They certainly will have to be cheaper if this is anything to go by....

 

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/deals/seat-discounts-toledo-down-to-gbp10000/

 

Seat Toledo sister car now from £10k.

Honest John has given it a pretty favourable review which I think sums it up well:

 

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/skoda/skoda-rapid-spaceback-2013-road-test/

 

It has all the ingredients of an excellent family car for people who don’t aspire to the sheer size that the next class of car has grown to. Easier to park. Easier to garage. Easy on the eye. Decent to drive. And lacking nothing that sensible buyers really want.

 

I have to say I've just ordered a Honda Civic 1.8i ES with a large discount, so I won't be becoming a Skoda owner. But I do think the Spaceback is an attractive concept.

Quite like the look of that spirit yellow with the glass roof;

 

 

 

TP

Looking at the prices, another option which I am considering is a nearly new A3!

Supposedly a better quality motor. Same engine etc and road fund licence, Of course what I would have to consider is insurance and servicing etc. I`d imagine that Audi prices are considerably more than Skodas?  Some of the Audis seem quite reasonably priced when you look at some Astras and Focus`s.

Looking at the prices, another option which I am considering is a nearly new A3!

Supposedly a better quality motor. Same engine etc and road fund licence, Of course what I would have to consider is insurance and servicing etc. I`d imagine that Audi prices are considerably more than Skodas? Some of the Audis seem quite reasonably priced when you look at some Astras and Focus`s.

Just get your Audi serviced at Skoda, we've been doing that for years.

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Czech language Spaceback brochure: http://www.skoda-auto.cz/SiteCollectionDocuments/skoda-auto/ke-stazeni/rapid-spaceback-katalog.pdf

They certainly will have to be cheaper if this is anything to go by....

 

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/deals/seat-discounts-toledo-down-to-gbp10000/

 

Seat Toledo sister car now from £10k.

 

Good spot. Toledo doesn't appear to be selling at all. They also seem to have upped the equipment slightly with the SE model gaining Sat Nav and DAB standard, probably due to the free Technology Pack offer on the Leon. 

Are SEAT perhaps phasing out the Toledo as there's no evidence of them developing a Spaceback version?

 

I can see Skoda quietly dropping the liftback Rapid in the UK once the Spaceback is established.

SEAT won't do a Spaceback version as they already have the Leon in that sector.

 

I've seen a few Toledos, it's a nice looking car in a good colour and spec, just like the Rapid.

 

Maybe if SUK/SEAT UK dropped the massive discounts and instead just priced it lower in the first place it would sell better as it would look more distinct in the range.

In Slovenia 1.2 TSI 77kW Rapid Spaceback with Elegance trim costs 16k€ in presales, meanwhile Rapid costs 16,5k€. I took the prices from skoda configurator.

There's a review in the newest Top Gear magazine (1.2 Tsi 103bhpi)

they give it 5 out of 10 and don't have many nice things to say about it.

"as long as the price stays nice and low, it's probably worth a look. But we'd still say a VW Golf or a Ford Focus is a better bet"

They don't like the standard Rapid either, it's to be expected though - Top Gear is all about performance cars and premium brands.

 

I don't quite get their love affair with the Focus though, I have a number of friends who've had them from new who have all sworn never to have one again, the general verdict being: great when it's new, but quickly disintegrates. Of course, they could all have just been unlucky.

Dealer told me that with waiting lists for Oct and Citigo, Skoda will be dropping current Rapid (selling accumulated stock) and hoping that the hatch version sells - if not it won't be given long. Would make sense.

 

In a bright colour with the right wheels and the better trimmed interior it looks good - but in that spec look at the Oct sat next to it in the showroom and you can see why its a slow seller.

Maybe Skoda UK would drop it, but not globally. It is selling quite well in Europe.

I'd take that with a pinch of salt until anything actually gets announced to be fair, a friend of mine over the wrong side of the Pennines was told by an absolutely adamant dealer that they were dropping the Superb as the Octavia had now gotten so big. Recent press statements from Skoda show that to be utter *******s. 

I see quite a few Rapids and Toledos around these parts. There's a few Toledo taxis and I regularly see Rapids parked up at the supermarket.

When it's time for me to change, I'll probably get a Rapid, or a Fabia estate myself as either look just right for what I need. They have only been out just over a year now though, saying that, I see plenty more Rapids and Toledos round here than Octy IIIs.

Czech tv advert for the Spaceback (top right): http://www.skoda-auto.cz/models/rapid-spaceback/galerie#ctl00_ctl00_ctl24_g_f546ab32_2526_4676_90b9_1be47ba8ce67_ctl00_ctl03_ctl01_divVideo

 

Comparison of liftback vs. spaceback (in German): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4HBY8WOhjs

Dealer told me that with waiting lists for Oct and Citigo, Skoda will be dropping current Rapid (selling accumulated stock) and hoping that the hatch version sells - if not it won't be given long. Would make sense.

 

 

Any official word on this? Could be quite a big change...

There's a review in the newest Top Gear magazine (1.2 Tsi 103bhpi)

they give it 5 out of 10 and don't have many nice things to say about it.

"as long as the price stays nice and low, it's probably worth a look. But we'd still say a VW Golf or a Ford Focus is a better bet"

 

I notice TopGear mentioned the Rapid's "soft and spongy ride"

 

I give up on car mags 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqijsoekc50

Nice review in Slovakian, but with some good shots. Particularly like the one in yellow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50OcKLWd0yg

I need more parking spaces! 

Auto express review http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/skoda/rapid/66549/skoda-rapid-spaceback-video-review?_mout=1&utm_campaign=autoexpressvideo_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

UK specs and option prices: http://www.skoda.co.uk/models/rapid-spaceback/equipment

 

Sports seats available but no sign yet of the 17in Ray wheels or Xenon lights.

Few more nice pics, looks good in silver