Mercedes-Benz AMG GT vs Skoda Octavia

What's the difference?

The GT63 4Matic+ is a breathtaking example of everything that Mercedes-Benz and AMG are.

Ferociously fast, incredibly agile and superbly sophisticated, it should be on anybody’s shortlist, if that also includes a Porsche, Aston Martin, Maserati or even a Lamborghini. And it’s definitely much more than yesterday’s SLC ever was – for similar money in today’s terms, as it turns out.

But, around Tasmania’s glorious roads at least, the Mercedes-AMG lacks the ride comfort and road noise isolation to be a fully-rounded-out GT, and that’s a disappointment for a brand with such formidable history in making such cars.

While other brands may have a higher profile, the quality of this Octavia RS proves Skoda deserves a greater share of the limelight. If you’re thinking about a primo mid-size sedan, or wagon, or even a medium SUV, this car combines satisfying performance with low-to-the-ground dynamics, immense practicality, top-shelf safety and solid value-for-money. It’s nicely put together using quality materials and the ownership package is class competitive. Do yourself a favour and add it to your new-car shopping list.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

This is still clearly a Mercedes AMG GT coupe, like the 2014 C190 original, but a ground-up redesign sees it subtly yet significantly altered.

Some 270kg heavier than before, the larger-in-every-dimension body combines aluminium, steel, magnesium and fibre composite materials for improved rigidity and a lower centre of gravity. Length (4729mm) and wheelbase (2700mm) have been stretched by 177mm and 70mm respectively. Width (1984mm) and height (1352mm) are also up.

The nose treatment is similar to before, especially with the bulgy bonnet and signature vertical slatted grille fitted. These, combined with the LED digital headlight shape effect, is reminiscent of, but far-better executed than, the goofy-looking MG5’s face.

Underneath, it's an all-new platform shared with the SL, with the rear transaxle of the old car replaced by a permanent AWD system, leading from 46:54 front/rear weight distribution to 50:50 as a result.

That aggressive, exaggerated cab-backward/ultra-long bonnet silhouette that visually connected it with the SLS gives way to more-conventional and practical coupe proportions that is striking if not especially original, since they do look quite 911-esque. Along with the longer wheelbase and wider tracks, the result allows for two small rear seats to be fitted, while liftback cargo access remains.

Similarly, in the name of way-more usable interior packaging, Mercedes-AMG says it pushed the driving position nearly 180mm forward compared to the previous GT. Let’s see what that all looks like inside.

The current Octavia complies with Skoda’s sharp and angular approach to exterior design, with cool, jagged LED headlight clusters sitting either side of a blacked-out octagonal grille.

A brand signature is the bonnet shutting low and flush over the front guards to create a broad hood panel with longitudinal character lines running down its length. Similar creases flow confidently along the car’s flanks with 19-inch alloys filling the wheel wells nicely.

A smoothly tapering turret ends with a steeply raked rear screen on the sedan and wagon with angular LED tail-lights following a similar pattern to the headlights.

As well as the black grille, car-spotters should look out for the RS’s black finish on the window frame surrounds, roof rails (wagon only) wing mirrors and tailpipes as well as red brake calipers and RS sports bumpers front and rear.

Always a subjective call, but I for one think this car looks distinctive and contemporary while avoiding unnecessary flashiness.

Inside, the treatment is relatively reserved, with a grey through to black colour palette and high-quality materials, including soft-touch surfaces around the dash, doors and console, as well as ‘mouse fur’ and faux carbon sections on the upper dash.

The sports front seats are trimmed in a combination of synthetic leather and synthetic suede with quilted panels in the centre of the cushion and backrest. They feel as good as they look and are easy to get in and out of. Red contrast stitching throughout the interior dials up the racy tone.  

A sizeable central media touchscreen sits proud of the dash with the VW Group’s ‘Virtual Cockpit’ ahead of the driver configurable through multiple set-ups. And a smattering of dark chrome and brushed metal highlights (including on the pedals) finish off a beautifully executed interior.  

The first impression inside is that of space, despite the falling roofline and coupe-like upsweep of the side windows and you look back. While, again, similar to a 911s, a kink at the door gives the GT a unique character.

Even larger people will appreciate the generous amounts of room up front, with space to stretch, sat in sumptuously comfy bucket seats. Note that the standard ones are better than the racier but firmer Sports versions.

The driving position is perfect, ahead of a dashboard that is very typical modern Mercedes in appearance and layout.

To that end, the tablet-style integrated touchscreen (11.9 inches) is clear, fast and intuitive once time is taken to learn it. And points are also won for the multi-configurable electronic instrumentation, that allows for a variety of screens, including track, classic and minimalist views.

The trademark turbine air vents, the quite beautiful material and trim finishes and just the general solid feel are further typical contemporary Mercedes cabin treatments, as are the excellent ventilation and ample storage options.

