Sub £35k Bargain! 1st Drive Skoda Octavia vRS Hatch 2023 | 4K

[@JoeAchilles1]

What would you buy for £35k? - NEW ONLY!

[@FlynnBellamyCars]

BMW 128ti If You Can Allow For £36k!!!

[@JoeAchilles1]

@@FlynnBellamyCars Good call!

[@jondonnelly3]

Skodafuk m8.

[@OnlineHousehusband]

Personally at this price point I'd say the current I30N is the best manual FWD hot hatch. Bang for your buck they're great. You can pick them up for £33500 brand new. 5 year warranty and much better price point than any Civic Type R at £47k 😭. Honda have lost the plot on pricing.

[@OnlineHousehusband]

​@@FlynnBellamyCars shame they never made a manual version of that.

[@gorfonibla1060]

Always annoys me how journalists talk about a £35-40k car as being reasonably priced! This should be £7-8k less, and other cars should also be proportionately cheaper.

[@R03333]

You'd barely cover the material supply cost in a car at £7k

[@wevved]

​@@R03333they didn't say it should cost 7k.

[@Againstfacismandracism]

Inflation even doner kebap has doubled in price

[@paullloyd9902]

yeah, this was £7k less 5 years ago before covid, supply shortages and inflation hit everything

[@thisismyhandle999]

You are correct, but thanks to COVID and the crazy inflation we are where we are. I bought my car in 2017 with 14500 miles on the clock and it was 1.5 years old. I paid £8500. Now the same brand and model (although a newer version) with comparable mileage and age costs more than £20000.

[@tyrereviews]

The VRS is clearly the best car money can buy.

[@Gilaric]

And what tyres would be the best with the VRS?

[@zeewin]

Skoda is no joke these days, well built and better than VW's and SEAT IMO. Kodiaq; Superb and Ocatvia are all award winners.

[@johnguidetti5839]

Makes no sense what you said. it’s a MQB car. VW is the owner it would never make this better than the equivalent Golf GTI.

[@smith2186]

Kushaq?

[@zeewin]

@@johnguidetti5839 My comment had nothing to do with GTI but the BUILD quality of Kodiaq vs Tiguan All Space; Superb vs VW Passat; Octavia vs SEAT Leon estate as said, they are superior to Audi A1 and A3 as well. Skoda is far more versatile and spacious than the other MQB cars. No prejudice, I were a keeper of them all from the years 17 to 22 and can confirm what I claimed. The A3's signal stalk failed at me at around 5000 miles! Picked an A3 brand new in Stockholm and the brake made noise in a week! The Kodiaq costed me just £20 for a repair over the past 5 year of her anniversary, there was zero problem with Superb and Octavia all in all, Skoda is commonly picked to run as taxi in the UK would say it all. BTW, I used to have a 19's Merc A180; CLA180 and a 22's Merc C220 Estate, Superb won over them for the ride quality and quietness of cabin. I decided to let go my Beemer X2 for a Kodiaq and sold my 735i for a Superb L&K, it is not convincing enough until you have them compared side by side.

[@johnguidetti5839]

@@zeewin As said? Apart from you didn’t mention Kodiaq vs Tiguan or Leon estate you said VW & Seat. And the Equivalent MQB model from VW using a EA888 engine with 245Hp on that chassis is a GOLF GTI do you understand? The A1 is a Fabia compact car so that’s obvious. The stalk is the same for every car so again you make no sense. Same way it can break in any of them VAG brands. Passat estate’s are used as Taxi’s too now what? Lay of the hard stuff I know it might be hard for you since it’s bank holiday but a Skoda better than a 735i. Good night no point having conversations with a fanboy.

[@zeewin]

​@@johnguidetti5839 READ AGAIN my comments, I have never edited them and they have NOTHING to do with GTI! I have been talking about BUILD QUALITY! Lay of one's prejudice at 'Budget' brands might be hard for snobbery/haters. Check out the depreciation of a Skoda Superb L&K vs 7 series, do some researches on the Internet in the bank holiday before drawing a conclusion, getting rid of a 7 series for a Superb is not uncommon, you have no idea how much I spent for keeping my 735i road worth throughout 10 years of my ownership, but I have to admit that 735i is more steering accurate and agile, but I am talking about reliability and durability, Superb is in fact far more reliable and spacious. Don't be a keyboard fighter, go and try them yourself before saying so. Goodbye!

