When the fourth-gen Skoda Octavia RS made its debut in March, it was christened as RS iV and became the first-ever hybrid Octavia RS. The thought of it being ‘hybrid only’ made all the purists lose their minds but resting all the doubts and fears, Skoda has unveiled new TSI and TDI variants of the Octavia RS. The 1.4-litre TSI hybrid powertrain developed a healthy 245PS but the purists still wanted the conventionally powered RS to make a return and it has returned in all its glory!
New engine options
The Octavia RS can be bought with three engine options which makes it another first for the nameplate. While the hybrid Octavia RS iV developed 241bhp and 400Nm from a 1.4-litre turbo petrol motor and an 85kW electric motor, the petrol-engine powered Octavia RS isn’t that far behind. The new petrol Octavia RS is powered by a 2.0-litre TSI motor that offers the same power output as the hybrid iV (241bhp) but slightly lower torque of 370Nm.
The diesel version gets a TDI motor of the same capacity (2.0-litre) that generates 197bhp and 400Nm. It might not be as sprightly as its petrol counterpart but is still the most powerful diesel-powered Octavia to date. Coming to other mechanical bits now, the Octavia RS TSI will be front-wheel-drive (FWD) only, but there will be a choice between a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The Octavia RS TDI, on the other hand, comes exclusively with the 7-speed DSG gearbox but offers all-wheel-drive (AWD) as an optional extra.
Being a performance model, the 2020 Octavia RS is sure to get typical RS upgrades. It sits lower by 15mm and the brakes are also larger. It’s also got the looks to match its performance. The aggressive bumpers, larger alloy wheels with low profile tyres, and the lowered ride height give it a sportier stance. The RS-specific blacked-out exterior trim is standard on all three models, and so are the 18-inch alloys and red brake callipers.
What’s inside the cabin?
In terms of cabin features, all three models come with the Skoda Virtual Cockpit as standard (a 10.25-inch instrument cluster with an additional ‘Sport’ layout) and a 10-inch free-standing infotainment touchscreen. It also gets large black sports seats with Alcantara finish. A slick-looking three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel replaces the two-spoke unit of the standard car. For safety, the sedan comes equipped with six airbags, an Adaptive Frontlight System, ABS, EBD, and a rear camera.
Also read: The Skoda Rapid 1.0 TSI Is A Cat Among Pigeons
While we have no word regarding the launch of the 2021 Skoda Octavia RS in India, we did get the the last batch of the current generation of Octavia RS 245. What takes the exclusivity factor of the RS 245 even higher is the fact that Skoda reserved only 200 units for India. The main highlight of the RS 245 is the engine. The 245 moniker in the name of the car suggests that it develops 245 hp of power from the 2.0-litre TSI engine. Apart from churning out those power figures, the torque is rated at 370 nm. The engine comes mated to a 7-speed DSG automatic unit, which is paired with a VAQ limited-slip differential to ensure effective power delivery.