And while rear vision isn't great, that's what cameras are for. It's all pretty much on brand.

It is a shame, given how elevated the Mercedes-AMG engineering is underneath, that the GT’s interior look and ambience is so similar to those of a (albeit higher-spec) C-Class or GLE. It's simply not as special as some of the company’s previous sports cars.

More annoyingly, the ride is too firm and bumpy for a GT, and this has the unhappy effect of provoking random rattly trim sounds within the cabin. It’s a bit like scrunched-up cellophane. In a $420K (as tested) Merc, that’s very disappointing, especially as it can be heard over the copious amount of road and tyre noise droning through, particularly on coarser bitumen surfaces.

Further back, the rear seat is strictly two-plus-two, and nobody over 150cm tall is recommended to travel there by Mercedes itself. That sloping roofline is the culprit. That said, brief trips with a bowed head are possible, as the fixed cushions and split-folding backrests are actually surprisingly comfy. But only for short journeys. Kids should love it though, and the second row does open up the GT’s usefulness enormously.

As does a near-doubling of the AMG’s cargo capacity, jumping 146 litres to 321L with backrests erect, to a whopping 675L (+325L) in two-seater mode. The flat floor is accessed via a large electrically-operated liftback door, offering quite a large aperture for easy loading/unloading.

Having no spare wheel helps here, with a tyre inflation kit included in lieu of that.

Meanwhile, at the front, under the bonnet, things have definitely changed for the better as well.

Practicality is an area where Skoda comes into its own. At every turn the brand’s design and engineering teams have obviously kept day-to-day usability in mind with thoughtful tweaks to make life easier.

Some have become low-key famous like an umbrella slotted into the driver’s door (Rolls-Royce-style) and a small lidded rubbish bin in the driver’s door pocket.

But over and above that, the Octavia’s efficient packaging means in a car measuring just on 4.7m long there’s heaps of room up front for the driver and passenger, with lots of handy storage options. 

Aside from generous door pockets there’s a box between the seats with a padded lid (adjustable for height and length when in use as an armrest), a 15W wireless charging pad (with ventilation from below to keep devices cool), a big glove box (with pen holder), multiple cupholders, a cupholder insert able to hold a phone and/or some coins, numerous oddments trays and a sunglasses compartment overhead (not fitted with optional panoramic sunroof).

And in the back, sitting behind the driver’s seat, set for my 183cm height, there’s tons of leg and headroom with more practical design thinking on display.

For example, map pockets on the back of the front seats have a phone-sized slot stitched into them. There are pull up shades for each window, big bins in the doors with plenty of room for bottles and more, a pull-down centre armrest with fold-out cupholders (plus some oddments space), adjustable climate control vents plus a box on the floor for extra bottles and ‘stuff’ (removable if you need foot room for a centre passenger).

Power and connectivity runs to five USB-C sockets (two front, two rear and one near the rear-view mirror for dashcam duty) plus a 12-volt outlet in the boot. 

Speaking of which, head to the boot and the ‘plenty of room’ theme continues. With the 60/40 split folding rear seat upright there’s 600 litres of space in the sedan and 640 litres in the wagon. Lower the backrest and that number increases to 1555 and 1700 litres, respectively. That’s plenty, and more than the Mazda6.

The sedan and wagon feature anchor points for securing loose loads, extra storage bays behind the rear wheel wells, there’s a ski-port door behind the rear armrest, load divider rails in the sedan, remote release handles for the rear seat, bag hooks, a luggage net… the lot. 

The powered tailgate includes hands-free opening, there’s a space-saver spare under the floor and towing capacity for a braked trailer is 1600kg (750kg unbraked).

Priced at $58,490 for the sedan and $59,990 for the wagon, both before on-road costs, the Octavia RS has one competitor that meets the mid-size sedan and wagon criteria with cost-of-entry somewhere in the same ballpark. And that’s the current Mazda6 20th Anniversary Edition.

Pitched at $54,385, before on-road costs, for the sedan and $55,685 (BOC) for the wagon, the Mazda goes toe-to-toe with the Skoda on size, equipment and performance, although the ‘6’ leans more towards a premium rather than outright performance vibe. And the Mazda has recenetly been discontinued in Australia.

The Accord VTi-LX Hybrid ($59,900, drive-away) puts Honda in the sedan mix and if you’re considering a pure electric medium sedan, the BYD Seal Premium comes in at $58,798, before on-roads while the Tesla Model 3 Single Motor RWD sits at $54,900.

So, aside from the safety and performance tech, covered a little later, what can you bank on in terms of included features for a price tag giving $60K a serious nudge?

