Model tested: Skoda Octavia vRS 2.0 TDi estate
Price as tested: £19,400
Range price: £10,802 – £20,087
Insurance group as tested: 14E
Insurance group range: 4E – 15E
Date tested: February 2007
Road tester: Stuart Milne
Auto Trader Ten Point Test rating: 87%
Practical and exciting. That might be the slogan for Skoda's baby performance car, the Fabia vRS, but it applies even more to the Octavia vRS. Especially when it's an estate version with a diesel engine.
But has Skoda weakened the sporty vRS badge by building a car which on the face of it isn't. Or has it created a very interesting choice for the performance car buyer looking for something a little different?
Read on for our full review of the Skoda Octavia vRS, or click the links below to skip to a section.
Looks | Looks Inside | Practicality | Ride and Handling | Performance
Running Costs | Reliability | Safety | Equipment | X-Factor | Rivals
1. Looks
The Octavia shouldn't be a pretty car; but it really is. Its gaping grill and huge headlights give away being an important part of the Volkswagen family tree, while the rear has more than a hint of Audi about it. The vRS version raises the stakes once again, by adding a deep front bumper, gorgeous alloys hiding sporty red brake calipers and a big pair of exhaust pipes poking from under the rear bumper. Roof rails are one of those additions which used to have style-conscious buyers running a mile, but sporty estates like the Octavia vRS are likely to appeal to cool thirtysomethings who'll love the ability to carry skis and other outdoor activity kit.
8/10
2. Looks inside
Like the exterior, the cabin uses a careful amount of sporty bits to get the point across without looking tacky. A silver stripe reaches from one side of the interior to the other, running along the doors and dash, while a silver panel in the centre console lifts the appearance of the Octavia's otherwise grey dash. The steering wheel proudly displays the vRS logo, as do the backs of the exceptionally supportive half leather seats. Anyone familiar with the controls in a VW Group car will feel right at home, with a multi-function display providing information on fuel consumption and various warnings, an excellent satnav system (a £1,350 option) and simple and clear dials for the climate control.
8/10
3. Practicality
A massive 580 litre boot (rising to 1,620 litres with the seats folded) combines with a low lip to make loading big and bulky objects a cinch. A huge tonneau cover stretches across the top to stop beady eyes seeing what's in the boot. The only fly in the ointment was a recessed boot floor, meaning luggage had to be lifted over the lip. Up front there's bags of storage areas, including a flip-down compartment in the roof for a pair of sunglasses and a cavernous glovebox.
8/10
4. Ride and Handling
The Octavia is based on the Volkswagen Golf, so it comes as no surprise to learn it’s a competent performer. It's not quite as sharp around the bends as the Golf GTi, despite the vRS badge indicating it’s the sporty model. However, it's important to remember it’s an estate and carries a bit more weight than VW's hot hatch. It's still more than capable of putting a smile on the driver's face. The suspension has been lowered by 15mm, and carries shock absorbers developed specifically for this model. The vRS's 17 inch alloys look smart, and with a set of wide low profile tyres, provide plenty of grip. All in all, it’s an impressive performer at speed, and doesn't leave its occupants shaken like some other performance cars in its class.
8/10
5. Performance
The diesel version we tested was exceptional through all of its six gears. Although at 8.6 seconds to 62mph it gives away a second to the petrol version, in the real world, the diesel's extra pulling power is likely to give it the edge. Top speed is 139mph, just 8mph less than the more powerful petrol. The 170bhp, 2-litre diesel is a very refined unit, and proved to be a relaxing powerplant on a long journey.
8/10
6. Running Costs
At a shade over £19,000, the Octavia vRS estate is on par with a diesel-engined Golf GT, and several thousand pounds cheaper than a Golf GTi. But with the bigger Octavia – especially in estate guise – it feels like you're getting much more car for your money. And it'll be good when the time comes to sell too, as the vRS-badged cars have a lot of kudos with those in the know, keeping residual values strong. Our test car returns around 40mpg in a variety of heavy urban traffic and longer A-road runs, which is down on the claimed 48.7mpg average. The Octavia vRS is unusual in that servicing can either be scheduled at fixed intervals (one year/10,000 miles), or variable depending on how the car is driven. Skoda say the maximum it can go between services is 18,000 miles or two years – keeping costs down for sympathetic drivers. Group 14 insurance is about average for this type of car, and low-ish emissions put it in a middle-of-the-road Band D for road tax.
8/10
7. Reliability
Skoda's tend to score admirably in the reliability ratings, and all the Octavias we’ve driven feel solid and very well built. The engines and transmissions are pulled from elsewhere in the VW Group and have few criticisms levelled at them.
8/10
8. Safety
The Octavia range was developed with the vRS in mind, so it can easily handle all the extra power and handling prowess. It features electronic brakeforce distribution, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability programme and a tyre pressure monitoring system as standard. Inside there's front and front side airbags and optional curtain airbags. All this adds up to a four star EuroNCAP crash test score.
7/10
9. Equipment
The vRS has plenty of kit for a £19,000 car, although buyers looking for sat-nav will have to fork out extra. Our test car featured the sporty vRS-branded seats, a multi-function trip computer, electric windows and mirrors, an air-conditioned glovebox, climate control, remote central locking and extra sporty bits on the inside and outside.
8/10
10. X-Factor
The Skoda Octavia vRS is a real wolf in sheep's clothing. It looks great, drives superbly and won't cost the earth to run. It’s a brilliant alternative to the 'prestige badge' estates at an affordable price.
8/10
Rivals
You might also want to consider:
Peugeot 407 Sport HDi
Vauxhall Astra SRi CDTi Estate
Volvo V50 D5 SE Sport
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