Rapid - first drives!

[darrenw]

Part of me desperately wants to like the Rapid but there is sonething naging the background and it's not SWMBO. I think it's because it's new and there isn't much in the way of details yet that it is very much the 'unknown'.

Hopefully when the brochures start popping up I'll like it more. A 'Dealer Day' would be great too.

[Paul007]

I think there's some design issues -

or

[lfc958]

Saw the photographs in the autocar today am not impressed with these, but as usual i would sooner see it in the flesh to make a decent judgement.

[kevberlin]

BLAND BORING FACELESS EUROBOX

Dont care for it at all

Its too much like a Jetta

It has no unique features

Agree with this (sadly).

[blueR36]

I love the new grill and the way the headlamps integrate with it smoothly. Im getting bored with all these new designs with lumps and bumps all over, and pointless design cues. This Rapid is refreshingly smart, and in my opinion far more attractive than the Octavia which looks frumpy now. I reckon the estate will look brilliant, and maybe the next Roomster will be similar at the front.

Only negatives for me, needs the 2 tone interior as too drab in all black and that bloody naff new badge. Why they changed it is beyond me, the current one is much classier.

Each to their own, I love the new/ original badges,( I have them on mine, and they changed them because every single one has gone milky within 3 years, I have had 2 fronts, rears and 2 full sets of rears on mine, the laurel leaf ones are cr@p and delaminate, assuming you do have rain where you live, even my mates 11 plate has had to have his changed under warranty, it must have cost Skoda thousands :wonder:

[stokey]

Having seen all the latest pics on the web, Seat appears, in the Toledo, to have a far sportier interior option with black and White half leather seats and flat bottomed steering wheel with lots of red stitching details, also their metallic red exterior looks very nice. Given that its being built by Skoda I think I ll wait for it!

[RapidRonnie]

Having seen all the latest pics on the web, Seat appears, in the Toledo, to have a far sportier interior option with black and White half leather seats and flat bottomed steering wheel with lots of red stitching details, also their metallic red exterior looks very nice. Given that its being built by Skoda I think I ll wait for it!

That was the concept car version of the Toledo presented at the Geneva motorshow earlier this year.

[lemonvrs]

I just noticed my rear Skoda badge is going milky around the edges..... had the car for a year now! My 2009 Fabia badges never went milky.

[Evening Star]

I just noticed my rear Skoda badge is going milky around the edges..... had the car for a year now! My 2009 Fabia badges never went milky.

You bought the cream of them...

[Bishopton]

presume badges are replaced under warranty? both mine are 'milky'; only 13 months old. Dealer will probably tell me it's the way I drive.

[The Plumber]

Front and rear badges have gone on my son's recently purchased 09/59 Fabia, the front being a lot worse than the back; waiting for the dealer to ring when parts are in. Wife's 10/60 Fabia had the rear badge replaced a couple of weeks back and my 11/11 Yeti is due to get a new rear badge on Friday.

Whoever is manufacturing these badges is costing Skoda quite a few 'bob' I imagine, from poor manufacture :S

TP

[blueR36]

That is why they are getting rid of the Laurel ones, got the new style ones on mine, it will never happen again

[lemonvrs]

You wanna bet..... mate at work, has a Mk5 Golf. The chrome is flaking on his badges!

[Evening Star]

Now I've read the AE first drive in print, I don't think that was a very good or favourable review of the car at all. In fact it says it's noisy at motorway speeds & isn't very good on the suspension.

It's really putting me off this. I only hope they were pre-production models otherwise this will bomb.

[Mike Wrightson]

I have yet to read a review of any car that isn't a Jag/BMW/Merc that doesn't say "some wind noise on the motorway". It will be no worse than the Fabia.

How are you supposed to get rid of it exactly?

[logiclee]

I have yet to read a review of any car that isn't a Jag/BMW/Merc that doesn't say "some wind noise on the motorway". It will be no worse than the Fabia.

How are you supposed to get rid of it exactly?

I find the Fabia very noisy at 70+ compared to my Passat but it's mainly tyre/road noise not wind noise. The new Focus is also a very quiet cruiser.

The quietest motorway car I've owned was a 2009 Citreon C5 Exclusive. Double Glazed windows, triple door seals, air suspension and loads of insulation, even what car say it's the quietest motorway car this side of an S-Class. Unfortunately the rest of the driving experience wasn't as good and all that extra glass and equipment meant the 2.0TDi was a quarter of a ton heavier than a 2.0TDi Passat.

Here it is.

My only big worry with the Rapid is they have styled it so it will look weedy without the 17" wheels and the Fabia on 17's doesn't ride well at all.

We'll have to wait and see.

Cheers

Lee

[Ultima]

Now I've read the AE first drive in print, I don't think that was a very good or favourable review of the car at all. In fact it says it's noisy at motorway speeds & isn't very good on the suspension.

It's really putting me off this. I only hope they were pre-production models otherwise this will bomb.

Hopefully the Octavia 3 should be alot better as it's based on the MQB platform.

[Evening Star]

Well I will wait until the official launch of it, then make my decision, however at the moment it looks like I might be about to ditch my Octy for one of these.

[RichieJ]

Well I will wait until the official launch of it, then make my decision, however at the moment it looks like I might be about to ditch my Octy for one of these.

I ditched my 8 month old sportage to get back in an Octavia. Sportage was a nice car but was a lot lower rent interior than my Ocravia. I had a 1.7 Eco Dynamics "2" and my CR DSG Vrs is actually proving to be more economical too.

[rockhopper]

Well I will wait until the official launch of it, then make my decision, however at the moment it looks like I might be about to ditch my Octy for one of these.

Why?

Or have I missed something?

The Yeti is the better vehicle and it's looks have grown on me over the last 19 months of ownership.

The Rapid from the rear reminds me of many cars I see on the road.

The Sportage reminds me of all the other SUV's out there as well. I trace the shape back to the original Ford Sierra :lol:

The Yeti is different-it stands out.....but it is not to every bodies taste.

[Evening Star]

A Yeti doesn't have a 7 year warranty for a start, it has a titchy boot too!

[rockhopper]

A Yeti doesn't have a 7 year warranty for a start

Nor does Skoda. Is the warranty any good? I have not heard good rumours about it.

Yes, the Yeti boot is smaller than an Octavia. I believe it about the class average though.

I expect the Rapid's will be a little bigger.

[blueR36]

You wanna bet..... mate at work, has a Mk5 Golf. The chrome is flaking on his badges!

How old is it , ( the golf ) and has it ever been to a car wash (acidic cleaner ) I have never seen a vw with bad ones, but every Laurel Skoda badge over a year old has at least one badge that is dodgy, unless parked in a garage and never washed, we have more rain hear than nearly all the Uk here, my wheel centers went milky within 6 months and the front and rears 10 months .

[Beryl's Chief Pilot]

Well I will wait until the official launch of it, then make my decision, however at the moment it looks like I might be about to ditch my Octy for one of these.

Justin Lok & I went to have a look at these in the Stealers this week. We have both been admiring the way they look. It was all going well till we looked inside...........Cheap plastic interior, rock hard dash, very gloomy as the windows are titchy. My 10 year old Octy's are miles better quality than these. And sitting in a Yeti is like sitting in a green house by comparison. They have a long long long long way to go till they even come close to a Yeti.

[logiclee]

I expect the Rapid's will be a little bigger.

The Rapid has a massive boot, matches the Mondeo for space.