Test drive Skoda Rapid
This is some kind of magic: the same model with different motors and gearboxes leaves so different impressions - as if changing masks, like in a traditional Chinese theater. And okay, if we were talking about a sports and civilian modification, but everything is more complicated ...
This is some kind of magic: the same model with different motors and gearboxes leaves so different impressions - as if changing masks, like in a traditional Chinese theater. And okay, if we were talking about a sports and civilian modification, but everything is more complicated: the base and top-end Rapid have no changes either in the suspension, much less in the steering adjustment. Too measured on the highway and uncompromising on bumps, the basic liftback looks more like a children's sled. The top-end Rapid is so balanced that it can easily compete with some C-segment models. This is the third Rapid in our edition over the past year. But what are they all different. Unpretentiousness, economy and order or dynamics, manufacturability and comfort? Through extensive testing, we have selected the perfect Rapid.
My first acquaintance with the Skoda Rapid began a year ago with a minor breakdown - the fuel gauge suddenly stopped working in the car: the arrow always showed zero and the sweetheart was on fire. There was no time to go to the service, and then, as luck would have it, a trip of a thousand kilometers. I had to count the fuel myself: I fill in a full tank, reset the odometer and drive exactly 450 km along the highway. Refueling again. I even liked this math - at least I have to do something myself, otherwise I'm used to pressing a button, moving the selector to Drive and rummaging around in my smartphone.
Technique
Skoda Rapid was originally developed for the European market. The car is built on the platform of the Volkswagen Polo hatchback. The architecture that formed the basis of the Czech model is called PQ25. Skoda Fabia, Seat Ibiza and Audi A1 are also built on the same platform. Structurally, the Rapid is most similar to the Polo hatchback, but here it has not been without changes. Skoda engineers have strengthened the levers and tie rods, as well as widened the track. On the front axle of the Rapid, a MacPherson-type suspension is used, and a torsion beam from the second generation Octavia is installed on the rear of the liftback.
A year later, Rapid, despite the lack of restyling, completely changed - I just moved from the classic "automatic" and aspirated to a turbo engine with DSG. A sharp steering wheel, unheard-of dynamics for this class and 16-inch alloy wheels - such "Rapids" are definitely not purchased by taxi companies. The car struck not so much with its passport characteristics (by the way, it says: “9,5 s to 100 km / h”), but with its balance. It handles well at all city speeds, and it's also very convenient to maneuver between parked cars in a very narrow alley on the Rapid.
Some kind of fake is a state employee. And it would be okay, if only the dynamics were the case, then there is also xenon optics, decent acoustics, parking sensors and cruise control. A week passes, I change to Rapid with manual gearbox and 1,6-liter aspirated. The equipment here is almost comparable, but the driving experience is more mundane, real. Ringing at the cut-off, sluggish acceleration on the "bottom" and fuel consumption, as in a large sedan. Strikingly, these are two completely different cars. And, by the way, there is a third one - the one with the "automatic", for which the fuel sensor did not work.
In the Russian market, the model is offered with three gasoline engines to choose from. The basic version is equipped with a 90-horsepower 1,6-liter atmospheric engine with 90 horsepower. The Rapid with this engine is sold only in the "mechanic" version. From zero to 100 km / h, the initial liftback accelerates in 11,4 seconds. In more expensive versions, the Rapid can also be ordered with a 1,6-liter naturally aspirated engine, but with a return of 110 horsepower. The engine can be paired with both a 5-speed "mechanics" and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The top version of the liftback is presented on the Russian market with a 1,4 liter turbocharged engine and a DSG robotic gearbox. The fastest Rapid accelerates to 100 km / h in 9,5 seconds and has a top speed of 206 kilometers per hour.
Of all the state employees, it is Rapid that seems to me the most elegant and harmonious. With these strict lines, the designers seemed to have worked out the style of the current Octavia and it is very easy to take the lonely Rapid for an older model. And the fact that the Rapid is not a sedan at all, but a liftback, only adds points to it - for all its external accuracy, it is also surprisingly practical. I'm not even talking about the traditional set of fittings for the brand, nets, hooks and other useful gizmos that greatly facilitate the daily operation of the machine.
