Hooray the Sport is going.

[Wardy]

Good looking set of seats those

[Tom_vRS]

Having had the Swift nearly 6 months now I can say the Rapid is a very budget and poor quality car. The Swift is solidly built with better plastics and materials and the seats put the Rapid to shame but you can't compare the 2 as they're two totally different from each other. This was the car I was supposed to of got instead of the Rapid. I guess I made a mistake keeping loyal to the brand.

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All imho, but the Swift dash and switch gear feels dated and tacky in places, the climate controls remind me of a late 90s Aiwa hifi, and the plastics are harder and shinier in the most part. If 'hard and shiny = better' then I agree. The satnav unit looks like a cheap retrofit too.

 

Subjectively I reckon 90% of the British public would prefer the Rapid dash and switch gear to that in the Swift. Objectively though I reckon you are right, the Swift is probably more durable and better screwed together.

 

The Swift seats are comfy, although I found them too high tbh, but the styling of them is appalling, particularly the embroidered decals.

 

As for driving, the Swift is astonishingly good, the Rapid is more 'A to B' rather than 'B-road blast'.

 

Skoda / VAG are masterful in 'perceived' quality it has to be said, but on the most part they are fantastic cars, and built with a very different purpose in mind.

 

Yes the Rapid is a 'budget' car, but for the size it is simply incredibly value. For me the package is unbeatable.

 

Yours was clearly a lemon though, so I don't blame you for how you feel.

[Stormchaser]

Absolutely right Rick and Tom. The new upgraded Rapid is a far better car right through. The interior is very modern now in such a short space of time.

The Swift is very "Japanese " in terms of its interior and that's entirely what I like maybe even a bit "retro ".

Mine Rapid was a complete disaster from day one. I hated it with a passion only due to the dealers and SUK attitude. Shame really:(

The new Rapids are very appealing now but the prices though are questionable.

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[Tom_vRS]

Fortunately I don't think anyone pays close to RRP

[Stormchaser]

Yes I know,some were more lucky than me. I paid £535 for Race Blue plus £500 for an Amundsen HU plus spare wheel giving a total of £14780 for the car. Ripped off is an understatement:( but yes it's my fault as I wanted it only to regret it. If all was well I'd still have it but the way I was treated after 9 years with Skoda they didn't give a ....so I had to be rid of it for something I originally wanted in the first place. Live and learn.

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[chrisgreen]

Other than revisions to the seat cloth, updated stereo and revised dials, the rest of the interior in the Rapid my16 remains the same - the same plastics (and quality of plastics), same mouldings and assembly processes and build quality. That also means the parts will develop the same rattles in 1-2 years time. All the new interior parts have been lifted from other cars in the VAG family, so not a bespoke reaction to customer demand to improve the Rapid, just reacting to new bits replacing discontinued parts in the spares bin.

Externally, the only major changes is the deletion of the roof aerial and side indicators, replaced with indicators combined into the wing mirrors and dual window-mounted radio aerials. Minor headlight/drl changes, fitting into existing torment positions.

There changes have not delivered a different car alas, it's still the same motor with the same good and bad points as the my 13/14 pre-facelift originals.

[Brian69]

I went to have a butcher's at a Swift today although I didn't go as far as a test drive - think I'll possibly hang on to the vRS for another 18 months. I do like the Swift interior (with a slight doubt about the seats) and I can well believe they're great fun to drive once they're wound up. The one I looked at is white with 6k on the clock - Continentals all round - it's an April 2014, so thinking £10k possibly a bit strong (it's for sale at a Seat dealer in Stirling).

[Stormchaser]

That's a bit overpriced.

The seats are very comfortable and hug you well. Some people don't like the Red "Sport" insignia sewn into the seat back but I like it. The Rapid seat was hard compared to the Swift. The MK2 Swift lacked power below 4K rpm due to less bhp but the new ones have more bhp and under 4K are very responsive until you get a big surge after 4K. It's more refined than a VTEC and pulls very hard right upto 7200 rpm with a lovely induction sound

The MK2 was like a baked bean tin but the MK3 is very well made and extremely soundproofed with no tinny effect. The Contis on mine are quite noisy but it doesn't intrude on motorways. It's a car that's not for all but I'm a Japanese car lover and it's one I always wanted.

The new Baleno that's just being launched is quite a car so I've been told with a choice of great lively engines

There is a new Swift Sport on the horizon for 2017 with a 1.4 turbo 150 bhp engine. Should be interesting maybe.

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[Brian69]

TTS Performance do a supercharger conversion to take the Swift to 200bhp but it's £4,200 PLUS VAT fully fitted.

