A couple of years ago I read an article that said that VAG were not happy with Skoda (they had just fired the head of Skoda) because Skoda had started making cars that are real rivals to VW sales, and that this was not good for VAG (or what the intention of VAG had been when they bought Skoda) as far less profit is made for each skoda sold than VW because the factory is less efficient and the sale price is lower.  VAG had intended Skoda as a bargain brand to allow them to target a market that could not afford VW.

 

Now we see two strange moves by Skoda.  The Octavia 3 is huge, and now is fully the size of a Family car, and makes me think that the Superb will be dropped (Mk 2 Superb particularly ****ed of the VW people because it got better reviews than the Passat).  Secondly they bring out the Rapid which looks so similar in size to a Mk 1 or 2 Octavia but with much cheaper and nastier interior, it really makes me think that they are going to be producing lower rent cars now each time a new model comes out.

Er, you drive a CityGo.

Yes, but while smaller the fit and finish is much better than the all hard plastics in the Rapid.  I had a good look at the Rapid in the showroom.  Also I have owned two Octavia's (a Mk1 and a Mk2) in the past.  My Citigo is because it is ideal for what I need it for.  It is not the family car.  My husband drives that.

Edited 7 August, 201312 yr by CitigoAli

it's been mooted recently elsewhere (the oct 3 vrs thread ?, a rapid thread?) that the possibility is that Octy 3 is aming for what the original Superb was - big family car, refined, toys - and the Rapid is going for what the original Octy did: lots of space for the money, but not so many toys

not so much lower rent cars each time a new one comes out, just a re-aligment of what models fit whcih purpose.

I have heard complaints about the finish of the Rapid before, but they'd all come from muttering rotters.

 

So I'd suggest that the Rapid may be an outlier in that respect. What do you make of the current Fabia and the Octy3 in comparison?

I have never liked the Fabia Mk2 (looks of) so to be honest I didn't bother looking in one.  I did have a good look at both the Rapid and Octy 3 (and the Roomster).  Certainly the fit and finish in the Oct 3 is very noticeably better than the Rapid.  The interior of the Rapid reminded me of the Felicia that I owned.  Solid, functional but low rent.

Fair enough; I was interested because I still have an Octy 1, work has some Octy 2 pool cars, and my feeling is that the Octy 2 is "bigger, but not quite as nice somehow".

I have to say that I liked the interior of the Octy 2 better than the 1, but I always liked the cleaner exterior lines of the Octy 1.

it's been mooted recently elsewhere (the oct 3 vrs thread ?, a rapid thread?) that the possibility is that Octy 3 is aming for what the original Superb was - big family car, refined, toys - and the Rapid is going for what the original Octy did: lots of space for the money, but not so many toys

not so much lower rent cars each time a new one comes out, just a re-aligment of what models fit whcih purpose.

 

I think the Rapid now sits where the Octy I sat when it was introduced, and as Wet Kipper says the Octy 3 moving up into the Superb bracket (both in terms of quality and size). The other rumour to add to this is that the next Superb / Skoda flagship model will be a large SUV.

 

Will the Superb still be here? Don't know it may be but no longer the top of the range.

 and

 

, and that this was not good for VAG (or what the intention of VAG had been when they bought Skoda) as far less profit is made for each skoda sold than VW because the factory is less efficient and the sale price is lower. 

 

 

That is not true. Skoda make more profit per vehicle sold than VW, or at least they did in one very recent year.

 

I don't agree that the interior of the Citigo is better than the Rapid. The Citigo is a nice car but it it also all "hard plastics"

 

I had an Octavia 1 and the Rapid's interior is definitely nicer than that.

 

For me it sits perfectly reasonably within the range. A better interior and higer price than the Fabia/Roomster/Citigo but a lower price and less opulent interior than the Octavia.

 

Skoda UK were a little stingy with equipment and pricing at launch but it's getting better, and you will see further improvements to the Rapid over the rest of the year too

The interior of the Rapid reminded me of the Felicia that I owned.  Solid, functional but low rent.

Seriously? :wonder:

Seriously? :wonder:

Yes. Superficially it is fine but it looks like it will scratch and scuff up. Obviously it is higher tech, but to me the Rapid is the current model that most closely matches the ethos of the Felicia. Well built, but not finished in premium materials. The only problem is I think it should be priced at £9000 rather than £12000 for entry model. By the way I loved my two Felicia's so I do not see that as a criticism.

Edited 7 August, 201312 yr by CitigoAli

I'm going to giggle when the soft touch plastic produced Rapids hit the show room. People are going to have to find a different stick to beat it with. Meanwhile I'll carry on being able to keep my car's interior clean without battling with dust stuck to 'tacky' (literally) soft touch plastics in 5+ years time like has happened to my mate's Mk5 Golf.

The only problem is I think it should be priced at £9000 rather than £12000 for notary model.

 

That's less than an entry level Fabia. So what should they go for? £8k?

That's less than an entry level Fabia. So what should they go for? £8k?

Yes, to be honest I think Skoda need to lower their prices. The reason I have just bought one after years of driving other makes is that the 0% offer helps address the high price. VAG need to price Skoda cheaper than other makes not just VW.

Yes, to be honest I think Skoda need to lower their prices.

Fair enough if that's how you see the current prices, I did post this in a different thread recently but it's probably relevant here as well

 

Agreed. A lot of people say they don't "get" the Rapid. That's probably because they don't realise (yet) how close it is space/size/cost (adjusted for inflation*) wise to the original Octavia and the fact the Mk3 Octavia is now much a much more premium product. 