So why isn't Rapid still in high demand like its Korean competitors? The answer is in the list of options that make the price tag heavier. The Koreans are more profitable, as are the related Polo, which does not have expensive trim levels with turbo engines. But this is the very case when Skoda is justifiably sold for more than Volkswagen.
Prices and the
Initial Entry modification with 90 hp motor. sold in Russia at a price of $ 6. The basic version already has an airbag for the driver, ABS, ESP, electric front windows, heated washer nozzles, an on-board computer, an immobilizer and a full-size spare wheel. Air conditioning for the initial liftback is only available for the $ 661 surcharge.
The basic version of Rapid with other motors is called Active (from $8). Unlike Entry, this modification can be supplemented with options. For example, a front passenger airbag costs $223; fog lights - $156; rear parking sensors - $116; heated seats - $209; and window tinting costs $125.
I am not at all sorry that we will not sell the Rapid Spaceback hatchback. The car with a beautiful name looks modest, although this is the option that young Europeans will surely like. One can only regret that a gamut of new power units will pass by us along with it, including good 1,2-liter turbo engines and compact but high-torque diesel engines. However, you can understand the representation - it makes no sense, of course, to bring to us complex and expensive engines that you won't buy. The Russian version is a well-deserved naturally aspirated 1,6 engine paired with "mechanics" or "automatic", the latter being quite modern, six-speed.
Boredom? Not at all! The test car with an atmospheric engine and "mechanics" has a pretty decent charge and allows you to drive very quickly. And with such a clear mechanism for selecting gears in German, “automatic” I would not consider. Even in a city where the compact Rapid is absolutely at ease. Here is just the first price tag, which I looked at when I opened the price list, related to a car with a 1,4 TSI engine with 122 horsepower. I know how she rides, and this sturdy turbocharger is another factor that sets the Rapid apart. Yes, the Kia Rio / Hyundai Solaris has a formally more powerful 123-horsepower naturally aspirated 1,6 engine, but it does not carry the same punch and fun. And the related Volkswagen Polo sedan generally manages with a single naturally aspirated engine. So Rapid may also be the most dynamic in the segment.
Prices and the
Initial Entry modification with 90 hp motor. sold in Russia at a price of $ 6. The basic version already has an airbag for the driver, ABS, ESP, electric front windows, heated washer nozzles, an on-board computer, an immobilizer and a full-size spare wheel. Air conditioning for the initial liftback is only available for the $ 661 surcharge.
The basic version of Rapid with other motors is called Active (from $8). Unlike Entry, this modification can be supplemented with options. For example, a front passenger airbag costs $223; fog lights - $156; rear parking sensors - $116; heated seats - $209; and window tinting costs $125.
So why isn't Rapid still in high demand like its Korean competitors? The answer is in the list of options that make the price tag heavier. The Koreans are more profitable, as are the related Polo, which does not have expensive trim levels with turbo engines. But this is the very case when Skoda is justifiably sold for more than Volkswagen.
In the top of the range Style (from $ 10), the car is sold with cruise control, fog lights, an infotainment system, heated seats and mirrors, a leather steering wheel, side airbags and alloy wheels. Additionally, you can order xenon optics ($ 279), keyless entry to the salon ($ 331) and Bluetooth ($ 373). The most equipped modification with a 96 turbo engine will cost at least $ 1,4.
As a child, I dreamed of different cars. One of them was a red Skoda Rapid - the one with a coupe body and a rear engine. The crazy Czech design school with spinal frames and rear-engine schemes stood out not only against the background of the gray socialist car industry. It was a non-standard path, but, unfortunately, a dead end. Now Skoda - part of the VW empire - produces affordable and practical cars. In an era of universal unification, it is not surprising that the new Rapid shares a platform, transmissions and naturally aspirated engine with the Polo sedan. The advantage of the Skoda is the traditional liftback body: a huge mouth of the tailgate swallows, without choking, both a bicycle and a bag with an inflatable boat. And it is more convenient to load than in a sedan and even a station wagon - there are no fears that the luggage will not pass in height.
