First I'd like to say that I got the car at 19/4, ordered it from the main agency of Skoda here in Israel so it took 20 days to deliever. (oredred at 31/3)

I have chosen the black metallic color with cream white interior, I also got bluethooth speaker (not original) + original parking sensors and homing beacon (something for the insurance companies, fitted with GPS to track the car in case it gets stolen)

the differnce between Ambition and Elegance (the only two options availabe in Israel) are:

16" Alloy wheels with 215/45 tires (Bridgestone Turanza ER300 )

6 speakers (2 twitters + 4 speakers) instead of 2 twitters and 2 speakers

Climatronic climate control

Cruise control

Cons:

Skoda were very cheap making this car, I mean, 4 electric windows but only the front can be controled by the driver? only the driver's window has an automatic open option, but if you want to close it, it wont close automaticly.

Rear elbow rest - not even an option in Israel.

no mirror on the sun block (driver's side)

no automatic window closing (when locking the car, not even when you press long on the lock button)

It seems like there is no cornering fog lights, couldn't get them to work, manual says they should.

DRL - must open fuse box to turn them on, also wont work together with cornering fog lights (like I said, cornering doesn't seem to work even when DRL is OFF)

I can't figure why the bluethooth speaker is not original, the option is just missing from the Swing radio, but I do have the button on my steering wheel.

also there is no USB connection, only AUX.

The climate control is not split, no rear vents.

plastics - they do feel cheap, but overall quality is not so bad.

move on to the pros and my personal review.

The looks:

defintly a refreshing new style from skoda, I really like it, the Black metallic combined with the cream white seats is a great combination in my opinion and I think it makes the car look more luxurious.

The interior:

The back seats are super comfy, a lot of leg and head room for 2 adults, didn't try to fit a third one.

the trunk is huge, the biggest in the category and categories above, 530 litres, couldn't find anything that wouldn't fit - in Israel you don't get any nets or the special two sided carpet for the trunk, not even as an option.

the steering wheels looks and feels of very high quality, the leather is very nice, the new Skoda logo is pretty and it took me less than 5 minutes to get used to it.

The handbrake and gear lever are also very nice, they got leather all over them, the only thing I didn't like is the "DSG" written on the gear lever, I mean, for what? so I wont forget this isn't a MT?

The climate control is very simple to use, just press AUTO, set the temprature and enjoy your ride, like I said before, it's a shame it's not split and there is no rear vents, but the front vents look very nice with chrome around them.

The Swing built in radio is also simple and nice to use, it's a shame there is no USB but AUX is more than enough for me.

the sound quality is nothing special, I am no audiophil but it sound average, for me, it's good enough.

the buttons on the steering wheel are also very easy to operate, volume up and down, next/previous track and phone answer, the cruise control is on the left lever behind the wheel, I would have enjoyed it more if it was on the wheel itself.

there are only two guages - Speed and revs, Oil temp and gas tank removed, I don't know why, but Oil temp will be missed, it's not availbe in the computer too, ofcourse the gas tank status is placed on the main screen.

Engine and transmission:

Well you all probably know how fantastic are the TSI engines combined with the DSG gears, so I equipped my Skoda with the 1.4TSI with 122 BHP and the DSG7 gearbox, power is delievred immideatily and there is never a lack of torque, Straight line at 100 KM/h my revs are about 1800 RPM, going uphill with the same speed would be at around 2000 RPM.

Sound isolation - I know there has been a few problems with reviews about the isolation, but I must tell you, the car sounds like a hybrid, it's super quiet and I am very satisfied with the sound isolation.

Fuel economy - in Israel we measure in Litres and Kilometers so you'll have to excuse me, first refuel I have done 700 Kilometers and the fuel economy was 14.7 Kilometers per Litre.

I must add this fuel economy was achieved by driving on mostly on highways, so excpeted fuel economy is about 13 Kilometers per litre.

overall I am statisfied very much considering this car has a lot of power.

