By Leow Ju-Len

By all accounts, Caesar Augustus was a certifiable badass. He not only destroyed Antony and Cleopatra, but systematically hunted down the assassins of his adoptive father, one Julius Caesar. When they would inevitably beg for their lives, his standard response was apparently the stuff of Hollywood: “It is time to die.”

It’s not hard to imagine his older sister, rather confusingly known as Octavia the Younger, benefitting from this no-nonsense approach to life of his. For a start, he made it illegal even to verbally insult her. Top that, Will Smith.

Just as well that the car that takes its name from her offers little to poke fun at, then. If anything, the Skoda Octavia RS is a thing worthy of admiration, offering just about everything a man could want in a modern petrol car.

Let’s start with the Octavia itself, which is a mighty fine proposition as medium family cars go. It has a usefully roomy body with a colossal boot, terrific road manners and lots of modern equipment, all attributes that explain why it has a habit of being Skoda’s single best selling model worldwide. But if you happen to enjoy driving, the RS badge makes all the difference in turning the Octavia into something that’s close to being the best all-round car money can buy.

That’s largely because, like its Roman namesake, the Octavia has powerful relatives. That explains why the RS is hauled along by the latest Volkswagen Golf GTI’s engine, which gives it a hearty 245 horsepower, which in turn gives it a lusty zest for acceleration. A casual push on the accelerator is all it takes for the Skoda to take off in a way that would have made Ben-Hur whimper.

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There’s a throbby growl when the Octavia RS picks up speed in earnest, too, which is all well and good, except the sound comes not from the engine but from speakers in the cabin. Purists tend to sniff at that sort of thing, but I’m quite happy to take my aural pleasure any way I can get it. Besides, if BMW and Mercedes-AMG can do it, why can’t Skoda, and anyway you can turn it off if you don’t like it.

For all that, despite the powerful turbo engine, the sporty gloss black trim and the scarlet brake calipers, the Octavia RS isn’t a boisterous machine that raises hell. It’ll overtake most things on the road with ease, but it’s not really quick enough to buzz a sports car. Nor will it tug your soul towards the nearest track or B-road, the way a Golf GTI would.

That’s despite the fact that the Octavia’s handling is pretty much spot-on, with crisp steering response and a well-controlled ride that’s firm but not uncomfortably so. Yet, it’s precisely that sort of competence that defines the Skoda. It really is good at everything.

That includes pampering the driver, naturally. The front seats may look racy, but they double as massage chairs, lightly kneading your spine at the touch of a button. It has snazzy digital instruments, plus an infotainment system that is pretty much all touchscreen-controlled. Depending on how you view these things, that’s a plus or a huge annoyance, since physical switches are cluttered but easier to use. Either way, it sure makes for a neat dashboard.

The latest stuff in terms of safety tech is all present and accounted for, too. The Octavia RS has sensors to scan for hazards ahead of you, behind you and beside you. If Julius Caesar had been as well protected his reign might have lasted a bit longer.

Some semi-autonomous driving features are part of the equipment list, too. The Skoda can follow traffic automatically and steer itself gently to keep within a lane. That’s not going to make the driver obsolete, but it does at least take some load off on a dreary run on the highway.

What’s more likely to impress your pals is how there’s a certain solidity to the cabin. It’s not hard to find soft materials that feel expensive, and there’s a nice heft to the way the switches work and the doors clunk shut. If the Octavia feels Germanic that way, it’s down to how Skoda’s parent company Volkswagen makes its presence felt.

It all adds up to a car that is pretty much the best that S$207,900 can buy. That might not sound cheap, but you get space, features and performance galore — more than you would get from, say, a BMW 2 Series. In fact, take it from me, any time you buy a car in Singapore and get more than 1 horsepower per S$1,000, you’re doing well.

The Skoda badge isn’t particularly well-regarded by people who don’t know about cars, of course, but none of the brand’s products are designed to spark lust in people. Instead, they’re made to deliver a sense of getting more than what you paid for, and in the Octavia RS’ case, a jolly amount of kick to go with it. Someone who drives one may not attract envy, but they would certainly deserve your admiration. A bit like that other Octavia from Roman times. 

Skoda Octavia RS

Engine: 1,984 cc in-line 4, turbocharged

Power: 245 hp at 5,250 rpm

Torque: 370 Nm from 1,600 rpm to 4,200 rpm

Gearbox: 7-speed dual-clutch 

0-100km/h: 6.7 seconds 

Top Speed: 250 km/h

Fuel Efficiency: 6.5 L/100 km

Agent: Skoda Singapore

Price: S$207,900 with Certificate of Entitlement

Available: Now