[@nateeedoggg]

Glad it's getting the recognition it deserves, great car and great review Joe!

[@paulwardzynski3265]

Nice to see a test of an attainable, fun car that is great value for money without compromising its engineering ethic. I had the estate version auto for five years and absolutely loved it. Your review makes me want to return to Skoda; they have a genuine honesty/credibility that even others within the VAG can't match.

[@johnbarry731]

I have a 2019 mk3 VRS estate with the 245bhp engine, manual gearbox and adaptive dampers in race blue. I absolutely love it. It does all the family duties brilliantly, the big boot is a huge plus and when I get it on a B road on my own it’s a real blast.

[@markgreen4455]

Great review Joe and thanks for liking my Race blue one on insta, BTW the armrest is ace it adjusts in height and back and forward 👍 for value for money can't be beaten, I've a petrol manual hatch with heated s/wheel and windscreen which has been a life saver this winter. Nice to see you reviewing other marques to. And yes on a motorway run get 40-50mpg and never below 30 😊 everything else and can get my bike in the boot

[@Thisonegoestoeleven666]

The armrest moves forward and can tilt up to whatever hight you need. It’s perfect.

[@RyRyMTD]

One thing he always tends to miss in VW group cars. They all do it.

[@scott-88]

I was gonna say that... I can position it perfectly

[@alexhiggins7307]

Lovely car, always thought it was a shame that VAG wouldn't let it have the 300bhp engine and 4WD.

[@DashDriver-z1r]

Never made sense as seat cupra got 300 4 drive!

[@143580BUD]

They do it so it doesn’t outsell other vag brands. Annoying though! I have one of these in green and I’m not over struck by it. I prefer the previous model and I’m probably going to trade it in for an R32

[@johnstonlee]

Superb has a 276bhp and 4x4 but this vrs is just too slow for what it should be

[@colingoode3702]

That's why I went for the Superb 280 DSG 4 x 4 Estate. Add a stg 1 remap & you get a 360bhp Dad's Q car. Best car I've owned & so practical as a wagon.

[@michaeltaylor5068]

​@@colingoode3702 same here

[@dimitarpanayotov9282]

The armrest is adjustable in both directions- up/down and forward/reverse. Great video as usual!!!

[@ic2433]

Loved the VRS estate I had a few years ago, still one of the best cars I’ve had.

[@mortelski5814]

Great all round car. Nice review. I have had the Mk3 VRS Hatch for about 8 years and still love it. I have the money ready for an old petrol S4 Avant or a second hand M340i Touring, if I could find one with the right spec, but it’s really difficult to justify spending more money for bigger bills and a smaller boot. 🤔

[@nokivcon3251]

Lol yeah I just can't accept any other car boots after having Skoda's

[@ThomasHarrisonLord]

Had no idea you could get this with a manual and with non-capacative steering wheel controls - what a winner!

[@ronmckinstraycom]

Great video Joe. Regarding the central arm rest it is adjustable forward and back and up and down, providing an individual and comfortable position. You missed the amazing headlights, the best on any car I’ve owned. One other feature is the (optional) heated windscreen. An absolute must.

[@thoughtfuldog5424]

I have a petrol vRS estate and it’s one of the best cars I’ve owned. Great to see this on the channel

[@schwifty9520]

I've said for many years and I stand by it; The Skoda Octavia as a model including all it's variations, is THE best car in the world IMO. There's a version for basically every person, and they cover all bases pretty much as well as any VW, at a *cheaper* price, while offering a bigger version of the car (Golf/Octavia, Passat/Superb). There are faster cars, there are cheaper cars, there are more practical cars, but for 1 model as an all rounder? I'm not sure anything can compete the same way

[@georgekyriacou9331]

In the world, are you ok in the head mate

[@schwifty9520]

@@georgekyriacou9331 Lol As I said, there are cars that have much better *individual* levels of all it's attributes, but I can't think of a model that consistently offers such good performance in basically all areas all at once. What would you counter it with? What IS the best car in the world for you? 😄

[@georgekyriacou9331]