Driving it around corners and overall feel:

I have took some sharp turns and it felt like the car is just going through as planned, ESP didn't even work, the car just goes inside the corner like it should, no understeer at all.

I have heared some complaints about comfort - honeslty, I dont know what they are talking about, maybe if compared to an Audi A8L.

they steering wheel feels good even though it's electric.

overall very fun car, it can most defintly put a smile on your face both at corners and a straight line, put the throttle all the way down and you will feel how your back is stuck to the seat

I am still going to chiptune the engine with APR software taking it up to around 25 KG/m of torque and 150 bhp, adding a spacer and a custom built exhaust system

I am sorry for my defective English, it is not my primary language, but I hope you guys will understand what I meant, I'll let the pictures talk now, sorry for the blue color, I am not a good photographer.

Good honest review as sometimes people are reluctant to criticise their new purchase but i thought you were very balanced in your opinions. My stupid works computer only shows half the picture for some reason and the colour combo with that leather sounds nice so id like to see it. Good engine and gearbox combo also. I love DSG but id really like to try these new petrol engines as ive only ever experienced DSG with diesels. I would be serioulsy tempted to get a 1.4 with DSG in the future. I really like the idea of the 1.4 with 138bhp and cylinder deactivation but i believe Skoda dont get this variant, not with cylinder deactivation anyway. Pity.

Enjoy you car but one bit of advice which ive heard before it watch for your denim jeans staining the light coloured leather.Maybe a good treatment with some barrier cream or something might help but ive heard a few peole moan about it in various different cars.

Enjoy.

Pics aren't working here either, I think they're probably too big or hosted somewhere slow?

By the way, you guys would be amazed by the price here in Israel, I paid $34,000 for this baby, mind telling me what I could have bought in europe for the same price?

They are hosted on Israeli server :/ they seem to work fine, I have uploaded them to tinypic now, tell me if you can see please.

Edited 29 April, 201313 yr by MatanRR

Congratulations on your new car They do look good in black and I really like the light interior too.

A few responses to your points which mostly seem to be spec differences in Israel (Skoda Israel seem worse than Skoda UK!)

- Controlling the rear windows from the drivers seat will now be standard from build week 22 this year

- Rear arm rest is optional in the UK

- Bluetooth is available here, same with USB port

- I think you get proper temperature and fuel gagues if you go for the full maxidot option?

- The plastics are hard but look and feel fine in my opinion

- I am pleased with the handling, although I can imagine the diesels aren't as good with all that weight over the front axle. I agree about the steering, IMO it has nicer feel than the system on the Octavia 2.

Controling the rear windows - can I install this option?

in Israel we don't have maxidot even mentioned, not even talking about maxidot options.

They are hosted on Israeli server :/ they seem to work fine, I have uploaded them to tinypic now, tell me if you can see please.

Yep they show up now, nice car. The light interior is nice. Your computer display looks the same as mine on my S so it's not Maxidot.

Edited 29 April, 201313 yr by whoop_whoop

I love the ivory interior, IMO it lifts the Rapids interior greatly

Yeah, I do like the ivory interior... If I were ordering one to personalised spec I would definitely be choosing it as an option, looks good

I definitely agree btw that the lack of a one-touch-close for the electric windows is a bit of a bummer (and surprising, considering it'll do it for putting the window down in the first place), but it's nothing I can't live with.

I'm also not entirely sure why the coin slot to the right of the steering column was dropped, that was a nice little cubby hole in the Fabia.

Just ordered as well Rapid 1.4 DSG candy white, with everything 17500 euro (need to pay insurance and everything else for around 1000 more)... so 18500 with everything.

-climatronic

-Maxi-DOT

-alloy 15" Carme (I know you guys go for 16, 17, 18) but I'm a family guy (3 kids) don't want speeds, I just want lower mpg (with 15" I saw consuming is 5.8 liters per 100 km, and with 16" it's 6.2... so I said pass.

for winter - steel 15", tires 195/55 R15 85H Barum Polaris 3

- alarm

- SunSet

- USB

Mine will arrive end July, but anyway I'm abroad till then...

