With even more grunt squeezed out from that legendary 2.0 EA888, we seriously think that the updated Škoda Octavia RS is necessary medicine for the family man

Singapore – Could this be the GOAT Škoda Octavia RS? We actually think so… that is if you are not one to think that the Combi variant is even better. And we actually do think that the latter is.

If you are on the same page as I am, then good! But then again, the Škoda’s know-how of making the most out of every platform handed to them by their Volkswagen parent comes as no surprise. The result usually means that the cars they build tend to be the most versatile of the group.

What is new though?

First introduced in 2022, the revised Škoda Octavia RS receives a few tweaks to its styling. The most notable would be the redesigned headlight cluster, with the DRLs “dripping” down the sides of the grille.

The revised front and rear are also sharper, steering slightly away from the initial mild design elements.

Small interior revisions. Better.

The facelifted interior remains largely the same. That means a red stitching over alcantara, including across the dashboard. There is also an eco-friendly spin here, with the use of recycled fabrics for the seats.

Of-course with Škoda being Škoda, there is that bit of cheapness you’d get from some of the hard plastics which dot the cabin, but overall things feel well screwed-together.

There is a new 13.1-inch infotainment screen, which replaces the previous unit which was slightly laggy, and did come across as somewhat confusing. The new system features revised menus, which is notably more logical, and quicker.

Wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and there is also a wireless charging pad for added convenience and neatness.

Like all Škoda cars, there are practical storage compartments througout, these include bottle storage points within the door cards, which can hold 1.5 litre bottles, and hooks to keep your bags in-place within the boot. One of my favourite Skoda features is a self-draining slot within the front door cards for containing a small umbrella.

Like the bread-and-butter Octavia (here’s the review of the Combi), interior space is plentiful, thanks to the car’s good packaging. The liftback-style boot at 600 litres, which is the biggest in its class, expands to 1,555 litres with the pull of the two rear seat lowering tabs located within the boot.

Bigger than the GTi, but still very much a driver’s car

The Octavia RS’s 2.0 turbocharged EA888 receives a bump in power, and now produces 257hp – 20hp more than previously. As for torque, it still produces 370Nm. The result is a 100km/h timing of 6.4 seconds – 0.3 seconds quicker to the mark.

Right away, the new Octavia RS feels noticeably more punchy than before. From 1,600rpm to 4,500rpm, you get maximum whack of torque, giving that rapid-fire 7-speed DSG lots of room to play.

Like in the Golf GTi, Octavia RS has retained the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive suspension, which boasts 15-stages of adjustments. Aside from the three presets of “Comfort”, “Normal” and “Sport”, you can dial-down the suspension’s damping below the “Comfort” setting, and even have it set stiffer than “Sport”.

Giving the RS-badged car some hard love, I quickly learnt that the sweet spot for the suspension would actually be just one notch below “Sport”, as it provides a little more give over our layered-over roads, while retaining the stiffness to keep the wheels planted.

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Fling it into a turn, and that front-end with its electronically controlled limited slip differential makes the best of whatever purchase the wheels can muster. Go back on the gas, and you’d be almost “sucked” out of the corner.

On normal days, where you’d not want to white-knuckle drive your occupants, the Octavia RS settles into being a competent daily driver. In “Comfort” drive mode, it feels almost as relaxed as its less-exciting sibling – albeit with more feedback from those larger wheels, and more shove from the engine. But of-course, you could still dial that suspension even further down right?

There is no better way to say it, but the car drives beautifully.

This is fantastic, but we say… Buy the wagon!

Regardless, with a longer wheelbase than the Golf GTi, the Octavia RS comes across as more relaxed, even with the very same drive settings. Therefore, if you are thinking of this as very direct competition to the “King of Hot Hatches”, you’d be barking up the wrong tree. But if seen from a point that this is fast family transport, where it feels a little more “Grand Tourer-like”, you’d be spot-on.

We also think that the sedan is just fabulous, but the Combi on the other hand is sublime.

Text & Photos: Clifford Chow

ProsCons
Fantastic powertrainSome interior materials feel cheap
Versatile, comfortable, fastInfotainment screen could face the driver a bit more
Fabulous adaptive suspension

2025 Skoda Octavia RS

DrivetrainPetrol
Layout1,983cc, inline 4
Power / torque257hp / 370Nm
Transmission7-Speed Dual-Clutch
Efficiency12.8km/l
Fuel Capacity50 Litres
0-100km/h6.4 seconds
Top Speed250km/h
VES BandC2
DealerŠkoda Singapore
PriceS$255,900 with COE and VES
VerdictSublime drive. Fast. Does almost everything. Transports almost anything.