Skoda Octavia vRS Review 2025: Price, specs & boot space

Written by Phil Hall
Quick overview
Pros
- Fun without compromise
- Hugely practical and good quality cabin
- Everyday performance
Cons
- Not the most engaging hot hatch
- Or the out-and-out quickest
- Now only one engine choice
Verdict: Is the Skoda Octavia vRS a good car?
"Available as a hatchback or estate, the Skoda Octavia vRS is the hot hatch of choice if you want something that's a fantastic all-rounder, delivering big on both practicality and performance."

The Skoda Octavia vRS is the hot hatch version of the Czech manufacturer's sensible Octavia family car. Like the standard car though, as well as be coming as a hatchback, the Octavia vRS is also available as an estate. Given a mid-life facelift late last year, we'll cover all of this in our Skoda Octavia vRS review.
While many hot hatches can be a little bit in-your-face, the styling of the Skoda Octavia vRS is a little more understated. It's not just more subtle looking than the Honda Civic Type R (though the latest version is a little more discreet), it'll also grab fewer stares than the likes of the latest Volkswagen Golf GTI with its honeycomb grille and chequered flag style fog lights. The Skoda Octavia vRS on the other hand is a little more understated, with a subtle styling kit and 19-inch alloy wheels differentiating it from the standard car. Sitting 15mm lower, there's also a sprinkling of vRS badges round the exterior and lots of black trim as well, including the badging a wingmirrors. You'll have to be a vRS connoisseur to notice the difference between the new car and a pre-facelift model, but look closer and the new car has a slightly sharper looking front end with new LED Matrix headlights. If you want to turn heads, the Octavia vRS is available in a punchy colours like Hyper Green, but we think it looks great in the more sophisticated Royal Green.
The same mature approach has been taken on the inside of the Skoda Octavia vRS as well. Despite giving its car a pair of huge infotainment screens, Skoda has managed to increase interior quality compared to the old Octavia vRS, most notably thanks to the padded Alcantara that's found on the dashboard and the doors. You also get smart looking diamond-stitched upholstery throughout, with vRS branded sports seats up front, carbon-fibre look trims, mood lighting and aluminium pedals.
The facelifted Octavia vRS gets a larger 13-inch touchscreen (up from the 10-inch display on the earlier car) and comes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and while there's a row of buttons underneath for various settings, climate control is still adjusted via the touchscreen - no dedicated dials here like we've seen on the new Kodiaq and Superb. As well as this there's a 10.25-inch display behind the steering wheel that means you can choose from a number of dashboard layouts, including one that gives you a full-size sat-nav map right where you want it.
Something else that makes the Skoda Octavia vRS easy to live with is the sheer space it has inside. It's available as a hatch or estate model (the latter unusual in the hot hatch sector); both with plenty of room for four adults and a huge boot.
Perhaps the most noticeable change is engine options available. Unusual for a hot hatch (or fast estate), the Octavia vRS was initially available with the choice of three - a petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid. With the facelifted car, things have been streamlined and both the diesel and PHEV dropped in favour of offering just the petrol engine. It's the same engine used in the latest Golf GTI and sees power increased from 245PS to 265PS. It's now only being sold with a seven-speed DSG, with the manual 'box originally offered disappearing from the configurator.
The Skoda Octavia vRS is a car that feels comfortable doing any kind of driving, though. Its light controls make it easy to drive in town – standard front and rear parking sensors make it easy to slot into tight spaces and, when you get onto the motorway, it's a quiet and comfortable cruiser.
Looking for a used car for sale? We've got 100s of Skoda Approved Used Cars for Sale for you to choose from, including a wide range of Skoda Octavia vRS cars for sale. If you're looking for the older version, you need our Skoda Octavia vRS (2013-2020) review.
Is the Skoda Octavia vRS right for you?
Funnily enough, the hot hatch that shouts the least, is the one that has the most to shout about if you're looking for a family car that can also be fun. Sure, the Skoda Octavia vRS is not the most pinned in corners or the most aggressive on the straights, but it has overtaking power in abundance and an ability to make you smile that's perhaps surprising given how good it is at everything else.
What’s the best Skoda Octavia vRS model/engine to choose?
With the midlife update that choice got a lot easier now there's only one engine option, leaving you to decide whether a hatch or more practical estate is the best fit for your needs.
To be fair though, even if the diesel and PHEV options were still available, we'd still plump for the petrol version. It gives you the full hot hatch driving experience, being the most agile in corners and the fastest in a straight line.
If you're looking at a used Octavia vRS, then the 200PS 2.0-litre diesel (which was available with four-wheel drive) is great if you pound the motorway, while the 245PS plug-in hybrid could slash running costs if you have a short commute and is still a great choice if you're looking for one of the best hybrid cars.
What other cars are similar to the Skoda Octavia vRS?
