Skoda fans asked for a sportier version for the Octavia since it was launched in 1996, but the carmaker provided one only in 2001, after the mid-life cycle refresh.
Skoda built the Octavia on the same platform as the Volkswagen Golf, Audi A3, Seat Leon, or Audi TT. In 1999, the Czech carmaker joined the World Rally Championship with the Octavia, following its century motorsport heritage. The car was too big to score any significant success, but it re-ignited the brand’s desire to built sportier vehicles. Volkswagen gave the OK for that, and, in 2001, the facelifted version of the Octavia received an Audi TT heart.

The Octavia vRS was considered a poor’s man GTI. It offered plenty of features for a family and a hot-hatch engine under the hood, and that was noticeable on the car’s exterior. The carmaker installed a new front bumper with an apron and a wider grille at the bottom. From its sides, the unique light-alloy wheels design made a clear difference when compared with the rest of the range. To complete Octavia’s sports image, the designers installed a small wing on the tailgate.

Inside, the carmaker mounted sport bucket-seats with high bolstering to ensure a better grip for the driver and the front passengers during high-speed cornering. Its two-tone interior was unique for the vRS version, and its standard features list was longer than on the regular Octavia. Though, the heated seats and the ESP were on the options list.

Under the hood, Skoda installed a 1.8-liter turbocharged gasoline engine paired as standard to a five-speed manual and sent its power to the front wheels only. Still, the car featured stiffened suspension, bigger brakes, and independent suspension in all corners.