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Skoda Octavia RS245
Morebrawn,lessbrains–butstillpragmatic
HE PREVIOUS Octavia
RS230 never needed more
grunt. That front-driven
axle struggled as it was to
handle what its turbo 2.0-litre inline-
four was pumping.
However, here comes the new
RS245, with another 15 horsies under
the lid, or 11kW, thanks to software
fiddling. Torque’s climbed too, by
20Nm, for 180kW and 370Nm in total.
That puts its figures line-ball with the
VW Golf GTI Performance.
That’s no coincidence. Now that
Volkswagen’s cult hero has scored
upgraded hardware, the hottest
Octavia gets the same whizz-bang
locking diff and new seven-speed DSG
transmission as hand-me-downs.
The grunt comes as part of a 2018
update for the whole range, which
includes a facelift, more interior fruit,
and adaptive dampers reaching the
options list (in a $1500 tech pack).
Skoda’s also introduced the RS245
full-time in both transmissions and
body styles. We tested the new hero
at a ‘secret’ location on the New South
Wales Central Coast (you probably first
saw it on Google Earth in about 2005).
The private circuit, that’s confusingly
littered with speed signs, offered
tight hairpins, rising straights, and
extremely technical sections, where
you can farm the RS245 for all its got.
Even as a polished daily driver,
there’s plenty of hooligan in the
RS245’s veins, but it can’t convert
enthusiasm into pure talent on track.
Besides a wider rear track and new
adaptive dampers, the car’s supple
composure remains. It’s comfortable,
yet controlled, and feels that way up to
about eight tenths.
The car’s fairly neutral into the
corner, but starts to push under power.
It’ll easily spin the inside front, too,
provided traction control hasn’t shut
down the party. Yes, even with a diff.
Pro driver Steve Owen, who was
on hand at the car’s launch, suggests
rotating the Octavia into the corner.
This helps square it early and quell
wheelspin. But the RS245 just isn’t
as keen to change direction as its
hatch-bodied cousins. Its 2680mm
wheelbase is about 49mm longer than
a Golf’s, and it’s a bit tubbier, too.
The seats are cool as ever, and come
with Alcantara cushions that replace
the old scratch-prone leather jobbies.
They’re electrically adjustable, but you
roll out of them more on track than the
bolsters should allow.
There are still some great tools
in the Octavia RS245’s arsenal. That
steering is accurate as a laser aligner
and the added rear track helps free the
rear end under brakes.
The engine’s powerband has been
stretched by 500rpm over the RS230,
and 200rpm beyond the Golf GTI
Performance, meaning the Skoda
wrings everything from a higher
6700rpm redline with a meaty, hard-
charging soundtrack.
It’s a great match for a DSG gearbox,
however, the seven-speed lacked a
perfect ratio between second and
third for tight, low-speed corners. The
DSG’s $2500 price hike is also a hefty
charge in this value-focused segment.
It’s nice the six-speed manual’s still the
price entry point, but the dual-clutch is
quoted as quicker to 100km/h.
We’d pick the more agile sedan if
you insist on going ten-tenths on a
regular basis, along with better pads,
discs, and fluid. But overall the RS245
remains great value, even with a $1700
price hike.
With that sting comes a new (and
brilliant) 9.2-inch touchscreen that’s
infinitely better than the old smaller
unit. While auto folding black mirrors
are thrown in. The wagon body (for
an extra $1500) remains an IKEA-
devouring warrior, while both cars
on the stretched MQB platform feel
compact, yet genuinely roomy. The
only markdown is dull throttle tip-in
during stop-start driving.
The RS230 fell over at Bang For Your
Bucks last year, and the RS245 hasn’t
fully corrected its shortcomings. Yes,
it pulls harder up high in the rev range,
but the grunt’s worsened traction
issues. And the optional dampers
haven’t injected much needed stiffness
into to the mix.
We su sp e ct the story mi ght
be different away from red-mist
environments, because the RS230
was a much better car up a twisty
road, at about eight tenths, as it was
on a racetrack, beyond said eight
tenths. And the RS245’s new adaptive
dampers suggest it might even have
improved its urban manners in the
urban jungle. We say suggest because,
bafflingly, we didn’t really get to drive
it on the road at the launch.
And we will save final judgement on
the RS245 until then.M
The Skoda Octavia
RS245 scores the
hottest version of
the 2.0-litre EA888
this side of a Golf R
T
ENGINE 1984cc inline-4cyl, DOHC, 16v, turbo / POWER 180kW @ 6700rpm / TORQUE 370Nm @ 1600rpm / WEIGHT 1380kg (wagon) / 0-100KM/H6.7sec/PRICE$43,390
by LOUIS CORDONY
Like
Grunty powertrain;
wagon
practicality;
polished ride
STAR RATING
Dislike
Scrappy traction;
lack of grip
3.5