Skoda Octavia RS Wagon review finds space, panache and performance

Wagons may be a rarity but the Skoda Octavia RS Wagon trumps an SUV in just about every way,

What do sales reps drive these days? It’s a fair question that a mate posed after sighting the Skoda Octavia RS wagon.

The load-luggers have been shunned by manufacturers as drivers gravitated to SUVs for work and play.

Wagons have become retro. Sitting lower and often boasting better driving dynamics than SUVs, those with a penchant for steering should gravitate toward a station wagon.

Skoda’s Octavia is one of few wagons still on the market.

While there is an Octavia Sportline model for $43,990, which is priced close to its Volkswagen Golf Wagon cousin, the RS derivative is a rare performance model.

Its only real rival is Subaru’s WRX Sportswagon which is $56,500 drive-away for the base model.

The Octavia RS wagon is $1500 more than the equivalent sedan yet comes with some reasonable kit for $58,490 once on-roads are settled.

What do you get?

Complimentary equipment includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, phone charging pad, 10.25-inch driver’s display, power tailgate with foot sensor and a super clear 10-inch touchscreen.

Sporty touches come via 19-inch alloys, black upholstery with red stitching, flat-bottom steering wheel which feels brilliant in the driver’s hands, sports pedals, suede on the dash and doors, as well as glossy black external highlights and dual exhaust pipes.

While that’s a solid list, there are some items confined to the extras list which quickly drive the price past $60,000.

Spend $6600 on the Premium Pack and that gains a 12-speaker Canton stereo with subwoofer, tri-zone airconditioning, head-up display, heated front and rear seats, along with upgraded faux-suede and leather trimmed seats.

The panoramic sunroof is $1900, while premium or metallic paint costs between $770 and $1100.

Skoda has extended its warranty from five to seven years to be among the mainstream leaders. When buying new a seven-service pack is available for $2750, or five that cost $2450.

The Skoda Octavia RS Wagon starts from less than $60,000 drive-away, before options.

How was the drive?

Sharp, responsive and a joy to steer, the Octavia RS blends daily life with panache.

More than just a family wagon, the punch delivered from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine can propel the load-lugger from standstill to
100km/h in 6.7 seconds. That’s not astonishing in terms of performance, the WRX can do the job in 6.1, but where the Octavia excels is grip and all-round confidence. Braking power is strong and changes in direction are handled with impressive poise.

Sitting lower than your run-of-the-mill Octavia with sports suspension, four drive modes are available varying from economy-focused through to raucous-athletic.

Depending on how heavy you are with the right foot, the Octavia RS can be thrifty. Our test which combined highway, rural and metro stop-start activities returned an average of 6.4L/100km – but it does run on the more expensive 98 premium unleaded.

The Skoda Octavia will soon be updated, but the RS Wagon remains solid value for money.

Would you buy one?

Kel: My greatest concern was the lack of heated seats. That’s among my must-haves and to have that feature as part of the pack would drive the price to about $65,000. While I liked the Octavia RS I probably don’t appreciate the performance characteristics and could easily live with the less potent Sportline model for just over $47k.

Grant: No way, the RS would be my weapon of choice all the way. Smarts like the umbrella embedded in the driver’s door, levers in the back to drop the rear seats, as well as the sharp and responsive performance, it’s better than an SUV every day of the week. A new Octavia is expected early next year with slightly more power, yet this is still an impressive buy for those wanting an engaging drive and loading flexibility. Among my dream cars is the Audi RS6 Avant … this is more my budget.