Edited 14 February, 2016 by Brian69

[Stormchaser]

I've seen this yes and also a turbo setup for near that price too. Everything performance for these is very expensive.

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[Stormchaser]

Some news.

My Rapid Sport has now a new owner. Somebody from Scotland has bought it and it was delivered there by my Suzuki dealer. He part exchanged a Peugeot Partner diesel which the guy said was an unpleasant drive back down South.

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[chrisgreen]

Will be curious to see if the new owner of the Friday Rapid finds their way here. As for the Partner - not surprised to here that. Have driven a few car/van hybrids like that and they are not fun to drive, too van-like still in terms of noise, comfort and handling.

[Wardy]

I'd have left a Brisky calling card in the glovebox, perhaps with a web link to this thread! :P

[Matt_West_Mids]

Lets see if he finds this forum!

[Stormchaser]

I'd have left a Brisky calling card in the glovebox, perhaps with a web link to this thread! :P

Did p/ex it with the Brisky sticker on it. I hope he has luck with it.

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[austenw90]

I just couldn't put up with it anymore and lack of interest from Skoda UK to put this car right I've decided after lots of searching and test drives of Japanese manufacturers to go for this.

And it's specs.

I'll be picking it up on Thursday afternoon as its a car in stock. Waiting times are only 2 to 3 weeks if you want another colour or a 5 door. I like the Grey colour

After a test drive I knew this was the one for me. The VVT engine is awesome with a huge band of power coming in at 4K right through to 7K. The handling is like a go kart and is a fun drive. It's also nice to have a MFSW which works easy with the touch screen head unit. The dealer was happy to take the Rapid even though there's a lot of neg equity but the Swift is a great deal. Highly equipped as standard and no extras like you have to pay for with Skoda. I'm really happy now I'm back into Japanese cars again. I'll stay on Briskoda as its a great forum and the SSOC forum is very quiet but very informative.

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I have a Swift Sport as well. Fantastic little cars especially compared to the shocking experience I had with a Mk2 Fabia vRS.

Do you know if there are any local meets in the South? Everything seems to be miles away.

I still regularly attend the West Meon Hut meet. You should pop up sometime with David (Hyphons).

Edited 18 February, 2016 by austenw90

[Stormchaser]

Oh great

There's never anything in the South sadly. I might just take you up on the other meet with Hyphons.

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[Stormchaser]

Good news(well for me).

Sorry it's not Skoda related but I've just managed 471 miles out of a tank full.

Very pleased about that. Getting even better after 6K on the clock.

Quite a mixture of driving on that tank full with some very hard over 4K mixed in.

Don't know how to work the mpg out haha.

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Edited 27 February, 2016 by Stormchaser

[Mr Grumpy]

I seriously considered one of these as my next car, there are a few in the car park at work, and not a bad word said, but it's the thought of having to rev it to make it go puts me off. it's probably me, but I prefer the immediacy of instant 'go' without the drama, hence my current car. If I were 30 years younger, probably, and I am getting lazy now so dsg works for me, lovely looking choice of colour though.

[camelspyyder]

nice "yoof -style" stickers... just like the Inbetweeners 

Edited 27 February, 2016 by camelspyyder

[Stormchaser]

You don't really have to work the engine to get power. There's plenty of go upto 4K then you get a big surge after when it pulls hard to 7200rpm. The early MK2 suffered a bit of no go but the MK3 is different and with more BHP.

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[nopowerman]

I just couldn't put up with it anymore and lack of interest from Skoda UK to put this car right I've decided after lots of searching and test drives of Japanese manufacturers to go for this.

And it's specs.

I'll be picking it up on Thursday afternoon as its a car in stock. Waiting times are only 2 to 3 weeks if you want another colour or a 5 door. I like the Grey colour

After a test drive I knew this was the one for me. The VVT engine is awesome with a huge band of power coming in at 4K right through to 7K. The handling is like a go kart and is a fun drive. It's also nice to have a MFSW which works easy with the touch screen head unit. The dealer was happy to take the Rapid even though there's a lot of neg equity but the Swift is a great deal. Highly equipped as standard and no extras like you have to pay for with Skoda. I'm really happy now I'm back into Japanese cars again. I'll stay on Briskoda as its a great forum and the SSOC forum is very quiet but very informative.

They are very good cars I had 2 but the old shape but just as fun

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[Hyphons]

Oh great

There's never anything in the South sadly. I might just take you up on the other meet with Hyphons.

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Nothing in the south?! U wot? Are you forgetting about the Charlton Inn just near Blandford

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[Stormchaser]

I can never make it as I'm always working. I can never get a weekday off.

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[Stormchaser]

@nopowerman

I love the MK2 shape slightly more than the MK3. I think they went OTT with it.

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