2020 Skoda Octavia vRS Petrol and Diesel ARRIVE – the VW Golf GTI and Golf GTD in Skoda clothes

The Skoda Octavia vRS Petrol and Diesel models arrive to join the plug-in hybrid Octavia vRS, with powertrains borrowed from the new VW Golf.

The new Skoda vRS was supposed to arrive at the Geneva Motor Show back in March, but when that was cancelled we got details of what was supposed to arrive anyway – the Skoda Octavia vRS Plug-in hybrid.

Of course, Skoda was never going to settle for just delivering the Octavia vRS as a Czech take on the VW Golf GTE when there’s also the VW Golf GTI and GTD to play with and make ‘Skoda’. So say hello to the ICE versions of the new Octavia vRS.

In terms of looks, there is nothing new for the petrol and diesel Octavia vRS models – the vRS styling tweaks from the plug-in carry over intact – and there’s nothing new about the powertrains either, because they’re straight from the VW Golf.

That means the petrol version of the Octavia vRS comes with the VW Group 2.0 litre turbo from the Golf GTI delivering 242bhp and 273lb/ft of torque going to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual of seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box.

The diesel Octavia vRS takes its engine from the Golf GTD, which means 196bhp and 295lb/ft of torque with power going through only a seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box and a choice of FWD or 4WD.

Available as Hatch or Estate, the Octavia vRS offers an arguably better package, whichever of the powertrains you opt for, than its Golf siblings.