If you want a car that’s fast, family-friendly and relatively affordable, the Skoda Octavia RS is probably the first choice out there, especially in wagon guise.
The third-generation Octavia RS may be nearing the end of its lifecycle, but it’s still a solid choice for drivers who have families but don’t want to completely give up on driving thrills.
ABT Sportsline knows that, so the German tuner is trying to make the Octavia RS more attractive courtesy of new power kits for the gasoline-powered model. Via the ABT Engine Control unit, the tuner adds 45 PS (44 hp) to the stock car’s 245PS (241hp) 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder output.
As a result, the Octavia RS reaches VW Golf R levels of power, with 290 PS (286 hp) and 410 Nm (302 lb-ft) of torque — up from 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) in the standard car. ABT Sportsline doesn’t say how the power and torque boost influences performance, but we’re guessing the improvement will be more than noticeable on the road.
The stock gasoline-powered Octavia RS wagon sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.7 seconds and hits an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). For those who prefer the Octavia RS diesel, ABT also tweaks the 2.0-liter TDI engine by increasing power from 184 PS (181 hp) to 210 PS (207 hp) and torque from 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) to 420 Nm (310 lb-ft).
Besides the engine tweaks, the tuner offers suspension springs that lower the car by 25 mm (0.98 in) at the front and 30 mm (1.18 in) at the rear, as well as an ABT sport anti-rollbar. Both are said to provide more precise handling by reducing body roll and improving both the steering and the distribution of the wheel loads.
The rims also get some attention from the Bavarian tuner, which offers several designs in 18-, 19-, and 20-inch sizes.
![](https://www.carscoops.com/wp-content/themes/carscoops/assets/images/icons/arrow.png"){kind=icon}