On the road



Now here’s where things start to get really interesting. The 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder, turbocharged, direct-injection petrol engine is the same one that, a few months previously, blew us away with its very impressive performance in the new Superb. In the Superb, however, this TSI motor is required to propel a considerable amount of additional girth as compared with the more slender Laura – and that makes all the difference.

The ferocity with which this direct-injection engine revs is phenomenal. Like most direct-injection petrol engines, the motor in the Laura picks up the revs with exceptional ease. But in this case, it has the effect of completely disguising the fact that this is just a 1.8 liter, four cylinder motor. It’s exceptionally smooth, and fools you into thinking that there’s a V6 at the very least under the hood. It’s truly uncanny, the way the engine pulls consistently and smoothly all the way to its 7000rpm redline. The engine in the RS may come with greater provenance, since it’s the same engine that was found in the first Audi TT, but it clearly takes a back seat to the one found in the new Laura. The new 1.8 TSI may be lacking 4 valves in comparison – with 16 valves to the RS’s 20 – but it clearly demonstrates the advancements made in engine technology over just the past few years.



The free-revving nature of the Laura’s engine also allows it to mask the Achilles’ heel of turbocharged engines, which is turbo lag – a momentary delay in response from the engine as the revs rise and the turbo spools. This trait befalls the engine in the RS as well, and there are times when you begin to question just what’s under the hood as the car seems reluctant to move at all under 2500rpm. There are no such problems in the Laura however, as peak torque kicks in sooner and the revs rise with far greater ease – largely nullifying the effect of turbo lag. You do feel it in stop-and-go traffic, but not once you’re on the move.

Once on the go, the slick-shifting 6-speed manual gearbox is a breeze to operate – allowing you to keep the engine in its powerband all the time. Six gears also mean that it makes for effortless highway cruising – revving at just 3000rpm at 140km/h in top gear. The actual shift linkage itself could do with a bit more precision – much like the 5-speed in the RS – but it’s smooth nonetheless, and allows for quick shifts when you need it. The one thing you do notice, however, is that both the clutch and gear lever are lighter, and therefore more effortless, to operate in the Laura.

The Laura’s superior power delivery means that it wins in a straight line, but what happens when you come to a bend in the road? This is where the RS claws back some lost ground. Compared with the rest of the Octavia range, the RS gets stiffer suspension, bigger brakes, larger wheels, and performance tires – all of which enable it to be very surefooted indeed when you wanted to swiftly negotiate a series of bends. The Laura, on the other hand, has to make do with largely the same hardware that’s found in the rest of the range. It does get disc brakes at the rear, but the 195/65 R15 tires are grossly inadequate. And while the Goodyear NCT-5 tires are exceptionally good on a family car, they’re found wanting in the petrol Laura. Furthermore, the suspension errs on the side of comfort, which means the Laura rolls more through the corners than the RS. The upside is that the chassis in the Laura, which is essentially the current generation Octavia in international markets, is fundamentally good and inherently capable. Plus, the ride in the Laura is far more compliant and, therefore, more livable on a daily basis. While the RS has the tendency to crash through larger bumps, the Laura glides over most road imperfections.



With that said, the RS, with its stiffer setup, is far more enjoyable to throw around the corners. Its rack-and-pinion hydraulic-assist steering also provides more feel than the electro-mechanical rack-and-pinion setup in the Laura. This is not to say that the steering in the Laura is found wanting – it’s actually a very impressive electric power-steering mechanism, which actually feels linear and direct all the time. Furthermore, it has the added advantage of preventing torque steer from being transmitted back to the driver through the steering wheel. As expected, the steering in the Laura is also lighter, and therefore easier to use around town.

The brakes in the Laura are also more sensitive as compared with the RS. And while they’re quite effective, once again the pedal provides less feel than the Octavia. Moreover, one trait I found a little disconcerting was the fact that the tires would lock-up momentarily before the ABS kicks in. Here again, the brakes in the RS inspire more confidence when you’re pushing both cars to the limit.

The end result is that the Laura is a far easier car in which to make swift progress – the engine is more responsive, and the car’s faster in a straight line. The controls are lighter to operate, and the ride is more compliant – all of which allows you to relax that much more in the drivers’ seat of the Laura.

The RS, on the other hand, keeps you on your toes throughout. You’re always looking down the road to keep an eye out for bumps that you need to avoid – both for the benefit of your spine, as well as to ensure that the low front air dam remains unscathed. Plus, the nature of the power delivery is such that it keeps you on your toes. The RS actually feels faster because of how ferociously the power kicks in after you exceed 2500rpm, resulting in a sudden surge of momentum once the turbo wakes up. The end result, of course, is that you need to anticipate this surge of power – especially as you’re going through a corner.

While you do need to get on the power early in the RS to compensate for turbo lag, and ensure proper exit speed through a bend. You also have to ensure that you’re smooth with the application of power – ham fisted drivers are easily punished in the RS. Apply the throttle too early, or too eagerly, and the RS is prone to sudden understeer if the power comes in mid-corner. The power delivery is not only more linear in the Laura, but it also has the benefit of traction control – which, thankfully, can be turned off at the press of a button if you’re in the mood for some hooliganism.