Pros and cons of the Skoda Octavia vRS: my experience after three months

This is my Skoda Octavia vRS Estate, and I’ve been living with this sporty wagon for about three months now. In that time I’ve covered around 3,000 miles, taking in motorways, city centres and even the Carwow drag strip.

Having the car for an extended period has given me a really good idea of what it’s like to live with, and overall I reckon this is one of the best all-rounders you can buy. There’s a lot to like about the Octavia, but it’s also not perfect. Here are five pros and cons to consider before buying one.

Living with a Skoda Octavia vRS Estate: five good things

Let’s start on a positive note, because I really have fallen for this car over the last few months.

1. It is brilliant to drive

I reckon the Skoda Octavia vRS strikes my perfect balance between sporty and comfortable. With the adaptive dampers in their softest setting, it goes over bumps pretty well. There’s a firm edge to it, but that’s a tradeoff I’m happy to make for the feeling of being connected to the road.

It makes the car feel solid and planted on the road, and paired with the sharp, accurate steering and responsive brakes it instills a real sense of confidence. You always know exactly what the car is doing beneath you and how it will react to your inputs. I trust it implicitly, and that in itself makes it relaxing to drive.

2. The adaptive cruise control is really good

I recently spent a week with a Tesla Model Y, and using that car’s adaptive cruise control system, called Autopilot, reminded me just how good the Skoda’s setup is. Whereas the Tesla always feels like it’s fighting you for control, the Octavia’s system works with you.

You often forget that it’s on, which is a sign that it’s really well-integrated. It’s just working away in the background, while still giving you the option to take control if necessary. If I had one criticism, it does beep at me quite often to tell me to put my hands on the steering wheel, even when they are.

3. The Simply Clever features

All Skoda models come packed with “Simply Clever” features, which are little details that make the car easier to live with. I make good use of the ice scraper behind the fuel flap and the built-in funnel for the washer fluid, but there’s one which has been a real game-changer.

The velcro boot dividers are super-handy. As a single man, my weekly shop isn’t quite big enough to fill this car’s cavernous boot. I use the dividers to stop my groceries flying around in the back through corners, and on a recent trip to IKEA they were put to use stopping my new shelving unit from sliding forwards and backwards.

4. It’s surprisingly economical

This car has the same basic engine that you’ll find in a Volkswagen Golf GTI. It’s a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol with 265hp, and it feels pretty brisk when you put your foot down.

Despite the performance, I’ve averaged 36mpg over the last 3,000 miles or so. That’s only around 4mpg off what Skoda claims it’ll do, and that’s despite a few runs on the Carwow drag strip.

5. I reckon it looks great

I almost always turn around to look at this car after I’ve parked it up. I think it has a real Q-car vibe about it – it’s just aggressive enough to let you know it’s not a standard Octavia, but it’s not shouty or in-your-face.

The dark green paintwork helps, and while I do love it Skoda has recently revealed a bright yellow colour which makes the Octavia really pop.

Five annoying things about my Skoda Octavia vRS Estate

There’s no such thing as a perfect car, and my Skoda is no exception. There are a few niggly things which have annoyed me over the past few months. Here’s five.

1. Glitchy infotainment

While the infotainment system is pretty easy to navigate, I have had a couple of issues with it not connecting to my phone. This has happened to me in a few Volkswagen Group cars, including my old Volkswagen ID7.

It only does it occasionally, but when it refuses to connect I have to get out, lock the car, wait a minute and then go back and try again. It usually happens when I’m running late for something as well, which is an annoying coincidence.

2. A rattle from the sunroof

My car has a lovely panoramic glass roof which floods the cabin with light, but I’ve noticed an annoying rattle from it when driving over broken surfaces. I didn’t actually notice it until a colleague pointed it out, but now I can’t unhear it. Strangely, it does seem to have subsided as the weather has gotten warmer.

3. Unwanted hooliganism

This car’s sporty characteristics really come through when you’re trying to pull out at a junction, and not in a good way. Putting 265hp through just the front wheels means it doesn’t take much to spin them up, and I’ve found that just a moderate prod of the throttle to nip out in busy traffic results in tyre squeal and raised eyebrows from passers-by. It’s not too bad in dry conditions, but I think four-wheel drive would suit this car.