@@schwifty9520 😂😂 fair enough, would counter with my current car BMW F30 335d Xdrive - has it all.. stage 1 tune takes them to 390 bhp you’ve got over 700nm of torque, traction no issue no matter weather with xdrive 0-60 sub 4 seconds and will still make 55mpg on a motorway run

[@schwifty9520]

@@georgekyriacou9331 That's a fair (if more pricey) contender tbf. The fast BMW diesels are awesome cars👌🏾

[@georgekyriacou9331]

@@schwifty9520 cheaper 😂 picked mine up for £12k

[@stephencollins7714]

Great review, so refreshing to see a manufacturer trying to deliver some value for money. Personally I like the looks but cannot get excited about cup holders one way or the other 😂. Well done Skoda, they seem to be outperforming all other VAG brands £ for £.

[@jimnolan9757]

Regarding the elbow support, the centre consol pulls forward and you can lift it to what ever height suits you. I have the same car in New Zealand albeit I chose the 18 inch wheels and no DCC and it suits perfectly. Want the 18's to handle like 19's, add 3 or 4 LB's of pressure. I also had a generation 3, same configuration. Cheers from NZ.

[@tubedarren]

Great review, thanks. I have the Estate DSG version, it’s a great all round car and perfect for motorway miles / long distance. The added bonus is you rarely see another one!

[@yoog]

I absolutely love my MK3 vrs estate. Skoda really are the understated marque in the group. And such great prices

[@Jimmy-py1kf]

Awesome video and that is some bang for the buck in this day and age ! Nice to see content from other manufacturers 👍

[@Pragwo1f]

Thanks for the great review, Joe. British ex-pat living in CZ here. You would pay more in its homeland, although at present you can only have one with DSG. 35K really is a bargain price. I had an Octavia for donkeys years and wanted to replace it with a new Superb, but my local dealership really made me feel they would be doing me a favour by selling me one. Now I will always steer a wide berth. In CZ Skodas come under intense scrutiny. The latest incarnation of that 2 litre is said to be an absolute gem. but the buggy infotainment always comes in for heavy criticism. British roads 'average'? I thought Czech roads were bad before my last visit to the UK earlier this month...!

[@dasteknoviking]

Howdy Joe, watching this video made me smile. Just like you I am a big BMW fan but happen to daily a Octavia RS. The arm rest is adjustable. Fake engine sounds can be turned off in individual mode. Manual RS is actually faster (than GTi!) 100-200 thanks to it's long gearing. I got a, estate version in a manual called RS Plus. It has every option but Canton (not worth it) and 360 camera (chip shortage). Besides few nagging SW related issues, car has been Rock solid in 2 years. June 2021 built, she loves the Autobahn and I still have not found the speed limiter...😂

[@stevenvater2681]

Ive got a 245 vrs and totally love it , best car for the money .very muscular performance, 280ftlb at 1500 rpm makes it much faster than youd think , its also vey balanced handling and with E lsd puts power down brilliant

[@BM-235]

Interesting review, looks smart. Still don't fully get the adverse comments about Golf 8 steering wheel buttons - having owned one now nearly a year ... Have yet to "accidentally" turn on heated steering wheel.

[@stevenvater8720]

I've got 245 vrs manual mk3 and its very very good. Very big punch midrange very balanced handling, very good seats, going with the flow 45mpg on motorway

[@GoodJobLittleBuddy]

Hello fellow mk3 245 owner!

[@Thisonegoestoeleven666]

@@GoodJobLittleBuddy And another one. Love my Ver 3.5 RS 245.

[@andrewsmith7636]

I still have my mk 1 Octavia vrs had from new with 84,000 miles, RS05OCT 😊 in its day bloody amazing and still give most a run for there money today 😇let me know if you need a go i it mate

[@JoeAchilles1]

That's amazing, great plate too! Will definitely keep you posted on that, sounds mega 👌

[@cfbm125]

Referencing the armrest, as with the Mk8, it is height and length adjustable in the Octavia, I found that my old F40 M135i was as you describe this car, it was miles away in the BMW in my opinion, it was one of the things I missed about my mk7 GTI while I owned the M135ix, I find my current mk8 GTI has the armrest on the door and in the centre in just the right place to support like an armchair, maybe your height plays a part in them appearing poorly positioned, as you say earlier in the video, VAG group cars don’t appear to be designed around tall people. Great review by the way. 👌

[@kidneyfailure4620]

People sleep too much on Skodas = latest models blow out actual Volkswagens out of water. I had the pleasure to test drive this vRS last week, and compared to a Golf GTI Mk8 it's day and night. I heard a lot of good reviews on the EV models of Skoda as well. Compared to the ID lineup you get a lot more car for the money with the Enyaq for example.

