Join us for a look at Škoda's current family of sportier cars, which has welcomed the RS rally car back into its ranks after nearly 50 years.
The letters RS have long been reserved for racing cars within the Škoda brand. However, this changed at the beginning of the millennium with the arrival of Octavia RS, the first RS model in modern history designed for everyday drivers.
Octavia RS
The current Octavia RS is the fourth generation of the sporty version of the Mladá Boleslav bestseller. It beautifully demonstrates the evolution and philosophy of the RS models. Each generation is a little sharper and faster, but without losing the typical comfort of travelling. The version with the TSI two-litre petrol engine has 245 horsepower and comes with a manual six-speed gearbox, electronically controlled VAQ clamp differential and front-wheel drive as standard. Of course, you can also get a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission for an extra cost. Together with the sport-tuned chassis, which can be optionally equipped with adaptive 15 mm lowered dampers, the car gives the driver plenty of information about what's going on under the wheels during dynamic driving. This version of the Octavia RS is a really sporty ride, as the combination of engine power and the precision of a very well-tuned chassis makes it perfect for twisty roads with poorer surfaces.
For drivers preferring an all-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox, the Octavia RS is available in a diesel version with 200 horsepower. The Octavia RS TDI is a great touring car. The engine has enough power for brisk motorway shifts, it is economical and the all-wheel drive is agile on twisty roads and surfaces with reduced grip. In ESC Sport mode, the Octavia RS TDI 4x4 is really fun to drive.
A hybrid version combining a 1.4 TSI petrol engine with an electric motor completes the diverse engine range. The system output of 245 horsepower is identical to the supercharged two-litre TSI. The RS iV version offers a combined consumption of just 1.5 l/100 km and can travel up to 60 kilometres in pure electric mode. However, the benefits of the Octavia RS iV's plug-in hybrid drive will be especially appreciated by drivers who charge the car's batteries regularly.
The Octavia RS is available in two body styles - the elegant lift back and the practical combi. In addition to a generous luggage space of 640 litres, the combi version offers a different weight balance with a heavier rear, which is clearly more fun from a driving perspective when shifting weight around corners.
Kodiaq RS
Unique in many ways, the Kodiaq RS boasts a number of firsts. As the first sports-tuned SUV with the RS marking, it offers up to a seven-seat interior, standard all-wheel drive with a multi-link intermediate clutch or a DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Combined with the fast-responding two-litre EA888 Evo engine tuned to 245 horsepower, the Kodiaq RS can mask its size perfectly on twisty mountain roads. This is mainly thanks to a carefully tuned chassis equipped with adaptive dampers. Their stiffness can be adjusted in the individual driving mode independently of the engine or the intensity of the power steering. The driver can thus adapt the Kodiaq RS to any road or even unpaved surface thanks to the higher ground clearance of the versatile SUV's chassis. Unpaved surfaces are the perfect place to showcase the Kodiaq RS's capabilities. As with the Octavia RS TDI 4x4, the benefits of the all-wheel drive system and the excellently tuned sport mode of the ESC stabilisation system, which intervenes very gently and doesn't spoil any of the fun, are on full display both snow and gravel. The excellent ESC Sport mode is characteristic of cars with the RS logo and it's clear that the engineers took great care with it during development.
The Kodiaq RS is a great choice of family car that combines fun, speed and crew comfort. The Kodiaq RS is the only model in the RS family not available in Mamba Green.
Enyaq Coupé RS iV
While the Enyaq Coupé RS iV doesn't offer seven seats like the Kodiaq RS, it does surpass it in interior space. This is due to the really long wheelbase of 2770 mm. The Enyaq Coupé RS iV is based on the MEB modular platform, developed purely for electric vehicles. The flat floor without the need for a centre tunnel, thanks to the absence of an exhaust system or a gimbal, gives the interior a feeling of airiness and the battery pack stored in the floor space does not limit the luggage space in any way. In addition, the storage of the battery has the added benefit of lowering the centre of gravity, which you'll appreciate at the slightest movement of the steering wheel. The Enyaq Coupé RS iV is much more reactive than you would expect from a car this large and heavy.
Minimal body overhangs and steep steering in the sport driving mode also contribute to agility in corners. The sharp chassis response does not fall short by the power of the twin electric motors. For ideal weight distribution and perfect traction, one electric motor drives the front and the other the rear axle with a combined output of nearly 300 horsepower. Thanks to its twin electric motors, the Enyaq Coupé RS iV is the most powerful model in the RS family. It can go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. On paper, its performance is closest to that of the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 rally car.
The Enyaq Coupé RS iV also features a very elegant silhouette with an extremely low aerodynamic drag coefficient. A panoramic roof is a standard as well as a range of comfort features that make it a very pleasant travelling companion. This exceptional level of equipment is common to all models with the RS nameplate. Greater crew comfort was one of the objectives in the development of the new competition car. The RS family members have more in common than you might think.
What would be your choice?
