Volkswagen doesn’t offer the Golf GTI in a saloon body style, nor as an estate for that matter, but Skoda, at least on paper, does.
It’s called the Octavia, and in its most potent form, RS 245, it offers as much power as the revamped VW Golf GTI, namely 245PS (242hp) and 370Nm (273lb-ft) of torque from a 2.0-liter TSI petrol engine that’s shared with… you guessed it, the German hot hatch.
It’s the most powerful version of the Octavia yet, needing 6.6sec to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h (62mph), or 6.7sec in the estate model, and maxes out at 250km/h (155mph), regardless of whether you opt for the six-speed manual or the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
While beneath the skin it’s basically a Golf GTI, on the outside, there isn’t anything that resembles the VW. Still, the more aggressive styling, gloss black detailing and 19-inch alloy wheels are there to tell bystanders that this is not a regular Octavia.
There are a few interesting features in the cabin, too, such as the sport seats with Alcantara upholstery, flat-bottomed steering wheel, lap timer, and VRS button, which allows users to select between different driving modes, including Sport.
The best thing about the Octavia RS 245 is that it doesn’t cut back on the practicality of the regular models, while providing a (very welcome) extra punch. But how good is it actually on the road? You can get the answer to this question, and more, in the video that follows.