Skoda teases new hybrid Octavia RS, but not for Oz

SKODA appears to be poised and ready to break into the niche but growing hybrid hot-hatch market with its recently teased Octavia RS iV, though Volkswagen Group Australia (VGA) officials have ruled out its appearance Down Under.

Set to premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the RS iV will be the first fast Skoda to be powered by a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system, tipped to be borrowed from the upcoming Mk8 Volkswagen Golf GTE – also due to debut at the show.

If this is the case – the regular RS borrows its engine from the Golf GTI – then the RS iV should wade into battle with at least 180kW after a recent leak allegedly revealed the power outputs of all the upcoming Mk8 Golf performance range.

With the current Golf GTE producing 150kW and 350Nm overseas, UK publication Autocar has reported the new RS iV could brandish more than 400Nm, driving the front wheels via a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission.

Despite being tipped to weigh more than 200kg more than the standard petrol RS, the RS iV should still be able to reach 100km/h from a standstill in about 7.0 seconds thanks to the sheer amount of low-end grunt courtesy the electric motor.

Elsewhere in the Octavia RS range, both the petrol and diesel engines are due to make a return in both the familiar liftback and wagon body types.

According to VGA corporate communications general manager Paul Pottinger, the next generation Octavia is due to arrive in Australia sometime next year but without the new hi-po hybrid.

“There’s no thought of taking the hybrid,” he said.

Mr Pottinger cited VGA’s plan to pursue the introduction of electric vehicles in Australia rather than plug-in hybrids, hence both the Octavia RS iV and VW Golf GTE’s impending absence Down Under.

Last year Skoda shifted 1814 Octavias in Australia, an increase of 1.1 per cent on 2018 (1794), accounting for 7.0 per cent of the sub-$60,000 medium car segment.