[@JR90.]

Great video, Joe! I've always preferred the VRS Skodas compared to the equivalent Golf GTi/ R.

[@pauljonkers4359]

Your comment about the driving position is true and recognizable in my Golf 7 GTI. Also a bit strange because the driving position in the older Golf 5 GTI is fabulous with also excellent seats and a grippy steering wheel.

[@scottfromengland2303]

Coming from the M140 ive just bought an estate version with all the gear on it 👍🏻 looked at the 3 series but i got more bang for my buck with 1 of these .. quarts grey with the pan roof etc

[@DashDriver-z1r]

I really want to change my 311bhp VRS estate for 340m but they are small inside compared and like 25k jump!

[@johnstonlee]

Bet you miss that b58 engine though.

[@leenichols6072]

Arm rest adjustment is fine which you didn’t mention, and the upgrades seats have more adjustment than standard, there is plenty of adjustment to get the position you want.

[@DashDriver-z1r]

I am 6ft3 and I can get my seat adjusted just right, don't think joe sussed the full adjustment out

[@jonathangandy]

Loved my previous gen DSG hatch black edition. It was the epitome of a fun family car. So practical and yet had enough about it to make it interesting. Would definitely buy another one.

[@jonathangandy]

Got a metallic grey DSG hatch on the way first week of Jan! Looking forward to it!

[@stevepearce6423]

I had years of being picked up by my granddad every day from secondary school in his Skoda in the late 80’s…. Now that was character building but I’d have no issues owning one now at all

[@robertcarter4423]

The Arm Rest slides further forward for when your cruising on motorways , moves about 3-4 inches forward , you lose a cup holder though.

[@Coastmac2001]

A very underrated vehicle. They're reasonably popular in Australia. But the Audi Allroad is still sold in Australia in A4/6 forms and as MY23 variants . The A4 40 Tdi & A6 45 Tdi are currently advertised in Australia thru Carsales & Audi Australia as MY 23 Models .

[@PANN1Cau]

This review is very timely as I’ve been looking at the vrs wagon to replace my a4 estate. Also appreciate a fellow 6’4” fits well in those seats.

[@brycebrown1]

It's a vast improvement from the Trekka days in New Zealand 🇳🇿 👍 Our police are driving a lot of Superbs these days... they look good on the road. Looking forward to Drivetalk, subscribed.

[@chimble2451]

The arm rest slides forward and has several height positions. You had it right back in the low position. Great video all the same.

[@andrewwardle-bu9yx]

you heard about the 16 valve skoda ? 4 in the car 12 in the radio , i love them ..... had 4 vrs , main thing i hated was wheel spin on start off , being a longish car all weight lifts off front wheels so you loose grip , after owning vrs went for superb 272 sportline plus which is 4 x 4 bliss .... and 5.3 seconds .. the vrs gives the driver tons of confidence , imagine 310 golf r tune with all wheel drive , yes please i want one ...

[@cinematographytrev]

Brilliant review, wanted to also wish you loads of luck with your new pod cast with Petrol Ped. Looking forward to watching your new ventures.

[@keeny1979]

Can you not lift the armrest and slide it forward like on the MK3 vrs

[@cfbm125]

Yes I believe you can, Joe may not have realised this, as he predominantly drives BMWs which have fixed armrests.

[@rainerl6138]

I saw the extra option for rear window wiper when i ordered mine and never ever i had in my mine that someone would ruin RS with it...until now.

[@Birmingham_racing]

How do you double the value of a skoda? Fill it up with petrol. Things have changed I've been a big skoda fan since the vrs range in the early 2000s

[@MrWesternDuke]

I have owned two petrol vRS - a Mark2 facelift and a Mark 3. Great cars and very under-rated.

[@holdtightbrizzle]

Brilliant car, shame they are hard to get a hold of. I went to a Skoda dealership and the dealer had his personal car out-front because he didn't have any stock.

