Skoda Octavia vRS Shown in Design Sketches, 242bhp Hybrid System Confirmed

The Skoda vRS Octavia’s rumoured hybrid powertrain is now official. The Czech, VW Group-owned brand has released a bunch of sketches to tease the new hot hatch and estate, while also confirming it’ll be the first plug-in vRS, featuring a total system output of 242bhp.

That matches the power figure of the VW Golf GTE, which uses the same ‘MQB Evo’ platform. We’re expecting the components of the hybrid powertrain to be shared too: a 1.4-litre inline-four turbo petrol engine, a single electric motor, and a 13kWh battery.

That pack of cells won’t be light, so although the output of the setup matches the most powerful Octavia vRS built by Skoda thus far (the imaginatively-named vRS 245), it won’t accelerate as quickly. We’d anticipate a 0-62mph time starting with a seven, rather than a six.

But for anyone wanting to go quicker, there will almost certainly be a pure petrol version on the menu. We’d expect it to at least match the output of the Golf 8 GTI, which will develop 242bhp according to a recent leak.

Despite diesel falling out of favour, we’d be surprised if there doesn’t end up being a derv option too. With sister brand VW having already confirmed a Golf GTD - thought to be good for 197bhp - Skoda should follow suit. It’ll be in the company’s interests - the last diesel Octavia vRS was a big driver behind the popularity of the designation. Skoda proudly states that “every fifth Octavia delivered to customers is a vRS model” in the UK, Germany and Switzerland.

We’ll know more when the car is revealed in full at the Geneva Motor Show on 3 March.