 

*According to the Parkers website, an X reg mk1 Octavia Hatch 1.6 Classic (slightly over 100hp) had a P11D value of £10807. Adjusted for inflation that comes in at £14273 I see that as analogous (apart from 'Classic' being base trim level to the SE's mid-level) to my 1.2 TSI SE at slightly over 100hp list price of £15,200k. That is admittedly above inflation, but if you take in to account the £1k Skoda contribution, it puts it pretty much bang on the nose a direct equivalent.

Note: In the above I didn't compare it to the 'S' spec level Rapid as I perhaps should have done as I couldn't see any way of speccing the equivalent engine (100 hp petrol) on to the 'S' trim level. 

By the way I loved my two Felicia's so I do not see that as a criticism.

it's not a criticism, the felicia is a low tech car, with poverty spec, raw and simple mechanicals... The interiors in them look like they got to the end of the production line then suddenly went "emergherd we've forgotten the interior" so they just shoved in any old junk they had laying about in the factory... Epic cars built for the masses.... And mine will still be on the road when you rapids and octys are lined up in the scrapyard.

it's not a criticism, the felicia is a low tech car, with poverty spec, raw and simple mechanicals... The interiors in them look like they got to the end of the production line then suddenly went "emergherd we've forgotten the interior" so they just shoved in any old junk they had laying about in the factory... Epic cars built for the masses.... And mine will still be on the road when you rapids and octys are lined up in the scrapyard.

 

My brother had a felly and due to the frequency (and nature of) the faults it developed within the last couple of months of ownership I'm afraid it just had to go ... I think we discussed it briefly in another thread elsewhere .... Very accurate description of the interior but it was a seriously good car despite those painful last couple of months, the engine itself was still perfectly fine and the bodywork was perfect, not a spot of rust anywhere despite the age.

CitigoAli, I don't get your dig at the Rapid.

Yes, it's not as nice as an Octy3, it's a lot cheaper.

But comparing it as inferior to the Citigo... For real?

It's hard wearing and functional, but at least they covered the inside of the doors with trim rather than just leaving painted metal showing!

Suggesting it should cost the same in basic spec as an average spec Citigo is equally daft, the car is nearly a whole metre longer with four doors, all of which have windows that go up and down !!!

The Citigo is a decent, functional little car despite being the only Skoda model with no reach adjustment on the steering wheel.

The Rapid has it's place in the market, I just don't think you really know where that is, or you are blinkered a bit due to being happy with your little Citigo.

I'm not sure that it is a dig really, but it's unfair to compare the cars as the same quality, I thought the rapid looked quite good but it is fair to say that the quality of the interior is not as good compared to the octavia, it's all that recycled biodegradable stuff I think, they will probably rattle just like the mk5 golf does.. Same story with the lupo too, they replaced that with a toytown special called fox and it was aweful compared to it's predecessor. Even top spec Audi's and merc's are like that too

I think it's more a sign of the times, all manufacturers are trying to cut their costs down, so they are using cheaper interior plastics on later models and cutting corners wherever they can. A few pence saved per car adds up to a lot when you've made 10 million cars.

What I think is that skoda have strayed away from their roots, which is making simple cheap reliable cars that every man on the street can afford to buy, they've filled them up with all kinds of useless rubbish you will never use on the way to tesco like 4 wheel drive and satnav.

CitigoAli, I don't get your dig at the Rapid.

Yes, it's not as nice as an Octy3, it's a lot cheaper.

But comparing it as inferior to the Citigo... For real?

It's hard wearing and functional, but at least they covered the inside of the doors with trim rather than just leaving painted metal showing!

Suggesting it should cost the same in basic spec as an average spec Citigo is equally daft, the car is nearly a whole metre longer with four doors, all of which have windows that go up and down !!!

The Citigo is a decent, functional little car despite being the only Skoda model with no reach adjustment on the steering wheel.

The Rapid has it's place in the market, I just don't think you really know where that is, or you are blinkered a bit due to being happy with your little Citigo.

I think part of the problem is that it looks almost identical to an Octavia, and so people compare it. As for price, the Citigo is over priced as well should be £5000 to £7000.

Spend a bit of time with a Rapid and an Octavia and you'll soon realise that they're quite different. The Rapid is kept a bit low spec so that it doesn't tread on the Octavia's toes but if you take it for what it is, it's a very practical and affordable car that is very nice to drive. The Citigo is obviously built to a price -more so than the Rapid. VW spent 8 years developing the Up, that's a lot of r&d costs to cover. I'd like things to be cheaper, but those kind of figures are unrealistic -maybe Dacia, but not many manufacturers sell cars at those prices. I don't have a problem with the Rapid and Octavia looking similar -it helps build a brand identity

+1 with the above. It was explained to me by my friendly emptier of my bank account that the Rapid was bought it to fill the gap between the furby and Octavia, which it seems to do admirally. whether individuals want one is not the point. Skoda saw a gap in their range (especially with the mkIII Octy coming out) that they wanted/saw a need to fill, so bought out the Rapid. The fact the Rapid looks like the Octy is a VAG family thing, just feel sorry for R8 owners. LOL

I think part of the problem is that it looks almost identical to an Octavia, and so people compare it. 

 

Yep, and those who need the space offered by either model who can afford the Octavia, will buy the Octavia, which is what Skoda want. Where as those who can't (or don't want to) pay the extra for an Octavia now have an option over a Fabia / Fabia estate / Unusual-looking-Roomster. 

 

It does fit in the model range quite well IMO. The Octavia is more of a premium product and is still filling that 'Golf underneath but with more space' reputation very well indeed, the Rapid on the other hand is definitely a car for the budget conscious and I don't mind for one second admitting that I fall in to that category.

 

The spaceback is the one I can't quite get my head around right now, looks nice ... but not really sure where it 'fits', unless the Mk3 Fabia won't have an estate variant?