[@DashDriver-z1r]

People are waiting like 9-18 months for new ones and thats BMW classic waiting times. The only thing with VRS is used most people don't option them out, get a nearly new one with Dynamic chassis is like a needle in a hay stack!

[@Shauny808]

The centre arm rest is adjustable

[@JonnySmith107]

Love the hand print on the back window as you’re driving about Joe 😂😂. Love my mk3 one, all the fun of a Golf GTI but with practicality & from the reviews I’ve seen for the Mk8 golf & general VW’s I wouldn’t consider any of them now, head straight for Skoda or Seat/Cupra

[@brianiswrong]

As a company car,it ticks a lot of boxes. As a £35k car purchase using a loan and a p/ x , wel circa £35k land you right in the sweet spot for all Manor of lightly used (more costly when new) cars.

[@velidkomarica5472]

Great review Joe, as always very objective, congrats. P.s. arm rest can be ajusted to fit you perfectly ;)

[@johnbrown3951]

There is a blue VRS in our village with the Akrapovic exhaust that sounds really good. They have fairly come on since they were the butt of jokes in my school days 50 years ago. I am looking forward to you're collaboration with Petrol Ped and have already subscribed to that channel to support the pair of you.

[@peterwatson9047]

I'm keen for the superb video - just because it's so huge inside, I'm the same height as Joe, and I like the idea of running the estate alongside my small BMW.

[@Sixtoemo]

I’m quite surprised about the amount of steering feedback. I have the mk3 VRS diesel estate, and whilst it’s been a brilliant “do all” car, the steering is quite lifeless. Been way more reliable than my previous Passat.

[@JackKing12.]

I had company car Octavia in 2005; a 1.9tdi Elegance in silver. Gosh still remember that level of information 😂. It was a great car with a huge BOOT...amazing.

[@sgp161571]

The armrest can be moved forward and back as well as for height so you should be able to find a comfortable position.

[@tomashley5869]

Enjoyed this second time round Joe! Well done, mate! Cheers, Tom

[@_ShortsThatKeepMeSane_]

Why would you go for manual over DSG? Only asking as I’ve always been manual but I’m tempted by the ease of a DSG gearbox.

[@scollyutube]

Was even better when they had AWD estate versions too. Had to go to a Kodiaq vrs for that and ground clearance now we live in the mountains....

[@realmusicreallife]

Hi. Regarding what you said about heads up display. It is clever but not hard to engineer and put together. But safety wise i dont think anyone ever hit a pedestrian and there excuse was sorry i was looking at my speedo cluster lol

[@Thisonegoestoeleven666]

Don't bet on it. And how many people have run up the back of others looking at the instruments. Plenty.

[@The888Redlich]

Armrest height and position is fully adjustable, one of the better features of many VAG cars, try it Joe

[@MrNozyk]

Move the armrest mate. It's adjustable.

[@johnhunter6290]

I've a 1.4tsi EV plug in hybrid. It amazing economy and the overtake ability it great when battery kicks in

[@06younger]

Joe, the armrest hindges up in a few incraments.........it's height adjustable.

[@cfbm125]

And it slides forward.

[@06younger]

@@cfbm125 I wasn't 100% of that.....Skoda is a fantastic brand. I'm on my second Superb and I put 650,000kms on an earlier model Octavia 👍

[@Ste_phen_05]

Feels really sad that they discontinued the Octavia this year in India😔. Such a sweet tuner friendly engine🔥🔥

[@StephenButlerOne]

Lovely car, I'd rather have the estate. It's then an all round one garage car. My local Skoda dealer the other year was selling off new test car vrs for 21k. Only had about 2k miles on them, and about 6 months old.

[@AR-dn6kh]

35k??? 😂😂😂 who the hell cam afford that ,with everything else going on. Prices of new cars are a complete con these days.

[@Watson1973]

This is very spooky Joe But my car was written off last week after a taxi skid into it in the snow and now I’m looking at Skoda octivia vrs estates just as u posted this to replace my deceased Peugeot 508 SW

[@JerryFlint6]

I leased the previous version for £249 per month, fantastic at that price. Performance good, but a bland VAG car!

[@logancoutinho21]

The center armrest can be adjusted in height!!!!!!

