2017 Skoda Octavia RS Review
Car Tested: 2017 Skoda Octavia RS; Road Test No. 861
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 30.23 lakhs
The Skoda Octavia RS looks like a genuine mean machine and drives like one too
With great power comes great responsibility, I don’t have an uncle named Ben but you get the drift (for those who don’t get it, just Google the first line). Even though I have driven a lot of fast cars, the Skoda Octavia RS made me excited in a different way, there is something about a practical daily driver which can also burn rubber or so I believed, until I sampled the true-blue Octavia RS, the third generation RS 230. Before I dwell deep into what makes the Octavia RS the absolute thrill that it is, let me tell you something, the first batch is already sold out and if you are interested, you have to wait till next year.
Motor Quest: Skoda launched the first generation Octavia RS in India but in a lower power tune while the second generation Octavia RS (launched as the Laura RS) didn’t get an engine upgrade. The third generation Octavia RS, which we are reviewing here, is the first ever true RS model we have got in India.
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The Octavia RS looks absolutely smashing in this blue shade
Exteriors – First things first, the Skoda Octavia RS in this blue paint shade looks absolutely gorgeous. Looks wise, the Octavia RS looks like a beefed up Octavia. Up front, you get the signature butterfly grille with chrome surrounds and of course, the vRS badging. The quad headlights are full LED units with LED DRLs housed inside them. The Skoda Octavia RS gets a sportier bumper with larger air intakes and LED fog lamps.
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The car gets a body kit for a sportier appeal
Sporty yet a sleeper, the Octavia plays its Jekyll and Hyde character very well
The first thing that will catch your attention at the side are the 17-inch blackened alloy wheels, while the red brake calipers add some appeal. The car looks ready to race when viewed from the side angle. Though the C-shaped LED tail-lights are similar to the regular Octavia, Skoda has given the RS a tail-gate mounted spoiler and dual stainless steel exhaust tips. The exhausts give the car a purposeful stance.
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The interiors are sporty and spacious and complement the racy-worthiness of the sedan
Interiors – The Octavia RS gets an all-black dashboard which actually complements the racy image of the sedan. Fit and finish is definitely very good and the build quality is just impeccable. The sedan comes with features like flat-bottom steering wheel with the RS logo, Alcantara leather upholstery, an updated 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink, RS badging on the front and rear seats, automatic climate control, Ambient Lighting, aluminium sport pedals, panoramic sunroof and 12-way electrically adjustable driver and passenger seats ,and the list goes on.
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The front seats offer very good support and hug your body
The all black interior and those front seats are enough to make you feel special
There is loads of red stitching in the cabin, like the steering wheel, gear knob and even the seats are stitched in red which adds to the sporty appeal. The front race seats are supremely comfortable but the rear ones could have done with more under-thigh support. But hey, this is the RS and someone buying the RS is rarely interested to be sitting in the back seat right? Knee room and headroom are similar to the regular Octavia and are generous enough. You also get AC vents at the rear. The boot space is 590-litres and that’s humungous.
