For evidence look no further than the in-gear times: the old car needed 9.1 seconds to travel from 50-70mph in fifth; the new model takes 7.7 seconds in sixth or just 6.1 seconds in fifth. It is disappointing, then, that we found the Octavia’s engine lacked the aural appeal of the GTi’s installation. We tried two vRSs and both sounded noticeably coarser and without the induction bark found in the Golf.
Nonetheless, the vRS impressed at the track, reaching 60mph in 6.6sec and 100mph in 17.3sec (seven-tenths faster than the GTi), and around the Millbrook bowl: where a GTi stops accelerating at 136mph, the Octavia squeezed out a further 7mph to reach 143mph. Given the Octavia’s inferior power-to-weight ratio, we can only suggest that manufacturing tolerances make some 2.0 TFSI engines stronger than others. Still, with these figures the vRS has enough punch to stay at the front of the hot-hatch crowd. In a straight-line race only the snarling Vauxhall Astra VXR is quicker.
Over B-roads the benefit of the Octavia’s multi-link suspension is immediately evident. In cold, wet and greasy conditions, a well-driven vRS can cover ground impressively quickly. Unsurprisingly, the chassis’ talents are broadly similar to the GTi’s – accurate steering, mid-corner adjustability and confidence-inspiring grip. The Octavia provides a more compliant ride, but drive a GTi and vRS back-to-back and you start to notice other differences: the Octavia’s steering is less weighty, the turn-in less sharp and the cornering less incisive.
Which car is quicker in the real world is hard to tell, and in any case the margin is so small as to be irrelevant on a public road. But swap between GTi and vRS and one thing becomes clear: the Golf feels much more involving and rewarding to drive. Don’t misunderstand us, the vRS is competent and enjoyable to drive, but it fails to grab your attention and inspire you to drive in the way the best hot hatches do.