High performance version of the Skoda Octavia set to arrive in Singapore early 2022

SINGAPORE

Skoda Singapore has just confirmed that plans are in place to sell the Skoda Octavia RS and Octavia RS wagon here in 2022. While details and price options are scant at the moment, we do know that the Octavia RS will arrive by March 2022, and the wagon edition is set to hit town in the second half of 2022.

We’ve already reviewed the new Skoda Octavia and its wagon variant, known as the Combi, that arrived in Singapore earlier this year. Both are very well-equipped cars with excellent value for money, but if you want a hotter version of the Octavia then the RS models are the answer.

You can think of the Skoda Octavia RS as extended family variants of the Volkswagen Golf GTI,  with more space and loading capacity in the Octavia RS wagon and a more stately vibe in the liftback.

Both the Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Octavia are built on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, and besides the cosmetic differences are very similar mechanically.

The drivetrain of the Octavia RS comes from the standard VW Golf GTI, packing the 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine good for 245hp. Singapore-bound cars are expected to get the seven-speed DSG self-shifting transmission, sending engine power to the front wheels. 0 to 100km/h sprint times are in the mid six-second region depending on body style and trim levels.

You can think of the Octavia RS cars as more grown-up takes on the VW Golf GTI, but not in the same league as the pricey and super hot Audi RS3, another car that shares similar architecture to the Octavia and due to arrive in 2022 as well. 

We expect the Skoda Octavia RS cars to have similar handling to its VW cousin, especially if it comes fitted with the brand’s electronic torque-sensing limited-slip differential.

BMW has just announced its new hybrid performance SUV and it has a bonkers powerplant

Like the already-available base model Skoda Octavia, the Octavia RS gets a big center touchscreen for all the infotainment and performance setting controls and a 10-inch digital dashboard. 

The sportier interior will feature sports seats at the front. Cargo capacity is rated at 640 litres for the wagon and 600 litres for the sedan. Prices have not yet been confirmed, but by our estimates and based on current COE prices we expect the liftback Octavia S to cost around S$230k with COE, with the wagon variant going for up to S$20k more. 

The idea behind the Octavia RS cars is that you can get a refined, medium-sized, family-friendly performance car with just the right balance between excitement and real-life practicality. 

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