SKODA could potentially have it both ways from around this time next year.

It is hard to believe that the Octavia RS has been mixing affordable performance with amazing practicality for almost a decade now, which is a level of consistency virtually no medium-sized rival can match. It all now culminates in this facelifted, largest and most powerful range yet.

While the market moves towards SUV models with automatic transmissions, this sporty Skoda has among the highest take-up rates for wagon over liftback or sedan, and manual over auto, compared with any rival. In short, it has capitalised on a niche recipe and brought a loyal crew along with, while it will soon have Karoq complementing Kodiaq in the mainstream SUV market.

The question is, can this sporty medium-sized liftback and wagon range convert a few SUV buyers along the way, or will it be soon be forgotten in the wake of high-riding models both from inside and outside? Quite possibly, perhaps, the Czech Republic car-maker could have it both ways…