TEST: Skoda Octavia RS 2.0 TDI Hatchback 2013

Skoda Octavia RS Hatchback in Rallye Green
Skoda Octavia RS Hatchback in Rallye Green

Hey Guys

Test Driving the 2013 Skoda Octavia RS is ... fun! And Surprising! To know why, keep on reading my Test Drive Review of the Skoda Octavia RS 2.0 TDI Hatchback. A Review of the Octavia RS Combi follows soon & do you already know my Review of the vRS Mega Man-Pram?

Already at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK Skoda unveiled the "fastest Skoda ever" for the first time. The fastest model of an entire Company, that's a statement!

Clever Sportsman

What's so Special?


As mentioned before, the Skoda Octavia RS is THE fastest Skoda ever! With either 184 hp (2.0 TDI ) or up to 220 hp (2.0 TSI) the RS deserves it's name! Making the 0 – 100 km/h (0-60 mph) in 6.8 seconds with the TSI it's now 6 seconds faster than it's predecessor and the maximum speed is at 248 km/h (154 mph). The Combi / Estate will be available all over Europe from August 2013, the Sedan / Hatchback follows in October – but both can be already ordered.


What's to Like?


What I really liked while driving the Octavia RS Hatchback was, that it's super comfortable. Even with 200 km/h (124 mph) on the Autobahn, the maximum speed I was able to do, It felt like I was driving just something like 140 km/h (87 mph). My biggest Surprise during the Test Drive, the fuel consumption was down at 6,6 litres per 100 km/h, with the manual transmission. So I needed just 3 litres on my 50 km in the inner city traffic and high-speed on the Autobahn – well done, Skoda! (To be honest, I expected much much more...)

Besides the „unter the hood“-features I really like the new & fancy Skoda Exterior Design-Language. Can you remember when Skoda looked nothing than boring and unobtrusively? These Days are definitely over!
A characteristic Skoda Grille, distinctive air intakes with honeycomb structure, standard bi-xenon headlights, an lowered Body, the shorter Overhang createy optical sportiness as well as the black diffusor on the back in combination with trapezodial chrome exhaust pipes and LED-headlamps.
The Colors are something I really enjoy about Skoda in general as well. Years ago there were Cars in so so many colors driving around our Streets but nowadays, all the Cars are blue, silver, white or black. But Skoda's? Silver Grey, Rallye Green, Blue, Yellow, Red, … Yes, Skoda is not just 'Simply Clever' but brings also color and joy into our daily lives.

Inside the leather-textile seats not just look but also feel comfortable, the steering wheel suits my hands and I can reach all the buttons on it easily without leaving my eyes from the Street. In general the Interior definitel feels like a better value for money. Did you know that you can even have heated seats in the back? In the back!


What's to Dislike?


The enormous SPORTY-Feeling is missing! But hey, the RS Hatchback, as well as the RS Combi / Estate, are no pure Sportscars, they are normal ones with a little extra. As long as you have the Sound Generator on (automatically in Sports Mode) you have a nice engine Sound, but after turning it out – and switching to Eco Mode – you hear completely nothing from the engine and/or the exhaust. What's a bit sad is that just one of the two trapezodial chrome exhaust pipes is used – the left one. (check out THIS Picture).

In general, the Touchscreen-Display is really nice and the menu is easy to understand buuut when I was on the passenger seat and wanted to change some Sound-Settings I often mistyped and landed in wrong menus and I once even miss-tapped the back-Button. But as the voice control is working very well at least the navigation shouldn't be a problem and for other settings you should have a minute to park on the side and do it not while driving.

Apropos Navigation, what was really confusing to my is that the Navigation always mentions the intermediate destinations. First it says that we reach our destination soon and then later that it's just an (automatic) intermediate destination. Unfortunately I haven't had enough time to check the settings and maybe remove a hook from a certain setting but after the first „You reach your Destination soon“ I did what written above – mistyped through the Menu to find out that there were some Kilometres left to our final final destination.


For who is it?


I would place the RS Hatchback not entirely in the "family"-level but pretty close. The "RS" is in general for everyone who wants a bit more: a bit more sound, a bit more sporty exterior, a bit faster accelerations and a bit more € or $ or .. to pay. Based on my crazy Brain I would create the typical Skoda Octavia RS Hatchback driver like this: Aged around 30, wife or Girlfriend and one to two Childs. Every morning he drives his Kid(s) to Kindergarten or School and afterwards to work. In the evening hours he loves to take the Country Roads and some extra kilometres/miles back to their House in the outer circles of a bigger Town to enjoy the Sporty Mode and dynamic driving. On the Weekends his wife/Girlfriend takes the Car out for Shopping and on Sunday they use to go to Theme Parks or doing a Picnic next to a Lake or in a Field in the middle of nowhere.


Make sure to read my Review of the Octavia RS Combi / Estate as well as I seperated my Like's and Dislike's on both Reviews, as the Cars are almost identical!
In an another following Post I'll answer all the Questions you asked me via Facebook and E-Mail. If you have any more, just comment below and I'll find an answer!


Price


Octavia vRS prices
Model CO2OTRBiK (‘13-14)P11D value   
Hatchback
2.0 TSI 220PS 142£22,99020%£22,795
2.0 TSI 220PS DSG149£24,38021%    £24,185
2.0 TDI CR 184PS DPF 119£23,26018%£23,205
2.0 TDI CR 184PS DSG DPF129£24,65020%£24,595
Estate
2.0 TSI 220PS 142£23,79020%£23,595
2.0 TSI 220PS DSG149£25,18021%£24,985
2.0 TDI CR 184PS DPF 119£24,06018%    £24,005
2.0 TDI CR 184PS DSG DPF132£25,45021%    £25,270

Octavia vRS standard equipment
18" Gemini anthracite alloy wheelsEnergy recovery
3 spoke MFSW for radio and tel with DSG paddles if DSGESC incl ABS, EBV, MSR, ASR, EDS, HBA, DSR, XDS
Acoustic rear parking sensorsHill hold
Automatic post collision braking systemLane assistant
Bi-Xenon headlights +AFS+LED "DAY LIGHT" with dynamic angle controlLED rear lights
Black door mirrors and handlesLight assistant
BluetoothRear backrest release (estate)
DABRear electric windows (with child safety switch)
Daytime LED running lightsRoof rails (estate only)
Driver alert system (fatigue detection)Sports suspension
Driver knee airbagStop/start
Driving mode selection (eco/comfort/sport/custom)Touchscreen "Bolero" (with single CD player & proximity sensor)
Dual zone air conditioning with humidity sensor and controlTPM+
Test: Skoda Octavia RS TDI Hatchback / Sedan
Test: Skoda Octavia RS TDI Hatchback / Sedan


All the Pictures are taken from this previous Post:  Gallery: Skoda Octavia RS Sedan 2.0 TDI 2013 (Green)




Lisa

Comments