4. The interior isn’t perfect

While the Octavia’s interior feels nice and solid, and I like the supportive sports seats, it would be good to have a few more customisation options. It’s all very dark and dingy, and the shiny black plastic is a magnet for fingerprints. A light interior package like you can get on the Elroq electric car would be nice.

5. Other estate cars are more fun to drive

The Octavia vRS is really good through the bends, but if you want a family wagon which can thrill you then you might want to check out a BMW 3 Series Touring. That car has rear-wheel drive, so it feels a bit more playful through the bends.

That said, the 3 Series isn’t as practical as the Octavia vRS Estate, and it starts at around £5,000 more than the Skoda as well.

I don’t think there are many all-rounders better than the Skoda Octavia vRS Estate, and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on. It’s fast, comfortable, spacious, well-equipped and pretty good fun on a twisty road. Chuck in the fact it’s cheaper to buy than the posh German alternatives and you have a fantastic sporty family car.

My time with the Skoda is almost up, but I do have one more road trip planned for it in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on our long term report page for the latest updates.

Skoda Octavia vRS Estate report 2: 1,500 miles in

I do a lot of driving for work, taking in a range of motorway, country road and city driving, and the Octavia vRS Estate is proving to be an excellent companion on all these trips.

Despite its sporty nature, it’s still really comfortable for bumbling around town or slogging up the motorway. There’s a definite firm edge to the suspension, but it copes with bumps and potholes very well, especially with the adaptive dampers in their softest setting. It’s only over smaller imperfections that it can feel a bit jiggly.

A common criticism of the Octavia vRS is that it isn’t as fun to drive as something like a Volkswagen Golf R or a Ford Focus ST, and while that may be true I don’t think that’s the point of a vRS model.

It may not be as playful or agile as some hot hatches, but it’s a really easy car to drive quickly on a country road. The steering is well-weighted and precise, and it behaves in a predictable way. You always know exactly how it’s going to react to your inputs, and that gives you the confidence to get a wriggle on.

I do have one gripe with the way this car drives though – it doesn’t have much front-end grip. Nipping out at a roundabout with even the slightest bit of gusto will be rewarded with wheelspin, and when you do lose traction there’s quite an unpleasant vibration through the cabin. I find myself being overly gentle with the throttle when pulling out, especially in damp conditions.

Another annoying issue I’ve uncovered is a slightly temperamental infotainment system, specifically the wireless Android Auto connection. There have been a few occasions where I’ve jumped in the car and it’s just refused to connect to my phone, and to fix it I have to get out, lock the car, wait for a minute and then try again. On the morning of the day I’m writing this I installed a software update in the car, so I’ll see if that fixes it and report back.

Small niggles aside, I still really like the Octavia vRS. I’ve made good use of the umbrella in the door for the dash from the car park to my flat, and the ice scraper behind the fuel door has come in handy a few times as well. I’m also getting an average of 36mpg over the last 1,500 miles, which is within spitting distance of the 40mpg claimed figure.

It’s really easy to live with, while also being good-looking and fast. Stay tuned for more updates as I continue to pile the miles on this car.

An introduction to my Skoda Octavia vRS Estate

Here’s everything you need to know about my Octavia vRS Estate, starting with the performance. Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with 265hp. It should be able to do 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds, but I might have to put that to the test at some point on the Carwow drag strip.

Seeing as I spend a lot of time commuting up and down the motorway, fuel economy is important. It’s a shame that there’s no diesel Octavia vRS anymore, but this petrol model should return up to 40mpg. I’ve struggled to get more than 35mpg so far, but it’s still early days.

There are quite a few nice options fitted to this car as well. I’ve got the Assisted Drive Package, which includes a remote parking feature you can control from your phone, a Canton sound system, a deployable tow bar, a panoramic roof, and a head-up display.

On top of this there’s the Winter Package Premium, which adds heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel and a heated windscreen. Finally, there’s the Simply Clever package. This gets you some additional storage compartments and a false boot floor.

Once you add up the cost of all the options, and the £855 Royal Green Metallic paint job, this Octavia costs a shade under £50,000. If you spec a Golf GTI to a similar level you’ll pay roughly the same, but the Skoda is miles more practical.

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