New Skoda Octavia vRS now with DIESEL power too in the Octavia vRS 2.0 TDI

The new Skoda Octavia vRS is now available as a vRS diesel – joining the vRS petrol and PHEV – with 197bhp and costing from £32,260.

There’s a lot to like about the Skoda Octavia vRS – a very sensible and appealing alternative to its VW sibling – and this time round it has more choice of power options than before.

We’ve already seen not just the familiar petrol version of the Octavia vRS, but also, for the first time, a plug-in Octavia vRS making huge sense for business users and private users who can make the most of it EV range for local trips.

But now we get what, a few years ago, would have been the default option for business Octavia buyers – the Skoda Octavia vRS 2.0 TDI – delivering diesel power and impressive economy, especially for high mileage users.

This time round there’s a bit more power for the diesel-engined vRS – 197bhp – which uses a seven-speed DSG ‘box to send power to the front wheels. But there’s now also the option of a four-wheel drive diesel Octavia vRS, which cuts the 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds for the FWD to 6.8 seconds and adds a decent dose of extra traction.

Standard kit includes 19″ alloys, the usual vRS bodykit, LED Matrix headlights, parking sensors, red brake calipers, heated sports seats, Keyless, LED ambient lighting and a pair of 10″ screens – one for instruments and one for infotainment.

The new Skoda Octavia vRS Diesel costs from £32,260 for the Hatch and £33,530 for the Estate, with the 4×4 versions adding a bit under £1,500 to the price.