The world can be divided into two camps: those who Škoda and those who Škodon’t. There were many markets where this long-lived Czech marque has no presence, or has been absent for decades, though that list has been diminishing in recent years. Remaining Škodon’t countries include the United States, where the marque did import a few cars back in the Eisenhower administration, as well as South Korea and Japan. As far as I know, Škoda have never had a Japanese importer or distributor. Which is why when I saw this one, I did a double take.
This just goes to show the relativity of mundaneness. Had I been on a French or British town and encountered this sliver Octavia, I don’t think I would have even bothered to take a photo. I might not even have even noticed it: these are so familiar (in the European context) as to turn into visual background noise. But finding one out of its natural habitat forced me to take a minute to gather my thoughts and a modicum of photographic evidence.
This is the first Škoda I’ve seen in this country, but it’s the second Octavia I found in the wilds of Asia (not a traditional stomping ground for Czech cars), The Octavia I caught about five years ago in Rangoon was a different beast though, as it was a COMECON-era RWD wagon, and a highly modded one at that. This one isn’t totally stock either (that rear spoiler, for starters), but much closer to how it came off the Mlada Boleslav assembly line than the Burmese Combi was.
Which makes sense, as this Octavia is a striking illustration of its maker’s revival, thanks to VW taking control in 1991. It didn’t happen overnight – I remember a time when Škodas were the butt of bad jokes in Western Europe. But by the time the Octavia was launched in 1996, most people had stopped mentioning VAG’s Czech branch in the same breath as the dreaded Lada. In fact, compared to its Audi-, SEAT- or VW-badged equivalents, the Octavia looks more substantial, with its chromed nose and chunky notchback profile.
Under the skin, the Octavia is identical to the German-made Bora (Jetta)/Golf Mk4, the Audi A3 and the Spanish-built SEAT Toledo/León, down to the wheelbase. The Škoda’s added value, aside from its superb VAG technology, was its styling, its bigger boot and its rock-bottom price, compared to its VW, SEAT and Audi sisters. I vividly recall thinking at the time that the Octavia being 10-15% cheaper, yet equal in all technical respects to the A3, the Bora and the Toledo, would take the world by storm. And it did, despite the Škoda jokes.
The first new Škoda devised in the VAG era was the Felicia (1994-2001), which used a mix of legacy Škoda and VW power plants. The Octavia was aimed at a higher segment and Škoda’s biggest car engine was a 1.3, so all the engines available on the Octavia (1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2-litre petrol 4-cyl., plus a 1.9 litre Diesel) were strictly VAG. Similarly, the interior does not look very Eastern European – just plain Germanic, more like. That’s probably a good thing, given that this higher-trim Octavia, though affordable, was still the most expensive Škoda ever attempted up to that point. That would be topped by the Superb from 2001; those are very nice too, but I doubt I’ll run into one in Tokyo.
The saloon (top left) made its European debut for MY 1997. In 1998, the Octavia wagon (top right; known as the Combi, just like it was back in the ‘60s) joined the range and RHD versions started to be sold in the UK, one of Škoda’s key European markets. The Octavia was given a mild facelift for MY 2001 and sales of the performance-oriented RS model, be it in saloon (bottom right) or Combi form (bottom left) started then, lasting until 2005. At that point, the second generation Octavia was launched, but the old one stuck around in many markets until 2010-11.
Our feature car is one of these RS models (or VRS, as the badge seems to imply?), so this is the Octavia you want to get if you’re in a hurry. These Škodas never got access to the crazy 6-cyl. powerplants seen on certain Mk4 Golfs, but the Octavia RS did have a slightly toned down version (178hp) of the 1.8 litre 20-valve 4-cyl. used in the Audi S3.
The Felicia was the first Škoda of the modern era, but this Octavia was the one that VAG used to crack open a bunch of new markets for their Czech branch. These were built in Poland, Bosnia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and India, the last market being a particularly tough one to survive in. Yet Škoda are still in India today, thanks in no small part to the Octavia’s good first impression.
Škoda has conquered dozens of new markets since the ‘90s, being one of the few East European automotive success stories of the last 20 years, along with Dacia. Still, Škoda have yet to try to enter the JDM, so this Octavia RS must have been imported and licensed here privately (and doubtless at great expense) by someone who has a serious Czech car fetish. No, it wasn’t me!
This example could be an ex-embassy car, perhaps?
VW has certainly taken Skoda very far and very successfully. To think that GM were also in the quest to take on Skoda at the same time.
Had they done so, the brand would probably be history now – look at Saab as the other European acquisition GM made around the same time.
CzDM, bro! 😂
Quite the alternate universe stuff going on here, great find!
And yes, it’s rather VRS. Nowadays those hot Octavias effectively replaced Audis as the “company car with attitude” in Germany, as the latter shifted further upmarket, out of the appropriate-for-the-“Aussendienstler” bracket.
I’d wager this was imported by a mad-keen rally fan in Japan. The Octavia made quite an impression in the WRC, despite not really achieving great results. https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/your-favorite-world-rally-car-1-skoda-octavia-wrc/
I remember Armin Schwarz trying to pedal this half destroyed one in the RAC rally, quite remarkable.
Visited the Skoda plant in Mladá Boleslav just before COVID. Tour got down to the point of looking over the shoulder of assembly line workers. The place was running full throttle and was in a hiring mode. VAG made the right choose in picking up Skoda.
I’m currently residing in Hungary and have an employer-provided Polo, but I certainly would consider buying a Skoda if that arrangement ends. I like the Superb especially.
And long timers on here know that I’m hardly a fan of VAG products, especially Audi.
