Skoda 4×4 – ice fight

Skoda offers a new model - Octavia RS 4x4. Instead of organizing a separate presentation, the Czechs decided to remind you that their all-wheel drive lineup is more than impressive and that this drive is not just an extra charge for the whimsical.

Skoda began its dual-axle adventure in 1999 with the Octavia Combi 4×4. A lot has changed since then, and Skoda has grown into one of the leaders in 4×4 drive among popular brands. Last year, 67 of these models were delivered to customers, and more than half a million have been produced since the start of production. Currently, the share of 500×4 drive in the world sales of the brand is about 4% and continues to grow.

New 4×4 products in the Skoda range

Skoda Octavia RS is the most sporty model produced in Mladá Boleslav. This also applies to the diesel version. The powerful engine and rigid chassis combine high performance with the comfort of a family car. The Octavia RS was never meant to be as spicy as the Golf GTD, although it did allow for more than just a little bit of insanity. Now RS models with a drive on both axles are joining the lineup. As you might guess, they are available in both body styles to choose from, so that the customer does not have the feeling that he is compromising.

The Skoda Octavia RS 4×4 is powered by a 2.0 TDI diesel engine with 184 hp. and a torque of 380 Nm, available in the range of 1750-3250 rpm. You can’t order a manual transmission, a six-speed DSG is the only option in this case. The addition of a driveshaft and fifth-generation Haldex clutch added 60 kg to the machine. It turns out that excess weight is not ballast, if you look at performance. The top speed remained the same (230 km/h), but the drive on both axles significantly reduced the time required to accelerate the sporty Octavia to 100 km/h. For a 4 × 4 liftback, this is 7,7 seconds, for a station wagon - 7,8 seconds. In both cases, this is an improvement of as much as 0,3 seconds over the lighter front-wheel drive versions (with DSG transmission).

When looking for extreme savings, opting for an all-wheel-drive car is not a good idea. The Skoda Octavia RS 4x4 proves that the other side of the coin doesn't have to be so scary. Despite the high power and extra pounds and drag, fuel consumption is only 0,2 l/100 km more than the front-wheel drive version. The most fuel-efficient RS station wagon makes do with an average of 5 liters of diesel for every 100 km.

Range of 4×4 passenger cars

The Octavia RS is Skoda's newest 4×4 powerplant, but the Octavia 4×4 range is extremely rich. There are two body styles and a wide range of engines to choose from. You can choose from diesel units (1.6 TDI/110 HP, 2.0 TDI/150 HP, 2.0 TDI/184 HP) or a powerful petrol unit (1.8 TSI/180 HP). The two weaker ones are paired with a six-speed manual transmission, the two stronger ones are paired with a six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox.

At the forefront of the Octavia 4×4 range is a perfectly engineered crossover: the Octavia Scout. At the same time, the choice is limited to the station wagon body, and the weakest diesel engine is also not in the offer. These "shortcomings" are easy to forget when you sit at the helm. The suspension is raised by 31 mm, thanks to which the ground clearance is 171 mm, and we look at the world around us a little from above. That's not all, the characteristics of the suspension are chosen so that the roads of the third category, and even bumps, will become for the driver one of the many possible types of surfaces that are quite possible to overcome in comfortable conditions.

The third generation Skoda Superb can also be equipped with a 4×4 drive. This is the same system as on the Octavia, using a fifth generation Haldex clutch. There are two body styles and four engines to choose from, including two petrol (1.4 TSI/150 HP and 2.0 TSI/280 HP) and two diesel (2.0 TDI/150 HP and 2.0 TDI/ 190 hp). As in the case of the younger Octavia, also in the Superba, two weaker units work with a manual transmission, and two more powerful ones work only with a six-speed DSG.

offroad yeti

Yeti completes the range of four-wheel drive Skoda models. Also in this case we find a fifth generation Haldex clutch system, but this time of a completely different nature. In Yeti, the main focus was on the properties of the terrain.

Instead of sport mode n

on the dashboard there is a button with the word Off-road. After pressing it, the system becomes sensitive to even the slightest loss of traction. If, for example, we get into a messy mess, the electronics will lock up the wheels that don't have traction and direct the torque to those wheels, or to the one wheel that hasn't lost it yet. A useful feature is also the descent assistant, which maintains a reasonable speed even on steep descents. If necessary, the driver can increase the speed by gently pressing the gas pedal.

Skoda Yeti 4×4 is available in two versions: regular and Outdoor with slightly higher ground clearance. The latter is addressed to customers who intend to test field properties in real conditions. There are three engines to choose from: one petrol (1.4 TSI/150 hp) and two diesels (2.0 TDI/110 hp, 2.0 TDI/150 hp). All of them work with manual transmissions as standard, and 150-horsepower versions can get a DSG gearbox for an additional fee.

4×4 in winter - how does it work?

To demonstrate the full potential of the 4×4, Skoda organized test drives on an ice track high in the Bavarian Alps. This made it possible to test it in the most extreme winter conditions.

The electronics in the Octavia and Superbach 4×4 have three levels of operation: on, sport and off. It's hard to understand why a single press disables ESC, and entering sport mode requires a few seconds of patiently holding your finger on the button. After all, someone can accidentally turn off the guardian angel, but the trouble is not heavy. Both the sport mode and the shutdown of the electronics are reported in the same way - a yellow light on the instrument panel.

For drivers who often find themselves on icy or snowy roads, the operation of electronics in a Skoda with a 4x4 drive may come as a surprise. The electronic muzzle does not look like a strict nun, scolding the pupils of the orphanage even for her innocent appearance, she is more like an uninhibited teacher from a social high school. In practice, this means that the enabled system will only work when it decides that we really decided to harm ourselves. Luckily, the soft, controlled slip is within tolerance. The systems are set up differently for each model, which means that the "teacher" in the Superba is more vigilant than in the Octavia RS. It's also no surprise that the RS is the most fun on the ice and allows for the most efficient runs. If only the skill of the driver was enough ...

Benefits of 4×4 drive

When we first sit in a car equipped with a 4×4 drive, we will not feel much difference. While the wheels are running on a dry surface with good grip, the electronics are just watching. However, there is enough rain, and it is not at all frosty, but warm in the middle of summer, and the difference can be detected at any moment. A two-axle drive vehicle provides better handling and is able to overcome obstacles faster.

slippery bend in the road, which directly affects traffic safety.

In winter, we will feel these benefits with a vengeance if it turns out that the road workers overslept again. 4x4 drive on snowy or icy surfaces cannot be overstated, leaving single-axle drive rivals far behind. In the literal and figurative sense.

However, the example of the Octavia RS 4×4 shows that the additional mechanisms responsible for the drive of the rear axle do not have to be extra ballast. The 4x4 drive can increase productivity by better managing the high torque of the motor.

There is also the question of how to get to a place where it would be difficult or impossible without 4×4. For this, Skoda has prepared the Octavia Scout 4×4 and Yeti Outdoor 4×4 models. Increased ground clearance is an added advantage in overcoming bumps.

There is another reason to think about the 4×4 drive. The rear axle load means that Skoda 4×4 models can pull heavier trailers than their front-wheel-drive versions. The maximum trailer weight (with brakes) is 2000 kg for the Octavia 4×4, 2100 kg for the Yeti 4×4 and 2200 kg for the Superba 4×4.