first five years of its life. However, when a Golf GTI starts at just under £41,000 and offers much less space, the Octavia's price tag doesn't look quite as bad. Especially when the seven-speed automatic gearbox is standard.
Other standard features include a digital instrument cluster, satellite navigation and climate control, as well as a reversing camera, sports suspension and a sports exhaust. Red brake callipers, LED Matrix headlights and sports seats with red stitching are all included in the price, too.
Verdict
Without the diesel, the Octavia vRS has undoubtedly lost a little of its appeal, but the truth is it's still brilliant. As capable on a back road as it is on the motorway, this all-rounder is as rapid as it is roomy, and we have a lot of time for that. Perhaps it isn't as cheap or as special as it once was, but it's still wholly competent and easy to live with every day.
