Good afternoon,

I have recently seen some photographs of the Audi A3 Saloon and one actually being driven on the road. When I saw the A3 saloon, I instantly thought of my work car, a Škoda Rapid hatch. The Rapid I drive was bought for around £10,000 and it seems the target price for an A3 saloon is near enough double that figure. I know there are more trim and engine options available, but does that justify double the price over a Rapid, even in the Elegance trim?

Correct me if I am wrong, thanks!

You are wrong about their origins.

The A3 is a modern MQB platform based car. The Rapid isn't.

 

As to whether the cost is justified... that's a different question.

Well, the A3 is like a Rapid, but it costs more than a Rapid, and has a less flexible cargo space than a Rapid.

Rapid is based on a Fabia / Polo platform with torsion beam rear axle and is limited to 122 bhp, whereas A3 has MQB all independent suspension, can be had with 4WD and gets 300bhp in S3 guise. So, yes it probably does deserve its higher list price, but whether that it is price you'd be willing to pay rather depends on where your priorities lay.

ive been on this forum too long!!!! :(

 

no they are different, one is new platform, one is old, one is premium brand one is not, one has newer tech one has not, one is aimed at a different market than the other.

 

the rapid I believe was introduced to capture a specific market and since been adopted by UK market.

 

cost and value for money is a tough argument as everyone's opinion is different hence why we don't all drive the cheapest possible cars. everyone justifies the extra pennies to themselves weather they are worth it on not in cold light of day.

Edited 3 March, 201511 yr by kenny

I thought the rapid was built off the old Golf Mkiv chassis, same as mk1 and mk2 Octy? essentially as something to use the factory tools for..

 

I do agree with the OP though, the A3 and Rapid do look veerrryy similar.

I thought the rapid was built off the old Golf Mkiv chassis, same as mk1 and mk2 Octy? essentially as something to use the factory tools for..

I do agree with the OP though, the A3 and Rapid do look veerrryy similar.

MkII octy used the mkV/VI platform.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

See here for the VAG golf size platforms

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Group_A_platform#A5

Rapid not included.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

And the platform used by the Rapid:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Group_A0_platform

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I actually think the rapid falls below standard of other skoda cars. Seems cheaper

Rapid is a stretched out Polo.  Other cars on this platform include SEAT Toledo (popular in Mexico) and VW Santana (Produced in China and Brazil).

 

As already stated it is a cheap old tech bitza aimed mostly at emerging markets.

 

I like mine a lot and certainly wouldn't pay double for a similar sized Audi, however superior.

There are increasingly similar design cues being used across the VW Group.

Anyhow, according to Top Gear all VAG cars are 'based on the Golf, or Polo'.. I hoped that nonsense was going to stop with the introduction of MQB.

Edited 4 March, 201511 yr by RapidRonnie

AS has been said by others the Rapid is older stretched chassis & mainly designed for immerging markets (India etc.)................

 

The A3 is the latest MQB Golf/Leon/Octavia platform...........................& to be honest the Rapid you can tell is done down to a budget price!

 

Then I was looking at new cars last summer I looked at a top end Rapid with all the bells & whistles in the showroom.............the fit & finish & quality was in my view shocking for the price..........especially when I left the showroom & got into my 14yr old Fabia Elegance........ :S .......the Rapid didn't look 14yrs newer & more expensive!!!

 

To the OP,

Basing the cost just on size...................well top end supercars are not much bigger than a Rapid & have less luggage room, so the Rapid is better???.................Oh I see you have a Rapid & you are trying to big it up!...............Just seen the new MK3 Fabia & wish you had bought that & the Fabia is better in most respects eh?.....

If the Rapid came with a turbo 5 pot and 4WD then I'd probably download the brochure.....

It looks the same in what way? Its a saloon?

Cos thats all there is to it. As others have said, theyre very different cars underneath.

The mqb a3 Is a golf or octavia.

The pq25 rapid is a fabia or polo.

MQB is more than just the C segment cars already - new Passat os based on it, but it's a system of making their cars, not just a specific platform:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Group_MQB_platform

 

Will replace a number of discrete "platforms" PQ24/35/46 etc etc with a more common modular architecture, which is pretty much where VAG have been heading for a long time.

It looks the same in what way? Its a saloon?

Cos thats all there is to it.

Theres not even that as the A3 Saloon is a saloon and the Rapid is a hatch/lift back.

 

Two entirely different cars.

The Rapid (which is actually a hatchback) is as much A3 Saloon as it is Audi A8, also a saloon.

 

It's a budget small car stretched to give good boot space.

With old tried and tested oily bits and all the tech from the mk2 Fabia inside that was already many years old and a bit out of date when it was fitted.

 

It's designed to be cheap.

For people that want a cheap car, but with decent interior space.

 

More of an emerging market car.

Or in the UK, taxi drivers that used to love the Octavia but can't justify the higher prices now it's in mk3 form.

 

If you just want a box with wheels to get you and your stuff about, it is far better value than an A3.

Because the A3 drives better, looks better, is better built and has a "better" badge.

All of which pushes the price up while it still does the same job of getting you about.

Theres not even that as the A3 Saloon is a saloon and the Rapid is a hatch/lift back.

Two entirely different cars.

Oh yeah! The glass goes up with the boot doesnt it lol.

VAG has been sharing components for decades........................MKI Fabia rear axle was just a shortened MK4 Golf/MKI Octavia/Audi TT.......even had the same rear callipers & bushes!

 

MQB main point is that ALL the engines used have the air intake facing the front & the Exhaust facing the back, so that on ALL cars the exhaust runs between the bulkhead & the engine...........previously on the same model you had some which also had the exhaust on the front which meant it runs under the subframe, which in turn means a different subframe & different position of the engine!

 

So all can now use the same subframe & engine mounts......................

 

In fact the rear lower wishbones are MK5/MK6 Golf.....& the front wishbones are the old MK4 Golf/MK1 Octavia design!!...............The whole point is that it is using the latest (even old tweaked stuff) parts which have the latest settings in terms of handling & NVH.............

Yeah but an a3 and a rapid are a different platform..

Yeah but an a3 and a rapid are a different platform..

 

Who said they weren't?

Having owned an a3 saloon.....

No. Totally different car, engines and platform. The A3 saloon is actually completely different in terms of panels and has a wider track than the other a3s

Having owned an a3 saloon.....

No. Totally different car, engines and platform. The A3 saloon is actually completely different in terms of panels and has a wider track than the other a3s

Didnt know that!

Like it?

They look nice

It's all getting a bit dull tbh

 

Little cars that are scaled down versions of bigger cars.

 

Yawn.