Being a near-clone of the Golf under the skin is a good start for a good drive, though. That means a 197bhp engine with direct injection, a turbocharger, a high compression ratio so it feels frisky even when off-boost, and a pair of balancer shafts for smoothness at dizzy crank speeds. And those unique attributes?

There's the price, ΂£17,500 for the hatch, ΂£18,200 for the estate, both usefully cheaper than the Golf. Then there's the usefulness, thanks to the giant boot made possible by the Octavia's greater rear overhang. This is where Skoda thinks the vRS will score, in the mix of family-carrying ability and driving amusement. So confident is the Czech car-maker of this that it anticipates, for UK sales at least, that 17 per cent of future Octavias will wear the deep front spoiler, 17in wheels, 12mm-lower suspension and green brake callipers of the vRS.

It sounds tempting to a certain sort of life-encumbered buyer, you must admit. And it's surely smarter to spend less to get a Golf-equivalent car and bask in your own cleverness, maybe sharing the thought with similarly independent thinkers. Of such dreams are Skoda marketing campaigns made. Who wants to be a conformist anyway?

Nor do you suffer sybaritically for your reduced expenditure. The Octavia's interior quality is the equal of any Golf's, with plenty of padded surfaces and some neat dials with bevelled faces and delicate needles. The steering wheel feels good, the gearlever shifts tightly and crisply through its six gears (no plans yet for a DSG option), the black and silverish seats grip you snugly. There's a black headlining, too. Very GTI.

So far, so good. But the fact remains that to fall for a Skoda for 'emotional' reasons is still a leap into the car-culture darkness, even though Skoda has far more of its own history, including plenty of motorsport, than SEAT does. And it doesn't help that for all its visual sporting-up, including a new spoiler on the hatch and some nice chrome tailpipes, the Octavia is not a looker. Imposing snout, yes, but from the side it looks like a child's drawing with those thick window-frames and frumpy stance.

But then, maybe it's good not to flaunt your car's dynamic presence. The fact is that the vRS is a fine drive, its engine smooth and crisp and revvy and full of lovely turbo torque without the usual downside of turbo lag and a soft throttle response. Thank the DI for making a high compression ratio possible. It sounds crisp, too, but the note is never intrusive.

Like the Golf GTI, then. Same goes for the handling, amusingly throttle-steerable but ultimately foolproof, and the steering, well-weighted and accurate with convincing feel for an electrically-assisted system. The brakes are progressive and snatch-free, and like the Golf the vRS has a ride which manages to be both taut and compliant. We had a terrific time flinging the Skoda along great Czech backroads with surfaces much like the UK's.

This car could be the answer to many a car-nut's needs. But would you actually desire one? That's between you and your self-image.