That is a very well-disguised liftback/hatchback.
Skodas were particularly common in Austria last time I was there. Makes sense, as t appealed to their thrifty yet quality-loving sides.
The Skoda Octavia was represented at the New York Auto show in 1961 and I remember seeing a bright blue one frequently parked across the street from my elementary school at about the same time. Was about ten years old then and living in Westchester Co. U.S.A. Had never seen one before or since until I visited Europe as an adult.
Yes, It had a white top. I think it was the Felicia version.
I like Skodas and Skoda history and learned a lot about them on a driving trip in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Hertz sent me out in a Polo; had I known better I should have pushed for some sort of Skoda.
What are those green boxes in the Skoda’s parking lot?
I’m going to guess they’re the actuators for what appear to be tire shredders.
Maybe part of some automated pay parking scheme, or for enforcing reserved parking.
As noted these are the MK4 Jettas (US 2000-2004) that became the CityJetta in Canada in the late aughts and was still being made in China in the early 2010’s.
They landed here and thrived, the Police are rolling out their Skoda fleet as the Opel/PSA/Holden Commodores are with drawn and sold on,
Skodas have been here a long time and were laughed at for years but the home grown Trekka utility was built on a RWD Octavia platform in the 60s and did well for what is was and bargain basement pricing.
The new VW based Skodas seem to have a good following there are plenty around.
That is a good looking car. I doubt many Mk1’s here in the UK would look that clean now.
Speaking of which, am I right in thinking that the vRS was a UK (or limited market) badge and it was sold as the RS everywhere else?
Surely the time to even mention Skoda jokes has long past. I was reading articles in Car magazine in the late 90s (circa 1998 or so) that began by saying the time has past. That was almost 25 years ago. There seem to be two zombie tropes in car journalism. One is that Alfa´s resurgence starts with the model featured (I´ve seen that since the late 90s 147 and GTV models) and the other is that it´s time to stop Skoda jokes. I suppose another zombie trope is that Jaguar will stage a come-back and really compete on a level footing with German brands. Finally there´s the idea Aston Martin or Lotus will one day consistently make money for their owners.
Interestingly, Skoda has outrun its zombie trope but Alfa hasn´t and while Ford and GM can´t bring back the RWD sedan, KiaHyundai eventually did without really trying too hard.
The most pleasingly cushy car I´ve laid eyes on in recent years is an L&K version of the Skoda Superb. It´s comfy and luxurious in a way that isn´t in gross bad taste – it´s lovely without overdoing it. Only Volvo seem to achieve the same feat. Other luxo brands are simply Broughams for the 21st century.
The taxi of choice in the large parts of the UK, as well as a solid value for money purchase. Popular with paramedic first responders, some police work and any car that is going to get a serious life. Sort of a smaller take on the old Volvos It won’t get envious glances but not everyone wants those.
Someone I knew was planning to buy one these around the time this one was built and was adamant that it was Passat based, not Golf based. Much larger than a Golf – well certainly in the boot.
The RS is marketed in the UK as the “vRS”, as Ford own the rights to “RS” and badge fits, as you spotted.
When I see the name Škoda my first reaction is to think of the 1960-ish Octavia, which with the brows over its front wheel openings always seemed to frowning if not downright scowling. And in fact I’m not sure if I’ve seen many in person, but the pictures have stuck with me. So I’m always surprised now when I see characters, even police, driving modern Skoda’s in British TV shows. They seem like an arguably better VW.
The “better” is subjective of course – there is more space and better value for money compared with the Golf, but the interiors are a bit clinical and plain, and excitement and entertainment are not on the agenda.
A good value Golf with a big boot, but little drama for drivers or passengers.
Today’s Skodas are very good cars that offer excellent value for money.
The latest models Octavia and Superb are particularly nice. Many prefer them over a Golf or Passat, because of their lower price, their roominess and their reliability.
Rear legroom in the Superb/Superb Combi is vast, one of the reasons this model is so popular with cab companies. If I were to choose a new car today, these Skodas would certainly be on my list, together with the Volvo V60/V90.
The last time I was in the UK in 2013 I was due to pick up my rental car in Glasgow. I entreated the pleasant and efficient young man behind the counter to see if he had a Skoda he could rent me. He did, and I put around 1k on the very comfortable and competent Octavia Saloon in a medium blue metallic with 6-speed. I would have very much liked to have had one, but they would probably not have offered the manual here if they did sell here. Bloody lazy fellow Yanks!!
Skoda was re-launched down here in 2008, inauspicious timing what with the GFC and their last product being seen about ’82 only with startle-eyed non-car tightarses going sideways around every wet corner. That is to say, they started not just with zero, but with less, given the vague smell the name had with the public about my age then (late ’30’).
And they sold accordingly, for quite a while. But VW were prepared to be patient, it seems, and lots of marketing money – presumably well in excess of profits – was spent over time, doing that trick of making the brand seem bigger than it was. The Tour De France association was well-milked here too, for the Righteous Lycra crowd, who are usually monied and brand snobs (it’s European, don’t you know?) Perfectly good cars, too, by all accounts, better value VW’s, albeit with lower resale.
Now, they do well in the ultra-crowded Euro-niche market in Aus, outdoing Volvo, for example, and I presume making good money. A rare-ish example of European make persisting in the long-haul strategy that the Japanese are famous for.
Now they only need the quality to match: it’s a VW product, don’t you know? And whilst in that lottery you may or may not get a goodie, you can be guaranteed an attitude to service and warranty that will also be distinctly North European – specifically, east of Holland but below Denmark, west of Poland but above Switzerland – in its less-pleasant superiority-and-arrogance aspect.