Skoda Octavia vRS iV plug in hybrid India debut in 2023

Skoda is gearing up to introduce its first plug-in hybrid, the Octavia RS iV, in India and it is expected to be launched in early or mid-2023. Based on the fourth-gen Octavia, the RS iV will feature a combined 245hp hybrid powertrain. Like its predecessor, the new RS iV will be imported as a completely built up (CBU) unit under the government’s import quota for foreign vehicles, where automakers are allowed to import 2,500 cars to India every year without the need to homologate them.

• Octavia RS to return as iV or plug-in hybrid powertrain
• Will come with 85kW electric motor and 13kWh battery
• Electric-only range will be 60km

Skoda Octavia RS iV: what is it?

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of its RS brand, Skoda launched the Octavia RS iV in 2020. This is the car we in India will get as an import. Like all previous RS versions this one looks quite different and very sporty from the front, even when compared to a regular Octavia. It gets a new wider blacked-out front grille, a more prominent chin, more sharply defined fog light enclosures and an air dam finished in black. Along with blacked out ORVMs and red RS badges, the RS iV also gets gloss black front and rear skid plates.

On the inside, the cabin is similar to the current-gen Octavia, and features like the 10-inch touchscreen infotainment screen and the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster are carried over. The RS however will be equipped with a three-spoke steering wheel, an all-black theme with red inserts, and seats that include an integrated headrest, better wrap-around shoulder support, greater bolstering and more lateral support.

Skoda Octavia RS iV: powertrain and performance

Under the bonnet is a smaller-capacity 1.4-litre, four-cylinder TSI petrol engine that replaces the 2.0-litre petrol engine from the previous-gen RS 245. The engine makes 150hp as standard but when paired to an 85kW electric motor, it produces a total power output of 245hp and 400Nm of torque, 30Nm more than its predecessor.

Thanks to a 13kWh battery pack located under the floor, the RS iV sports an electric-only driving range of 60km. These performance figures allow the sedan to accelerate from 0-100kph in 7.3sec. However, the top speed is now lower, at 225kph, than the previous 250kph. The RS iV is heavier too, which could affect agility. This version, largely down to the large  battery, weighs 1,620kg, considearbly than the earlier car’s 1,391kg. The RS iV will also feature driving modes that focus on efficiency or spirited driving, depending on the driver’s needs.

Skoda Octavia RS iV: will be the latest in a long line 

The Indian audience is quite familiar with the RS badge in India, as Skoda first introduced it back in 2004 with the Octavia RS. The Czech automaker then brought the badge back on the Laura RS in 2011, followed by the Octavia RS in 2017. The final model to wear the RS badge in India was the 2020 RS 245, which was sold for Rs 35.99 lakh (ex-showroom) at launch.

With an expected price tag of Rs 41 lakh, the RS iV is also likely to be the most expensive RS to date. What it will offer potential customers however is a unique blend of green tech, sporty performance, fun driving manners and loads of practicality. 

Also see: 

Skoda Octavia RS 245 review, test drive