Bruce's Car of the Week: Skoda Octavia RS

How much do you think a Mk5 Golf GTI would set you set you back? 15, maybe 20k? Well this weeks car gives you all the GTI's performance in a more practical package for under $10,000. Lets move the stigma aside and welcome on in the Skoda Octavia RS.

It's just another bloody Golf

Released onto the Australian market in 2007 the 1Z generation Octavia, essentially a Mk5 Golf with a bigger seden esque hatchback body on it failed to set sales charts alight. And this is a real shame as the Octavia RS is a very capable car with some lovely Volkswagen underpinnings. I feel it's only right I explain those underpinnings in more detail. The Mk5 Golf platform was released in 2004 and replaced the squidgy, lackluster Mk4 setup. Not since the late 80's had we seen a Golf with a capable chassis underneath it, so the world waited with baited breath for a GTI that could actually live up to the name. Thankfully Volkswagen delivered, slotting a sweet 2 litre turbo motor into that very capable chassis, with 147kw of torquey turbo power the GTI was reborn.

Styling

The Octavia RS utilities exactly the same setup, the only difference is that by dressing it in a Czech suit people won't pay as much, making the RS an incredibly good value modern hot hatch. Visually the RS is understated in that typically European way. It's not overly designed and definitely not ugly but just different enough to make people in the know look up and take notice, personally I love it.

 

The practicalities

From a practicality point of the view the RS has smaller hot hatch rivals licked. Available as a big hatch or wagon reviewers at the time concluded the Octavia to be the ultimate Jekylle and Hyde car. It could be sensible family transport during the week and a back road barnstormer at the weekend. The turbo engine managing to deliver respectable economy when driven gently and blistering performance when wound up to its red line. The icing on the cake for the RS is that being a top of the range model it wasn't short of standard equipment either, heated front sport seats, duel zone climate control, tyre pressure monitoring, 18 inch alloys and sports suspension were just some of the things which came as standard.

 

A good value, practical, economical but fast car that can carry the family with ease? Come on Australia get over your preconceived ideas about Czech cars, Skoda's are good and the RS Octavia is great.

My pick from the web this week, a 2007 car advertised by a dealer. High km's on this car might explain the asking price, but this should not put people off. These engines are strong and with regular servicing will just keep on going. I think this cars an absolute bargain.
2007 Skoda Octavia RS, $9990