New vs used: Skoda Octavia vRS vs Mercedes-AMG C43

Evidently, the Skoda can’t compete for sense of occasion here. Its 197bhp 2.0-litre engine feels strong and willing to rev for a diesel, and it’s very hushed inside the cabin. It will always be a tool for a job, though, not something that you take pleasure in sending up and down the rev range.

The familiar 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit that has been powering GTI and vRS models for years won’t match the C43’s fireworks either, since it has been tuned to be more subdued in the Octavia, but it is more suited to a performance derivative. Sweet revenge comes at the pumps. The petrol vRS can achieve MPG figures in the mid-30s in mixed use, while the diesel will get into the high-40s with ease. The C43, meanwhile, puts all its efforts converting fuel into noise and power. Ours was showing an average of 26mpg on its display after a day of mixed motoring. Ouch.

Unfortunately for the Skoda, the ascendancy doesn’t last very long, because as soon as you step inside, it’s clear that the Mercedes is on another level. Not that the Czech car isn’t nice: the design is thoughtful and modern, and it’s well screwed together, but it’s a pretty plain creation that can’t match the feeling of luxury you get from Mercedes.

The German car’s leather-and-Alcantara seats are softer and more adjustable, and the natural wood trim easily trumps the shiny plastic in the Octavia. Some of the Mercedes’ buttons and stalks don’t feel as hefty and built for the ages as you would expect but, apart from the shiny leather on the steering wheel and the snail trails and dog hair in the boot, it has actually held up very well for its 60,000 miles.

The flip side is that the C-Class, with its lengthways engine and rear-wheel drive, isn’t known for being particularly spacious, which happens to be one of the Octavia’s strengths.

Given the speed at which electronics become obsolete, you would expect the new car to claw back some points with its more modern infotainment system, but actually the opposite is true. The system currently shared across the mainstream Volkswagen Group brands looks slick but is often frustrating to use. The C43’s is the opposite. The screen in this pre-facelift car is small and looks a little dated but, thanks to a rotary dial and physical switches, is far easier to use. Admittedly, there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but aftermarket solutions exist.

Go for a drive and the vRS strikes a very nice balance of sharpness and daily usability. On passive dampers, the ride is firm for an Octavia but perfectly easy to live with. That translates to good control over challenging roads with a bit of body roll to let you know what’s going on. Despite riding on Pirelli Cinturatos, a fairly ordinary tyre, it hangs on gamely in corners, with a neutral balance, but it doesn’t reward you like the best performance cars.

The diesel vRS also lacks the limited-slip differential that the petrol gets, even though it could use one. At least the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox works very well – with fast, smooth shifts and good response to the paddles – although it is best to use the Sport driving mode, as Normal can be too keen to keep the revs low.