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Jonesy92 Rising Star

Jonesy92

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But Barnaby was the only one who agreed to drive the Rapid. The rest of the 'journos' wouldn't be seen dead driving a Skoda! What if someone from the country club spotted them in it?

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RapidRonnie Experienced

RapidRonnie

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Well chaps, to their credit they did reply:

 

"First of all thank you for taking the time to write in - we value reader feedback at What Car?, and it's always good to hear what owners think of their cars. 

 
For a second, I'm sorry if the content of the article disappointed you. However, it is the opinion of most of the testers here at What Car?, not just mine, that the Rapid's ride and handling properties are below the standards we've come to expect from other recent Skodas, and below the standards of some of its rivals. 
 
As for the tone of the piece, we try to make our weekly web updates more personal in style, whereas in the magazine and the road tests we try to take a more general view. I can assure you we try within those remits to be as fair and unbiased about the cars we test as we can. When you drive many different cars every day you do notice if a car is not quite as sharp as its rivals in a particular area, and to a certain extent it is our duty to pass those findings on. The Rapid does indeed have many good points, but it's not always possible to cover everything in a 200-word web update. 
 
I hope that explains things from the What Car? perspective, and once again I'd like to thank you for writing in. 
 
With best wishes,
 
Mark."
 
Which when worded that way sounds reasonable. I just think they went over the top with the tone/wording of that particular review. Saying it's like going back 30 years is just not realistic.
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J400uk Collaborator

J400uk

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Another very poor writeup from the latest WhatCar update :(

 

Week ending August 9
Current mileage 2759
Driven this week 116

Skoda Rapid review

I've driven a fair few cars ever since I worked at our sister title Autocar in 2001. A few have been spectacular, some have been good, most have been average and a handful have been pigs.

Into the last category I have placed the original Lexus IS, the Kia Shuma, the VW Beetle (even the current car) and, I'm afraid, the Skoda Rapid.

I'm a big fan of what Volkswagen has done with the Skoda brand since it was reinvented. All of its models have piqued my interest at some time or other, and the latest Octavia is particularly good.

However, having driven the Rapid earlier this week, I have to say it's the runt of the litter. I don't take any pleasure in saying that. I was pretty excited when Skoda announced the Rapid. A small family car for less than £13k? Fantastic.

I won't go into specifics here, because my complaints mirror everyone else’s at What Car? (and you can read their comments below), but essentially my grumbles concern the Rapid’s cabin and how it drives.

It's almost as if Skoda had decided to bring a car that had been engineered for developing countries to Europe. In fact Dacia, which has done just that, has done a reasonable job with the bargain-basement Sandero and Duster. How has Skoda managed to mess up so badly with the Rapid?

By Rob Keenan
[email protected]

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Jonesy92 Rising Star

Jonesy92

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Oh dear, so the Christian Conservative Club disapprove.

 

The Rapid is not immune to criticism, but to condemn it as severely as they have with what I genuinely suspect to be the epitomy of toff snobbery. Their odious opinion is totally unfounded, undeserved, ill-considered and objectively false.

 

(Also, no offence to any christians/conservatives here ;) )

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RapidRonnie Experienced

RapidRonnie

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Wonder if the slagging off of the Rapid was caused by the letter? Maybe they did it in spite. If so it shows how pathetic they are. 

 

Might not have helped lol, but they were pretty nasty about it already.

 

Their report on the facelift Yeti shows what shoddy journalists they are.

 

I can only imagine that Skoda UK aren't spending enough of their advertising budget with them..

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J400uk Collaborator

J400uk

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A surprisingly positive update from them this week. Makes you wonder if they've only just looked inside the boot for the first time?

 

Skoda Rapid 1.2 TSI 85 SE

Week ending August 30
Mileage 3710
Miles driven this week 153

Skoda Rapid review

The search continues for a load that defeats the Rapid’s boot.

This time it was a selection of greenery from a garden centre, and as usual the Skoda was easily up to the task. I had to remove the parcel shelf so the plants had enough room and fold down the rear seats to get a five-foot frame in, but then everything fitted a treat.

Not even the firm ride could upset the plants on the journey home, so everything made it back to base safely.

Sure, a Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf would also have done the job, but neither would have done it as easily as the Rapid.

By Barnaby Jones
[email protected]

 

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/august/1206916

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Thecko Proficient

Thecko

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http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/november/1220293

 

Whatcar's TrueMPG figure after having the 1.2 TSI for 5 months? 43MPG. Anyone who gets such low long term economy while allegedly doing representative journeys (mix of town/motorway) from that engine can't be trusted to give any sort of worthwhile opinion on how a car drives IMHO.

 

Meanwhile, the HonestJohn guy has the same water ingres issues as a couple of other people here have been having: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/our-cars/skoda-rapid/rapid-economy-on-the-up/

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RapidRonnie Experienced

RapidRonnie

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I still can't agree with Whatcar on almost anything. Am a bit more qualified to comment now as the courtesy car I have had for the last week or two is the same spec.







 

- The ride is firm but fine IMO. The 15 in wheels on the courtesy car I have make it just completely "normal". The ride on mine with the 17in wheels is for sure harsher but still comfortable enough for my own tastes.

 

- Wind and road noise? I find it really quiet cruising at 70mph. Again the smaller wheels help with the road noise.

 

- Seats, comfortable enough although I do prefer the sports seats in mine

 

- Interior; I notice they have the weird light coloured interior, which I really don't think helps give it a look of quality so I might let them off for that one. The darker (or ivory trim), sat nav, sports seats, climate control.. really lift the ambience of the cabin and I suspect the latest versions with the dash inserts and new steering wheels help further still.

 

- iPhone connection; just like my iPod I suspect this would work if they had the correct cable! Skoda should have been more clued up on this when the car was launched though.

 

- Fuel filler cap; this has been rectified on the Spaceback - the flap now locks with the other doors on the car.

 

At least their final review was a bit more balanced and they reduced the ridiculous vitriol they wrote with earlier but all in all I'm pleased they've given it back so I don't have to hear their whining any more :D






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WillJohnson Enthusiast

WillJohnson

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It annoys me when they talk about harsh ride on the rapid. I've just come from a Seat Leon FR with 18" wheels and the Rapid feels like a bluddy merc S class compared to that! They also seem to forget that its got the bluddy boot space of a mondeo yet costs £30 a year to tax!

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Yeti_Man Experienced

Yeti_Man

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It annoys me when they talk about harsh ride on the rapid. I've just come from a Seat Leon FR with 18" wheels and the Rapid feels like a bluddy merc S class compared to that! They also seem to forget that its got the bluddy boot space of a mondeo yet costs £30 a year to tax!

But in fairness, a comparably engined Mondeo is only £30 to tax also but has lots more space in the cabin, front and back. :)

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