The answer is… heaps. Standard equipment on the Octavia RS includes three-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, a 13-inch multimedia touchscreen, sat nav, 12-speaker Canton audio (with digital radio), a 10-inch configurable digital instrument display, a head-up display, sports front seats (heated with six-way power adjust, memory and massage function), heated rear (outboard) seats, a power tailgate (with hands-free opening), keyless entry and start and rain-sensing wipers.

There’s also ‘Intelligent Park Assist’, LED external lighting (including matrix LED headlights), 19-inch alloy rims, heated and power-folding exterior mirrors (with memory function), synthetic leather and synthetic suede trim, a flat-bottom leather-trimmed steering wheel, alloy finish pedals and rear privacy glass as well as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. 

Worth noting solid, metallic and pearlescent paint options (seven colours) are included as standard, with the single premium metallic ‘Velvet Red’ colour adding $770. 

That’s as much fruit as you should expect in this part of the market and a bit more.  

There’s a plaque signifying which engineer “handcrafted” the GT’s engine – in this case, the famous M177 in 3982cc, 4.0-litre twin-turbo intercooled V8 petrol guise.

Delivering 430kW of power at 6500rpm and 800Nm of torque from 2500-4500rpm, it sends drive to all four wheels via a nine-speed multi-clutch transmission (dubbed MCT in AMG-speak), catapulting the GT63 4Matic+ from 0-100km/h in just 3.2 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 315km/h.

How does it do that?

With AWD, the GT is now nearly 15 per cent heavier than before, but it still manages a punchy 218kW/tonne. Active aerodynamics over, inside and under a more-rigid body structure also helps.

The AMG 4Matic+ AWD system goes from 50/50 front/rear, to 100 per cent rear, variable torque distribution according to conditions and settings, and backed up by an electronic limited-slip differential. Among the many driving settings are Race Start, Drift Mode and good-old Comfort, if it all becomes too much.

Also keeping all that performance in check is a high-performance composite brake setup with improved cooling for faster responses.

Interlinked active roll bars improve body control, the five-link independent suspension features adaptive dampers for a softer ride.

And, as for that 4WS tech, the rear wheels steer opposite to the fronts at up to 100km/h (by some 2.5 degrees) for tighter and tidier handling, or 0.7 degrees in the same direction above 100, for greater stability and road-holding.

Its effect on the way this near-two-tonne coupe zigs and zags around corners is something you need to experience to really appreciate.

The Octavia RS is designated ‘195TSI’ which relates to the power output of its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine driving the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.

It’s a fourth-generation evolution of the Volkswagen Group’s long-serving ‘EA888’ engine series, an iron block/alloy head unit featuring direct-injection and variable valve timing to produce (you guessed it) 195kW and 370Nm.

Actually, the GT’s economy isn’t horrendous considering how fast it can go.

Even blasting a few times around beckoning country roads, we managed an indicated 13.0L/100km, which is an improvement on what Mercedes-AMG says the GT averages the 14.6L/100km average that Mercedes-AMG officially states.

That translates to a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 334g/km.

Using 98 RON premium unleaded petrol, an average of just under 480km between refills of the 70L tank is possible. The urban run sees consumption rocket to 21.8L/100km (for just 321km of range), or 10.4 out on the highway run, meaning that over 670km is possible should you decide to drive in a docile manner.

The Octavia RS’s official fuel consumption figure on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 7.0L/100km, the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine emitting 159g/km of CO2 in the process (wagon 160g/km).

A start/stop function is standard and on a launch drive program through rural Victoria, covering several hundred kilometres’ worth of urban, B-road and freeway running we saw a (dash-indicated) figure of 6.9L/100km. With a 50-litre fuel tank on board, the RS’s theoretical range is around 715km.

In the city, expect an average in the high 8.0 range, which isn’t out of order for a 1.5-tonne sedan (1.6-tonne wagon).

Nobody will drive the GT63 4Matic+ and think, ‘Oh, this is OK’, because its breadth of performance is phenomenal.

No matter which mode you're in, from Comfort through to track-tuned Race, the Mercedes-AMG blends forceful pace and commanding control without ever breaking a sweat.

Flex your right foot and the two-tonne coupe bounds into action like a giant on a mission, striding past posted speed limit signs in nanoseconds and way, way faster than the law will stand if diligence isn’t exercised.

And there’s no point relying on seat-of-your-pants sensations, either, because the chassis below embraces the road with an almost zealous devotion. Which is astounding, given how agile the four-wheel steering-enhanced handling is.

The 63’s super power is exactly that – it dulls your sense of speed. One tester admitted to exceeding 150km/h before noticing. An odd confession considering the sonic boombox that is the bi-turbo V8’s howl.

But jailbait performance is not even the 63’s most lingering joy. That would be its steering perfection, that delivers that rare trifecta of keenness, crispness and communication. The wheel feels eager and alive in your hands, even when powering between tight turns, backed up by sensational grip and control. How can a two-tonne GT handle so sharply?