The Skoda Octavia vRS is a hot hatch based on a regular family car, so it competes with the likes of the slightly flasher, but more expensive and mechanically identical Volkswagen Golf GTI, loony-tune but more focussed and quicker Honda Civic Type R, sweeter handling Ford Focus ST and a host of other models including the Cupra Leon and Hyundai i30 N.
Comfort and design: Skoda Octavia vRS interior
"The Skoda Octavia vRS sits at the top of the Octavia range and from the inside, it feels a cut above the models that sit below it."

You get the top-of-the-range infotainment system with two large screens but also padded Alcantara on the dashboard and doors, a pair of figure-hugging, vRS branded sports seats and sporty aluminium pedals.
Aside from this go-faster tinsel, however, the Skoda Octavia vRS keeps all the fundamentals of the normal cars – which is a good thing. You get loads of adjustment for both the steering wheel and driver's seat, so it is easy to get a comfortable driving position and the front seats are firm and supportive.
The controls, meanwhile, are intuitive to use and clear to see. The ledge in the dashboard is also handy, giving you somewhere to lean the palm of your hand as you swipe through the infotainment screen's menus. The lack of a volume knob is an annoying omission, though, it's been swapped for a touch sensitive strip. At times it also refuses to respond to your finger strokes. However, there's a more tactile volume control on the steering wheel that avoids this in most instances.
Quality and finish
The Skoda Octavia vRS' quality is amongst the best in class with soft materials used up top, while sturdier surfaces are found in the lower half of the cabin. None of them feel cheap.
The Alcantara trim is also worthy of a second mention, it's finished with red stitching and represents a pleasing contrast to the fake stitching you see moulded into the plastics of other cars this price – it's a sporty touch in the combination with the tasteful carbon-fibre look trims. We're also a big fan of the metal door handles which aren't enclosed into the doors like they are in other cars. The Skoda Octavia vRS even looks nice at night thanks to mood lighting that's fully customisable.
The Skoda Octavia vRS feels properly constructed too – with even gaps between trims, you get the sense they'll feel just as solid 100,000 miles down the line. That goes for most of the switchgear, as well. The stalks behind the steering wheel operate with an oily smoothness and the indicator self corrects with a satisfying thunk. The only bit we're not so keen on is the single row of buttons that have a clicky, hollow action that's unsatisfying.
Infotainment: Touchscreen, USB, nav and stereo in the Skoda Octavia vRS
The Skoda Octavia vRS comes with two displays - a 10.25-inch digital instrument binnacle and a centrally positioned touchscreen.
This screen now sits proud of the dashboard and has increased in size from 10 to 13-inches, with the pretty Alcantara trim flowing in behind it. The graphics are well defined and colourful and this sense of modernity is backed up by the fact that the screen responds to gestures like pinch and swipe, quickly. A sat nav is fitted as standard and the Skoda Octavia vRS also comes with a year's subscription to Skoda's connected services, so it can do things like route around congestion and check fuel prices at petrol stations on your route.
It's a good system, but you'll probably revert to using the standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. They allow you to use your phone's apps – for functions such as nav and music playback – mirrored on the car's big screen.
Wireless phone charging is now standard, but you might be tempted by the £705 Canton stereo. It's a 610W system with 12 speakers and a subwoofer in the boot, to offer up Dolby 5.1 surround sound. You might also be interested in the £790 head-up display that projects key driving data onto the windscreen.
Space and practicality: Skoda Octavia vRS boot space
Something that distinguishes the Skoda Octavia vRS from the mechanically identical Volkswagen Golf GTI is that you can have it as a hatchback or as an estate.
Both cars have loads of room for adults up front and while the driver's seat doesn't place you low enough to make you feel snug in the cabin, it's not so high that it makes you feel like you're sitting on the car rather than in it. The 'vRS' branded, diamond-stitched sports seats are tastefully done – giving a sporty flavour without being OTT. They also give you a decent amount of lateral support without clamping to you.
The back seats are also spacious and the Skoda Octavia vRS should be commended for being a car that offers a big boot, but not at the expense of passenger space. Its rear doors open wide to make access easy and, once you're sat in place, there's space to slide you feet under the seats in front. You also get plenty of headroom even in cars with the space-eating panoramic sunroof (£1,675 option on estate cars only). Something minor, but worthy of note are the small neck-height cut outs in the front seats that makes the back seats feel a hint less claustrophobic.
You get the best view in the middle of the back seat but, as is often the way, its firm bolstering makes it feel like you're straddling a tree trunk. Three up, elbow and hip room will be tight, but there's plenty of space for everyone's feet. The larger rear windows on the estate version of the Skoda Octavia vRS also mean they feel a tad brighter and airier.
