Skoda Octavia RS goes up an octave

BY SPENCER LEECH | 3rd Sep 2018

VOLKSWAGEN Group Australia (VGA) has revealed the updated Skoda Octavia RS sedan and wagon range, with all variants now powered by the company’s 180kW/370Nm 180TSI engine.

Checking in at $39,990 plus on-road costs, the entry-level RS sedan is now the cheapest of any vehicle to sport the EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which also motivates the current Volkswagen GTI Performance and the forthcoming 2019 GTI.

The update comes as VGA was forced to discontinue some models due to the tightening Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), meaning that the 135TDI and 169TSI motors that previously motivated the Octavia RS can no longer be offered.

Manual gearboxes were also affected by WLTP, and so the Skoda performance four-door is now exclusively offered with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with a limited-slip differential.

As such, the higher-spec RS245 sedan is now priced at $45,490 which translates to a $400 discount over the previous self-shifting iteration.

Wagon body styles are available for both the RS and RS245, commanding a $1500 premium in both cases.

Standard equipment remains mostly unchanged, however the German car-maker’s Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster is now offered as a $700 option.

Carryover gear includes 18-inch alloys, adaptive cruise control, LED headlights and daytime running lights, an eight-speaker sound system, 8.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, sports seats and dual-zone climate control.

Safety and convenience features include a rearview camera, front assist, city emergency brake, low tyre pressure indicator, driver fatigue detection, rear parking sensors, automatic headlights, rain sensing wipers and seven airbags.

Stepping up to the RS245 affords customers adaptive chassis control with adjustable dampers, advanced keyless entry, front parking sensors, automatic park assist, nine airbags, wireless charging, foglights with corner functionality and passenger protect assist.

The RS245 also benefits from a 9.2-inch infotainment system with satellite navigation matched up to a 10-speaker Canton sound system.

While the Octavia RS range has been streamlined with the loss of a manual gearbox and diesel engine offerings, Skoda Australia director Michael Irmer suggests that its customers prefer higher-spec petrol-powered cars.

“Skoda Octavia customers almost always express a preference for highly-optioned petrol engine cars,” he said

“Since the availability last year of the RS245 with its enhanced drivetrain, Octavia RS buyers have gravitated to this, the most potent variant to date.”

2018 Skoda Octavia RS pricing*