Flower pots fit perfectly into the niches behind the rear arches. True, the pots eventually toppled over, and the earth scattered throughout the cabin. Rapid, of course, is not a “people's Porsche” like the coupe of the same name from the 80s, but it provokes overspeeding: the engine is energetic, the car is light. With a 1,4 turbo engine, the Rapid rides even more fun. The moves of the 5-speed "mechanics" are verified, the risk of getting into the wrong gear is reduced to nothing. The Czech liftback is not afraid of high speed and holds a straight line well, and it drives exactly. Archaic drum brakes at the back are confusing at first, but the car slows down confidently.
The salon seemed to me more interesting than that of the Polo Sedan, in any case, it was drawn with a bolder hand, not afraid of sharp lines - some door sills are worth something. But what looks great to the touch turns out to be made of simple hard plastic. In a well-tailored chair, I get the feeling that I am about to fall into the gap between the back and the pillow. Mass segment, what can you do. And the Czechs, as well as the Germans, are specialists in economy.
History
The name Rapid is not new for the Czech brand. In 1935, a sedan was presented in Paris, which the Czech brand positioned as an inexpensive car for the middle class. Later, the coupe and convertible debuted, built on the same platform. The first Rapid lasted 12 years on the assembly line - during this time only about 6 thousand cars were produced and sold. The car was available with three engines to choose from with 26, 31 and 42 horsepower. The model was sold not only in Western Europe, but also in some Asian countries.
Flower pots fit perfectly into the niches behind the rear arches. True, the pots eventually toppled over, and the earth scattered throughout the cabin. Rapid, of course, is not a “people's Porsche” like the coupe of the same name from the 80s, but it provokes overspeeding: the engine is energetic, the car is light. With a 1,4 turbo engine, the Rapid rides even more fun. The moves of the 5-speed "mechanics" are verified, the risk of getting into the wrong gear is reduced to nothing. The Czech liftback is not afraid of high speed and holds a straight line well, and it drives exactly. Archaic drum brakes at the back are confusing at first, but the car slows down confidently.
The salon seemed to me more interesting than that of the Polo Sedan, in any case, it was drawn with a bolder hand, not afraid of sharp lines - some door sills are worth something. But what looks great to the touch turns out to be made of simple hard plastic. In a well-tailored chair, I get the feeling that I am about to fall into the gap between the back and the pillow. Mass segment, what can you do. And the Czechs, as well as the Germans, are specialists in economy.
The Rapid name was revived in 1984, when the coupe, built on the basis of the Skoda 130, debuted. The coupe was produced with a 1,2-liter carburetor engine producing 58 hp. and 97 Nm of torque. From a standstill to 100 km / h, the car accelerated in 15 seconds. The production of the model was stopped in 1988, and more than 22 thousand cars were produced during this period.
At a traffic light, the driver of the neighboring car gestures to me to open the window. I obey hastily, worried that something is wrong with the car. "They say he's very noisy?" The man asked, looking around the white Rapid. The green light came on, and I only had time to shake my head negatively in response to the question. And then she began to listen carefully to the car and all the sounds inside and outside. Rumors about the Rapid did not come true: I did not find any flaws in the sound insulation. It seems that the Rapid is a real people's car: there are rumors about it, strangers are interested in it, and even during the crisis, the model became the growth leader in the first half of 2015, according to AEB statistics.
I tested a Rapid with a 1.4 TSI paired with a seven-speed DSG. Low fuel consumption, excellent dynamics, responsive steering wheel - I do not regret at all that I did not get the Rapid on the "mechanics". A subtle delay at start, but after about 50 km / h, the 1.4 TSI engine with seven-speed DSG makes it easy to forget that I'm driving a budget liftback. To tell the truth, in this configuration, the Rapid adds significantly in price, and remains a budget employee only on the outside.
The Rapid can also be praised for the interior design: a stylish dashboard with the addition of chrome materials, laconic German design of the multimedia system and very comfortable seats with lateral support. In addition, headrests integrated into the seats provide additional comfort. There is a spacious sofa in the back and plenty of room for long-legged passengers. But the main trump card, when showing the car to interested friends: "Now look what kind of trunk it has!" Thanks to the liftback body, the boot lid opens completely with the rear window, and we have a gigantic space with a volume of 530 to 1470 liters.
Actually, I don't really need a trunk like that, I don't really like sedans and still prefer to steer a car with a manual transmission. But I really like this Rapid. It allows me to break stereotypes about budget cars and makes me a fan of the Skoda brand.