The main reason you'll choose the Skoda Octavia vRS estate is for its larger and more practical boot over the hatchback. It provides a huge 640-litre capacity – up from 610 in the old model – and a flat, square shape. You also get a pair of sturdy fold-down shopping hooks and sectioned off smaller storage areas on either side that'll be handy for bottles of engine oil and screen wash. If you're looking at a used Skoda Octavia vRS PHEV just be aware that boot space drops to 490 litres to take into account the extra space needed for the batteries.
If you're looking at the Octavia vRS hatchback, then you don't loose out too much in the way of boot space - the 600-litre boot is large for a car this size and very practical, if lacking the more useful shape of its boxier sibling.
Another useful feature are the back seats that fold down by yanking a couple of latches at the front of the the boot. The seats fold down almost completely flat so you can slide long heavy cargo into place. An electrically operated boot lid comes as standard and it can be closed remotely using the key fob - emitting a nanny-state warning tone as it does it.
Handling and ride quality: What is the Skoda vRS like to drive?
"The Skoda Octavia vRS is the guilt-free hot hatch. It's a brilliant family car not just because it's hugely spacious for its size, but because it is also quiet and comfortable. It's a hot hatch with a softer edge, but it's still a car that you can enjoy driving when the stars align and you find yourself in an empty car on a great road."

As such, the changes made to the Skoda Octavia vRS make it tauter and more engaging, but don't give it a completely different character to the standard car. All models get a sports chassis that sits 15mm lower on 19-inch alloy wheels, quicker steering (2.13 turns lock-to-lock instead of 2.7), plus petrol cars come with an electronically controlled limited-slip differential (LSD).
The effect of these upgrades is to make the Octavia vRS more well-rounded than a Premiership grade Nike Flight football – a proverbial jack-of-all-trades that's as happy stop-starting through town as it is cruising up the motorway or gobbling up the twists and turns of your favourite country road.
That quicker steering means the Skoda Octavia vRS feels keener in bends than the standard car, the stiffer suspension gives you more control and there's plenty of grip. Turn into a corner and you do get body roll – much more than you would in the far more focussed Honda Civic Type R – but the Octavia vRS feels eager and controlled.
An option you might want to consider is the £1,210 Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC). These adjustable dampers allow you to choose between more control in corners or added comfort over bumps – either by choosing from one of the presets in the menu, or by selecting between a 15-stage slider on the infotainment screen.
The Skoda Octavia vRS is a relaxed cruiser, and comes with adaptive cruise control as standard that can brake and accelerate the car for you. The seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox changes gears quickly and smoothly when you've found a good B road, while round town we haven't found it as hesitant as we have in pre-facelift cars.
The Skoda Octavia vRS's standard front and rear parking sensors also help allowing you to get close up to parked cars before warning you to stop, Thankfully Skoda's dropped the reversing camera from the options list and bundled it in as standard on the facelifted Octavia vRS.
Sure, it won't leave you sweaty-handed and hyper-engaged like a Honda Civic Type R but the majority of time, when you can't drive like you're on a mission, it's the Octavia vRS that you'd rather be in.
What engines and gearboxes are available in the Skoda Octavia vRS?
As we've touched on, Skoda's stripped back the engine choice available with the Octavia vRS, leaving just the petrol, and dropping the diesel and plug-in hybrid from the range.
The 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol would still be our pick though. Available with a seven-speed DSG 'box, power has been bolstered by 20PS from the pre-facelift model to 265PS and while it doesn't have a headline-grabbing power figure, it is extremely flexible with maximum torque (370Nm) available from a little over tickover. It gets from 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds (mirroring the Golf GTI, though the estate vRS is 0.1 seconds slower) and hits a top speed of 155mph.
It does it with maturity, however, sure you get a more focussed engine note in Sport mode, but the manufactured pops and bangs you get out of some hot hatches' exhausts are noticeably absent, here.
If you're looking at a used Octavia vRS and you want to ramp the maturity levels up another notch, the diesel model of the Skoda Octavia vRS is worth considering but only if you do most of your driving on the motorway. With 200PS, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder is the most powerful diesel ever fitted to the Octavia – with 16PS more than the old version – it gets from 0-62mph in 7.4 seconds (6.8 if you specify four-wheel drive) but that's only half the story because its 400NM of torque translates into effortless overtaking.
The diesel was also the only model available with four-wheel drive and worth considering if you have a caravan to pull because it raises the Skoda Octavia vRS's maximum braked trailer towing weight from from 1600 to 2000kg.
Even more sensible is the Octavia vRS iV. It's a plug-in hybrid with a 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol that's boosted by an electric motor to produce 245PS – it gets from 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds and hits a top speed of 139mph. Surprisingly, its 400Nm torque figure and the instant get-up-and-go of the electric motor means it gets from 50-70mph 2.2 seconds quicker than the petrol model – handy when you're joining a motorway.