[@jchughtai01]

Great review Joe, looks are subjective, I have this in dark grey since Dec 20 and I think it looks fab, an excellent all rounder! Armrest slides forward and ratchet style to move up

[@defaultlmk9290]

omg THE CUPHOLDERS ARE THE BEST :-). You dont put like 2L bottle inside, but for coffe or energy drink - it is the best.

[@witton6475]

I see no engine cover. I’ve got a CUPRA Formentor and had the engine cover removed at service due to a recall. Is this the same reason there’s no engine cover on the vRS?

[@stephenhankey9684]

“It does 73mph in second gear….apparently!! “ 😂😂 haha as if you don’t know! Classic…

[@georgemarshall306]

Always a fan of the Octavia and great review. Did anyone else notice the hand print on the rear window - anyone stuffed in the (huge) boot?

[@paulsm77]

Had the estate on order last year but a 4 month wait turned into an extra 12+ months, so sadly cancelled the order.

[@tommason870]

Glad it gets the recognition it deserves, but 35K+ is still a lot of money. The price of new cars has sky rocketed.

[@danielbrown4253]

Does it come standard with electric mirrors

[@LewisTcakes]

The fact that the previous Octavia VRS was sub £30k new and this is so much more expensive for nothing more that an exterior update and dash update, makes the cost of this completely unjustifiable.

[@aleksandrlagutin8331]

Awesome car, awesome review. Manual hot-hatch in 2023. The world is still here))

[@kamlallikl]

I’ve owned the last VRS diesel. Great car, musch better that GTD it replaced (the golf was stolen). I’ve never met a VRS driver that hasn’t loved there Skoda.

[@TheLastCrankers]

not gonna lie, I really like this "low end" version. I'd really rock one in blue.

[@andrewdavis2325]

Love the VRS and I have subscribed to yours and Peter’s podcast. 👍

[@montha123]

You guys in uk get great deals compared to us here in Ireland , this is € 53,500 here which converts to nearly £ 47,000

[@Simmsited236]

Totally agree with the ergonomic issues. I'm a similar height, and the mrs has a new kodiaq vrs. The cabin ergonomics are awful for me. Not a bad car otherwise

[@heyhey3887]

One if the biggest negatives for me is the build quality. Coming from an Audi, this thing vibrates, rattles and you can hear all the debris through the wheel arches 😢

[@babasdadda]

I own an Octavia sport edition (2022), and in that the armrest slides back and forth and is height adjustable. Is this really not the case in the vrs?

[@michaelsmall4196]

Brilliant allround car, especially if you get the estate version.

[@TimWilliamsHD]

Dude actually pushed it 😆 love it Joe!

[@nealjoyce8696]

I’d have the estate in blue but 200 ps diesel DSG 4x4 bloody great dog wagon 🐩 🐕 for the money 💰 oh and add a Pan roof please …..another great and honest review 💯

[@Bewareofthedog69]

Great thorough review, not a bad Car to buy in that price range.

[@Gez492]

I bet the RS6 attracted the most love at the meet its bloody stunning fairplay

[@carlitto17]

A great review, please keep these coming

[@shaunfleming8668]

My 3 bedroom house cost 35k, 30 years ago, but still...... A house, a car, big difference. Thought we were all hard up?

[@Stenbox]

So I've never seen a vRS here in Estonia - what is the difference between RS and vRS? I daily the latest Octavia Elegance mild hybrid and there are so many good things about this car. Infotainment is good when it works, but it has some issues/quirks (eg I cannot get Android Auto working wirelessly on my phone, but it supports it). Otherwise no complaints whatsoever.

[@ApurtureSci]

There isn't a difference, they're just branded vRS in the UK, RS elsewhere

[@DashDriver-z1r]

RS is copy righted by Ford in some countries and so its Victory Rally Sport in the UK, Renualt get away with as its Renault Sport (RS Megane/Clio)

[@tomashley5869]

Great value undoubtedly! Wonderful news re-drive torque! Can’t wait! Cheers Joe!

[@gerjanrubens2698]

This is the new jetta in Belgium because we can not have the new vw jetta over here... This car looks very good

[@JohnSmith-oj8eh]

Great video but surely the middle armrest can be pulled up and forward.

[@fatwalletboy2]

Nice change to the usual content.