Matan, how's it going so far ? Transmission, engine, suspension, any issue ?

Edited 18 May, 201313 yr by Florin33

This guy is making me worried. Anybody has something else to say or we have a big problem...

http://www.carkeys.c...rapid-12-tsi-se

Talking about this:

In other department it's way below average. On nearly every road surface the Rapid's fussy, jiggly ride is annoyingly bad, and on some it is simply terrible (not, for once, because overly large wheels and daftly low-profile tyres has been fitted - it does this on entirely sensible rubber).

Something is badly wrong with the suspension set-up, and it affects more than just the ride. One of the more worrying effects is that front-end grip is seriously compromised on a damp road, leading to the possibility of dramatic understeer.

I simply don't understand this, because nothing else produced by Skoda, or by the other Volkswagen Group brands using the same basic materials, has led me to expect that the Rapid should be so substandard. Perhaps, in trying to keep costs down, Skoda has invested less than it ought to have done in development time, and as a result put on the market a car that needed several more weeks' worth of fine tuning.

Edited 19 May, 201313 yr by Florin33

Meanwhile in India they are happy about suspension http://www.cardekho.com/user-reviews/skoda-rapid-positive-reviews.htm

Looks like the Rapid in india came earlier and front lights are different... maybe suspension is also different ?

Can't say I've noticed any problems with the suspension/handling on mine if I'm honest.

Car reviews for me are like film and book reviews, I pay little to no attention to them as they're almost exclusively written by pretentious berks.

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Meanwhile in India they are happy about suspension http://www.cardekho.com/user-reviews/skoda-rapid-positive-reviews.htm

L

ooks like the Rapid in india came earlier and front lights are different... maybe suspension is also different ?

Rapid in India is the same in name only, it's a completely different car.

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This is always a good contextual piece by Clarkson (love him or hate him) on the tendency of motoring press reviewers to talk utter tripe: http://www.topgear.com/uk/jeremy-clarkson/jeremy-clarkson-on-tyres-2012-05-22

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The ride on the Rapid can be a bit jiggly on uneven surfaces but it's not crashy. I thought it was rather good considering mine is wearing 17in wheels. Nothing wrong with the handling either. I'm sure an Octavia RS would show it a clean pair of heels but for "normal" use it drives well.

Tyre noise is still my main gripe on the 17s

I thought the rapid rode really nicely even on the 17's the refinement is really good!

Tyre noise is still my main gripe on the 17s

I get a bit of tyre noise but I'm wondering how much of that is down to the Dunlop Sports fitted to it. I remember going to Michelin energy savers on my Fabia (Dunlops and Pirelli taken off as they were worn) and the difference it made was surprising.

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Supposedly the difference between tyres producing 68Db and say 75Db is actually very noticeable.

http://www.goodyear.eu/uk_en/tire-advice/eu-tire-label/noise/index.jsp

I can well believe it, dB is an unusual scale. I'll have to remember the exact model my tyres are and look up their noise/economy ratings.

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Does anybody know if Rapid 1.4 TSI is having timing chain or timing belt... I heard that for VW Golf VII they replaced the timing chain with a timing belt....

You could ask your dealer to let you know what engine code is being fitted in your car? After that you should be able to find the info on here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Volkswagen_Group_petrol_engines

I might be wrong on this but I think it's specifically the EA211 series of engines that have replaced the cam chain with a belt.

I've been told Rapid 1.4 is with timing chain, whilst Golf 7 and Octavia 3 are on timing belt. Frankly I don't know right now which is better. Issues can go anywhere. The same discussion as for wet clutch vs dry clutch. Issues anywhere.

I personally think that DSG is better than EDC or Powershift. That's why I went for Rapid. Otherwise I could have taken a Ford Focus Powershift or a Renault Fluence Facelift 2013 EDC transmission.

Edited 22 May, 201313 yr by Florin33