It does seem a little odd, given that the Skoda Octavia has long been available as a high-performance RS model, that Skoda hasn't previously offered it in sporty-looking Sportline trim. Odd, but now also fixed, as an Octavia Sportline model is just about to go on sale.
Sporty-looking add-ons
The Sportline model will slot in between the current Style model and the top-line RS versions and gets much of the RS's styling - including black exterior elements and sporty-looking add-ons. With our nit-picking hats on, we'd say that the Sportline doesn't look quite so aggressive as the proper RS, but there's not much in it.
Black grille and badging
On the outside, the front spoiler, the grille, and the 'Skoda' lettering on the tailgate all come in a fancy-looking gloss black finish, while there's also a black bootlid spoiler and a rear diffuser in gloss black, with a little flash of chrome trim. Standard wheels for Sportline models will be 17-inch 'Pulsar' alloys with a polished black finish. Available as an option will be black metallic 18-inch 'Vega' wheels and, exclusive to the Sportline, the 19-inch black polished 'Taurus' alloys. You'll spot neat little Sportline badges on the front wings.
Inside, there's a fabric finish for the dash-top, and piano-black inserts. The high-backed sports seats, with integrated headrests, are present and correct, and they come with a breathable 'ThermoFlux' fabric upholstery. There's a three-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel, decorative door sill inserts, and - for reasons we can't quite work out - a USB-C charging port built into the rear-view mirror.
All engines from the Octavia range
On the engine front, because the Sportline is really a styling and equipment pack, and not a dedicated sports model, you can have pretty much any engine from the current Octavia lineup (save for the RS-specific powerplants). That starts with the 115hp 1.0-litre TSI turbo triple petrol, moves on through the 150hp turbo four-cylinder petrol, on to the 2.0-litre TSI petrol with 190hp. There's also a plug-in hybrid version with a 1.4 TSI turbo petrol and a combined power output of 204hp, plus a version G-Tec model that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG) but that probably won't be offered in Ireland. Diesels will be, of course, and you'll have the choice of 115hp, 150hp, and 200hp 2.0-litre TDI units. All engines can be had with an optional seven-speed DSG automatic (the plug-in hybrid version gets an automatic as standard). There's also optional DCC adaptive suspension, and optional safety features such as the proactive occupant protection system Crew Protect Assist with rollover function, Collision Avoidance Assist and Turn Assist as well as the new central airbag between the front seats.
Irish prices and arrival dates haven't been set yet, but we'll let you know when they are.