Warm, dry roads were the order of the day, so we can’t tell you how the 4Matic+ permanent AWD system deals with wet or slippery surfaces, but the slick multi-clutch transmission, seamless torque-vectoring tech and sticky tyres more than cope with the 63’s formidable outputs.

So, that's the gushing part out the way, then.

Despite the adaptive dampers, rigid architecture and exquisitely sophisticated suspension, the ride is simply too stiff in Comfort mode, and downright jittery on some of the Tasmanian roads we tested on, for the 63 to be considered a true luxury grand tourer. It just isn't comfortable, luxurious or supple enough.

Plus, grippy as they are, the 21-inch wheels transmit too much road and tyre noise through to the cabin, meaning that the GT isn't as quiet as you'd hope. Add the aforementioned trim squeaks, and the expected cocooned silence isn’t always there.

The upshot is that the 63 possesses more of a sports car character than a luxury GT character. Great news if you're a 911 type buyer and are seeking a high-performance 2+2 alternative, but a disappointment if comfort and refinement are priorities.

Still, it is impossible not to be deeply moved by this Mercedes-AMG.

Skoda claims 0-100km/h acceleration in 6.4 seconds for the Octavia RS sedan and 6.5sec for the wagon and it feels willing with solid mid-range punch available. 

Peak power comes on stream up high (5250-6500rpm) but maximum pulling power is on tap from 1600-4500rpm, which is spot-on for urban running, easy highway cruising and safe overtaking.

A sports exhaust dials up a rorty note when pushing on and the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission proved quick and smooth on a launch drive covering mainly rural B-roads and some freeway sections.

Steering wheel-mounted paddles add extra involvement when you’re in the mood to push through some twisty stuff and select ratios manually.

Speaking of corners, suspension is by struts at the front and a multi-link arrangement (unique to the RS grade) at the rear, with an electronically controlled limited slip differential and ‘Dynamic Chassis Control’ standard. Ride height is 15mm lower than the standard Octavia.

DCC is Skoda code for an adaptive damper set-up and the system offers a ‘Comfort’ mode to help manage bumps, although it adds an air of floatiness on the open road. As the name implies, ‘Sport’ buttons everything down and road imperfections immediately make their presence felt. ‘Normal’ is surprisingly comfortable without upsetting the car’s balance and overall compliance. 

Standard rubber is 225/40 Bridgestone Potenza S005, providing a good grip vs comfort compromise, and the electrically assisted progressive rate rack and pinion steering is accurate, providing good road feel without being too sharp or ‘pointy’. Braking is by ventilated discs all around and the pedal is strong and progressive.

Under the heading of miscellaneous observations, engine, wind and road noise are modest, the grippy sports front seats remained comfortable over several hours behind the wheel, plus a relatively tight 10.4m turning circle and standard 360-degree camera view system make parking easy.  

The current Skoda Octavia was given a maximum five-star ANCAP rating following assessment in 2022. High scores in the adult and child occupant protection categories focused on the stability of the car’s passenger compartment in front offset, full front, side and pole impact crash tests.

For the 2025 model year, standard active (crash-avoidance) tech now includes turn assist and advanced driver fatigue detection, which is on top of auto emergency braking (AEB) operating from 5.0-250km/h (with car and ‘vulnerable road user’ detection plus junction assist), lane keeping assist (and emergency lane keeping), rear AEB, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a reversing camera, a 360-degree camera view, tyre pressure monitoring, front and rear parking sensors and more. 

If, despite all that, a crash is unavoidable the airbag count runs to 10 - dual front, front side, rear side, side curtain, front centre and driver's knee.

There are three top tether points for securing child seats across the second row with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer rear positions. 

That’s an impressive safety run down, as good or better than any category competitor.

What’s the GT like to own?

Mercedes-Benz offers a five-year/unlimited km warranty, with five years of roadside assistance. This is average for most mainstream and luxury brands, but superior to most sports-car makers like Porsche and Lamborghini.

Intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, and while no capped-priced servicing is offered on the GT, pre-paid three-, four- or five-year service plans are available, ranging from $5165, $7700 and $8665 respectively.

Big performance demands big maintenance bills, it seems.

The Octavia is covered by Skoda’s seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is ahead of the mainstream five-year warranty pack, although a little short of some, like MG and Mitsubishi at 10 years.

Service is recommended every 12 months/15,000km and a four-year/60,000km service pack will set you back $2000, with 12 months’ roadside assistance topped up for another year after each trip to an authorised workshop.

That $500 per service charge is a solid amount but not outrageous for a premium, especially Euro, mid-sizer. For reference the Mazda6 20th Anniversary averages $552 per service over the same period.