It's the hybrid's ability to travel up to 39 miles on electric power alone that makes it a compelling option on the used market if you live in a city – it could mean you can commute to work for a fraction of the cost of a petrol or diesel Skoda Octavia vRS. Plus, its low CO2s (no more than 36g/km) mean it is exempt from paying the London Congestion Charge. It takes 3.5 hours to charge from a wall-mounted charger or five hours from a three-pin plug.
Refinement and noise levels
This is one of the Octavia vRS' biggest strengths because it is one of the easiest hot hatches you could live with every day. It's light controls might not offer megaphone levels of communication, but feather weight pedals and steering that offers little resistance in comfort mode makes it a very relaxing car to drive in town and cover distances in.
By the same token, while the exhaust doesn't give the big-grin pops and gurgles offered by some rivals, it won't make you feel like a prat or get wearing. Skoda's tweaked the engine profile to give you a little bit more noise at start-up, but noise in general is very well hushed and at a cruise all you notice is the extra thrum created by the vRS larger 225-section tyres.
Safety equipment: How safe is the Skoda vRS?
The Skoda Octavia was awarded a five-star rating for safety when it was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2019 and the vRS models gets extra kit that makes it even safer than the standard car.
These include its matrix LED headlights. These clever headlight units use multiple LEDs – rather than a single bulb – to light up the road, and the car's ability to operate them individually means it can cast dark spots over other cars while the keeping the road around them fully illuminated. It means you can use the full beams all of the time.
Adaptive cruise control – which can accelerate and brake the car for you on the motorway – is another feature that comes standard on the vRS model. Factor in its full complement of airbags (including one for your knees), lane assist and automatic emergency brakes and it's fair to say the Skoda Octavia vRS is very safe.
MPG and fuel costs: What does a Skoda Octavia vRS cost to run?
"The Skoda Octavia vRS won't cost a fortune to run and if you're looking at a used model, its engine range means you can choose an option that suits the kind of driving you do. Road tax is also reasonable and its reputation as the sensible hot hatch should prove helpful when you're paying your insurance premium".

Despite its 265PS 2.0-litre engine, you should expect just over 40mpg in normal driving from the petrol – a figure that should be achievable as it was recorded under real-world WLTP test conditions.
The diesel model should return 55mpg – 50 if you go for the optional four-wheel drive model, while the plug-in hybrid iV Octavia vRS boasts a predictable ambitious figure of up to 253mpg. It'll be great if you have a short commute that means you can run purely on electricity, but the fuel economy won't be anything to write home about once the battery is flat.
Skoda Octavia vRS reliability and warranty
Skoda has a great track record for reliability, regularly ranking highly in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index. The previous generation car proved to be very reliable and since its launch, there hasn't been any major issues reported with the latest model.
The Skoda Octavia vRS comes with a standard three-year, 60,000-mile warranty. If you wish, you extend this to four years and 80,000 miles (£280), or four years and 100,000 miles (£300).
Skoda Octavia vRS insurance groups and costs
The petrol Skoda Octavia vRS is currently in insurance group 27, though diesel and PHEV versions are a little cheaper to insure. By comparison, a more hardcore hot hatch like the Honda Civic Type R sits in Group 40.
VED car tax: What is the annual road tax on a Skoda Octavia vRS?
After the first year, you're going to be paying a flat rate of £195 to tax a Skoda Octavia vRS. With the estate version now costing over £40,000 and even the hatch without any extras nudging close to that, you'll be subject to the Expensive Car Supplement. This adds a further £425 a year to the standard rate between years two to six, bringing the total annual tax cost to £620.
Skoda Octavia vRS price
"The Skoda Octavia vRS costs from £39,965 for the hatchback and £41,070 in estate guise."

For comparison, that's not much less than a Golf GTI, making it not quite the bargain it once was. Now it's been on sale for a couple of years, you'll find petrol cars on sale for £25,000, rising by £500 if you want to swap the hatchback version for the more capacious estate. Diesel models can be picked for £26,000, but four-wheel-drive versions are in short supply.
Trim levels and standard equipment
There are no glaring omissions on the Skoda Octavia vRS' specification list. Both the hatch and the estate look sporty but subtle thanks to their 19-inch alloy wheels and revised front and rear bumpers. Hatchback models also get a discreet lip spoiler.
The inside follows the same recipe, so you get Alcantara on the dashboard, aluminium pedals and sports seats with red stitching – significant upgrades that raise the vRS above the rest of the range. You also get plenty of toys including adaptive cruise control, a 13-inch sat-nav/10.25-inch digital instrument screens, heated seats, rear parking camera, keyless entry, auto lights and wipers, as well as an electrically operated boot.
Ask the heycar experts: common questions
Is the Skoda Octavia vRS a good car?
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