Twenty-five years ago, the first-generation Octavia introduced the Czech brand Skoda to India, and since then, every generation of the car has been on sale here. However, Skoda India pulled the plug on what was the fourth-generation model in early 2023; the good news is it’s coming back this year. What better way to celebrate Skoda India’s 25th anniversary than with the relaunch of the car that started it all?
The facelifted fourth-gen model will arrive in the sporty RS guise but will do so as completely built units (read pricey), costing around Rs 50 lakh. So, will it be worth it? To get an idea, we drove the Octavia in Croatia at a racetrack and on the road.
Skoda Octavia RS engine and performance
Upgraded 2.0-litre TSI engine makes 265hp and 370Nm
While the regular Octavia has a bevy of engine options –petrols, diesels, CNG and hybrids – the RS makes do with the familiar E888 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine, which, for the fourth generation, has new piston skirts and tweaks to the crankshaft and crankcase. And in the RS, its power is up by 20hp to 265hp, while the peak torque is 370Nm.
0-100kph in a claimed 6.4s
Given its sporty pretensions, Skoda had an Octavia for us at the Automotodrom Grobnik in Rijeka. It’s a small circuit but perfect for a car like this; an F1 track would make the car feel awfully slow. A few convoy laps were all we had, but straight off, the quick acceleration was apparent and impressive. Skoda claims a 0 to 100kph time of 6.4 seconds, which is plenty fast for a family sedan. Put your foot down, and power comes in eagerly, and you pull away smartly. The gearbox is quick, with the 7-speed DSG unit also capable of being influenced by steering-mounted paddles, which felt small; given the RS guise, I would have preferred larger ones.
Keeping up with the lead car driven by an ex-Skoda rally champ wasn’t a problem – but only because he wasn’t pushing it at all. Still, we managed to cross the 200kph mark on the straight and rather easily, too, not surprising given that it had plenty more to give with its 250kph electronically limited top speed.
Cruising and overtaking on public roads is effortless
Out on public roads, the engine does a great job at daily driver duty, and high-speed expressway cruising was effortless, as was overtaking slower-moving traffic. What’s nice is that power delivery is linear, and for everyday overtaking, you don’t have to wait on the box to drop a gear or two unless you’re in a big hurry and prod further with the throttle.
Skoda Octavia RS ride and handling
Ride quality is good; Normal and Sport modes work best
Octavias have always handled well; they are typically European with a solid, planted ride, and the new fourth-generation RS is the same. On the racetrack, despite a few crests and uneven sections, it tracked well, and only while braking really hard over a crest did I feel the car was a little unsettled. Even high-speed motorway cruising was a steady and calm affair. The expansion joints and undulations, which seemed to be the nature of the roads around us, didn’t upset the car. Ride quality, too, felt good, and I found that the Normal and Sport modes worked the best. The Comfort mode brought in some float over the smooth but undulating roads; it would be best for slow, rough sections of tarmac.
Body rolls during cornering
As for handling, there’s enough grip in corners, but push really hard, and typical of its front-drive setup, it will understeer. The steering has a good amount of weight to it, but it’s not very communicative, especially when viewed through the car’s sporty lens. However, my only issue with the car was the lean around corners. On the track, even in Sport mode, I expected this because of the higher speeds and tighter-than-usual turns, but going up a mountain section, too, this felt more than it should have. Given that the RS has dynamic dampers, I would have liked a tighter body control in Sport mode.
Skoda Octavia RS exterior design and platform
RS-specific changes make Octavia look sportier
The current-generation Octavia was launched in 2019 and is underpinned by the Volkswagen Group’s MQB Evo platform. The car returning to India is that model’s facelift unveiled early last year. The facelift gets the requisite styling updates, but the changes go deeper with a refreshed interior, some new tech and a bump-up in engine power in the RS version.
On the outside, the car gets a sharper stylistic treatment, even more so in the RS version. The headlights cut prominently into the bumper, and that effect is accentuated by the jagged DRL signature. The bumper has chiselled edges on the outside and pointy, triangular, blacked-out sections that house inlets that channel air around the front wheels. Being the RS version, the grille and lower air intake area are blacked out, with the grille carrying the RS badge.
19-inch alloys don't look too sporty
The 19-inch alloys are aero-optimised, and while the company says they reduce drag, they take away some of the sporty look with the large closed-off area. In profile, the Octavia wears the sedan look well, though the boot lid is actually a lift-back design – a hallmark of all Octavias. At the rear, there’s a neat little boot-lip spoiler, and, like the headlights, the tail-lamps have a sharp lighting signature. The bumper’s lower edge has a sporty, blacked-out treatment, with twin exhaust pipes at each side.
Skoda Octavia RS interior, features and comfort
13-inch touchscreen is new
While the insides of the facelifted Octavia are largely the same, the big change is a new 13-inch touchscreen that’s crisp and responsive to touch. Some controls, such as the engine start-stop, are contained in the screen; thankfully, some functions, like drive-mode selection and HVAC, are via the buttons below. The RS has sports seats that look really cool with their black upholstery and contrasting red elements in the fabric and stitching.
Skoda's Simply Clever features are noteworthy
The comfort is good, and for my smaller frame, the deep bolstering felt just right. The dashboard is also an all-black affair, covered in neoprene and with red stitching. The three-spoke steering wheel has the RS logo at the bottom and familiar scroll wheels that feel nice to use. Given that this is a Skoda, there are quite a few of the brand’s signature ‘Simply Clever’ features, such as a phone holder that fits inside the cup holders, and my favourite: a small microfibre duster to wipe the touchscreen, stored securely inside the centre console.
Octy's cabin is spacious with ample headroom
As expected, the cabin is spacious; at both front and rear, there’s considerable headroom, but note that our car didn’t have a sunroof. The legroom, too, is very good, and I had more than sufficient space for my 5-foot 8-inch frame. So, even if you choose to be chauffeur-driven, you’ll be happy here.
Skoda Octavia RS price, launch and verdict
Octavia RS price expected to be around Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom)
As with its predecessors, the new Skoda Octavia RS will be priced higher than its regular sibling, which Skoda is working hard at getting to India after the RS launch. But as these will come as CBUs, expect higher sticker prices – we hear that’s around Rs 50 lakh for the RS. Interestingly, Skoda tells us that instead of importing a fixed number of cars, it will go by customer orders. While that translates into a waiting period of four to five months, it also means that customers can specify a variant and features based on what’s available in the UK.
Customers who sign up can thus expect some level of a personalised RS and, of course, a well-rounded sedan. A more lively handling character would be nice, but that aside, the new Skoda Octavia RS is one gem of a car. It can pull off daily driver duties and transform into a sporty, energetic car with ease. It’s comfy, with plenty of space inside, and the brand has plenty of street cred, too. So it really can be all the car you’ll ever want.
Also see:
2025 Skoda Octavia RS walkaround video: Auto Expo 2025