Hot new Skoda Octavia vRS iV plug-in hybrid will have a starting price of £35,020
The latest Volkswagen Golf GTI isn’t the only new hot hatchback from the Volkswagen Group. Skoda has revealed the new fourth-generation Octavia vRS, which features a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the very first time.
Skoda has announced prices for the second member of the Octavia vRS line-up – the 242bhp plug-in hybrid Octavia vRS iV. The hatchback variant has an entry price of £35,020, while the estate model starts from £36,220. Both will be available to order in the UK from 3 November.
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New Skoda Enyaq SUV enters the electric SUV class with 316-mile rangeThe plug-in hybrid Octavia iV follows the 247bhp 2.0-litre petrol model into the showrooms. Skoda recently confirmed pricing information for this variant, starting at £31,495, while the estate is priced from £32,695. In 2021, the line-up will be completed by a 197bhp diesel model.
Skoda’s plug-in hybrid Octavia vRS is powered by a 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a 113bhp electric motor. It’s the same powertrain found in the new Golf GTE, developing 242bhp and 400Nm, while CO2 emissions could be as low as 30g/km under WLTP rules.
As well as that CO2 figure, Skoda claims that this hot Octavia can go from 0–62mph in 7.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 139mph. And that’s all while being able to cover 37 miles on electric power only – just as long as you can regularly recharged the car’s 13kWh battery pack. Power is sent to the front axle only, via a six-speed DSG gearbox that can be controlled using paddle-shifters found behind the steering wheel.
The entry-level fourth-generation Octavia vRS TSI is powered by the Volkswagen Group’s familiar turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is also found in the latest Golf GTI. It has an output of 247bhp and 370Nm of torque – enough, says Skoda, for a 0–62mph time of 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.
Standard equipment for the new Octavia vRS includes 19-inch alloy wheels, an aggressive body kit, LED Matrix headlights, privacy glass and chrome finishers for the exhaust tips. Buyers also get front and rear parking sensors, red brake calipers and a new tailgate spoiler.
Inside, buyers get heated sports seats, a leather sports steering wheel, Alcantara trim for the dashboard and aluminium pedals. There’s a few technology upgrades over the standard model, too, such as keyless go, an LED ambient lighting package and a pair of 10-inch screens – one behind the steering wheel and one mounted in the centre of the dashboard.
Skoda has also fitted a range of chassis upgrades for the vRS line-up, including 15mm lower sports suspension, adaptive dampers, a unique steering profile and a limited-slip differential for the petrol-powered models. The TSI versions come with 17-inch disc brakes all round, while the upcoming diesel gets 16-inch brakes up front and 15-inch brakes at the rear.
Early next year, Skoda will expand the Octavia vRS’s engine range with a new diesel variant. It’ll be powered by the Volkswagen Group’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit, which develops 197bhp. The engine will also be offered with a choice of either front- or four-wheel-drive and will be hitched to a seven-speed DSG transmission as standard – although Skoda is yet to officially confirm the engine’s performance specs.
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