While much of the Octavia’s interior is familiar, the vRS does feel a little more special. The seats and sports steering wheel are excellent, while the pedals and gear lever are nicely spaced which makes driving a lot of fun.

The touchscreen multimedia system is very simple to operate and it’s very easy to pair up your mobile phone or MP3 player.

In terms of the dash there’s a clear and well-designed screen between the speedometer and rev counter which can toggle through various information displays such as speed, trip information or fuel economy.

Unusually for a sporty car, Skoda vRS comfort levels are fairly high. The ride is quite exceptional, soaking up bumps very well indeed when you consider it sits on lowered sports suspension.

You don’t experience a huge amount of wind or tyre noise, but engine noise is of course more apparent since the vRS uses an engine sound amplification system to pump more sporty engine notes into the cabin.

While this works well on the petrol-powered car, the diesel version sounds a bit odd and out of place.

One thing that is worth noting is the excellent front seats. They’re supportive and well-bolstered, yet hem you in very well indeed when driving at higher speeds.