The new Skoda Octavia vRS is more powerful than before, will start from £38,670

The Skoda Octavia: it’s one of those cars which just does well and has its place in society figured out, right? Well, here’s the all-new fourth-generation version of its ‘vRS’ strand, which will be available in both hatch and estate body styles.

The 2.0-litre TSI four-pot petrol engine - the same as the one found in the Fabia RS Rally2 - now produces 261bhp (20 more than previously) and 273lb ft. Plentiful, particularly since the seven-speed DSG transmission can put those figures to the road to make for a 6.4s sprint to 62.

You’ll also be helped along by a new type of ‘electrohydraulic’ differential lock. No idea what that is, but Skoda says it means there’s more grip on corner exits and less slip in the wheel. The vRS has also had its suspension dropped by 15mm to give a bit more aggression to that exterior, which looks typically handsome.

That’s because there’s not an awful lot of change from the outgoing VRS, with highlights including restyled light signatures, a now triangular fog lamp cluster and flashy 19in alloys. There’s also a new rear diffuser out back, while the tailpipes - and various other bits of trim - are finished in gloss black.

It’s also eerily familiar inside: there’s a leather-fied three-spoke steering wheel with bits of aluminium across the pedals, massage seats with red stitching and, hmm, about four thousand vRS logos spaced across. As with other models in the Octavia range, you'll also get a 10in driver’s display and a 13in infotainment unit.

Pricing for the new Octavia vRS starts at £38,670 for the hatch and £39,775 for the estate. You want the estate, naturally.