Yellow Peril

[Dark_Hero]

A rapid Rapid. That will be good

[BossFox]

That may hurt it's resale value...

[RapidRonnie]

Looking forward to hearing how you get on with it and your opinions of the car, having such a wide experience of other Skoda models

[grr666]

Trying to get the other half to allow me to have her wheels refurbed black

on the Fiat now.

[BossFox]

Looking forward to hearing how you get on with it and your opinions of the car, having such a wide experience of other Skoda models

 

I've only done 42 miles so far, will write up a summary after a few days.

 

I already dislike the front arm rest.

It's based too far forward for me (6'3") and makes using the handbrake tricky.

I think that'll be coming off.

 

Surprisingly the ride quality is good... despite being on 18" rims.

It's very composed and is smooth.

[Thecko]

Does the arm rest not pivot?

 

If you take it out let me know how much you want for it (and how easy/awkward it is to fit!).

[BossFox]

Yes, it pivots from the back which is set in height.

I've currently got it angled as far down as it'll go (as per the pic), because if I have it level I bang my elbow on it while using the gearstick.

I guess the alternative is to fold it right up and out of the way, I'll see if that gets it out of the way tomorrow.

If not I'll let you know about fitting etc...

[BossFox]

Also, while I'm thinking about it the spec available doesn't add up to me.

 

The Rapid in Elegance trim like mine, with most of the optional extras on it is really no different in spec to the current Fabia which has been a round a fair bit.

Bluetooth, cruise, MDI, Sunset Glass, Multifunction steering wheel etc... even the Amundsen I don't have are all available on the Fabia.

Yes the Rapid sits between the Fabia and Octavia3.

The Octavia3 can be ordered with lane assist, adaptive cruise control, Columbus, leather interior etc... lots of things the Rapid can't.

 

So while the Rapid makes sense as model in the middle similar in size to an old Octavia, it's surprising the spec and options don't really include anything the Fabia doesn't have but miss out on all the higher spec stuff the Octy can have.

 

On an Elegance car larger than a Fabia I personally feel you should have the option of small things, like auto wipers and lights.  But it's just not there.

Stuff that's been available to VAG cars including Skoda for quite a while now.

 

I am not complaining, this Elegance with a fair number of options came to around £15k after dealer discount and finance contribution of £1k.

For which money you'd be looking at a pretty basic Octy.

 

Having this now I am struggling to think why I'd want an Octy unless spending a lot more on an Elegance or VRS and adding lots of toys (£10k more than this Rapid) plus I am genuinely surprised at the space the Rapid has for the price.  I can't see me needing a bigger boot for example.  It's huge on the Rapid!

[mdk1]

Looking very nice Richard,

Don't take the arm rest out as I find them comfy when driving!!!

[RapidRonnie]

It's a fair point that the Rapid doesn't offer much over the Fabia in terms of spec. It's just in a bigger, more attractive wrapper. Genuinely still prefer the looks of the Rapid liftback to the Octavia liftback too.

 

Re: the armrest.. it's the same one I had in my Roomster. Your complaint is a common one but I only ever found I wanted to use it on motorways/dual carriageways when you don't use the gears or handbrake much. The rest of the time it was flipped out the way and used for storage.

[Thecko]

The availability of options/niceties is a fair point - wonder how things will swing when they announce the Mk3 Fabia next year.. will that have 'more advanced' gadgets than available in a car which is supposed to fit above it in the range?

[Ad Lav]

I don't use the arm rest unless on the motorway in 6th - gets in the way otherwise!

[RapidRonnie]

The availability of options/niceties is a fair point - wonder how things will swing when they announce the Mk3 Fabia next year.. will that have 'more advanced' gadgets than available in a car which is supposed to fit above it in the range?

 

Probably yes because it will be on the new platform with new electronics e.t.c.

 

I guess the available spec on the Rapid is a legacy of it being more Polo based than Golf based. Is there any spec on the Polo you can't get on the Rapid?

[greenstripe]

A lot of the press reviews of the Rapid and Octavia point to the fact that the new Octavia isn't quite the budget car it used to be -it's bigger more luxurious and more expensive, therefore the rapid fills the gap because it's not quite as big as the Octavia, but a lot more affordable - I sincerely hope that this does not mean that the new Fabia when it comes will be made cheaper and more basic -like Nissan did with the current Micra -it's horrid. We've had 3 Micras in our house and we looked at the current one in the showroom at launch, got in it, got out again and said it was cheap and nasty -the salesman replied 'A lot of people say that' while looking at the ground.

 

Anyway your car looks great -there's nothing it really needs spec. wise. I hate arm rests too -just fold it up

 

I'm wondering with the sports concept vehicles whether there will be a Rapid VRS in the future.

[Thecko]

 The rest of the time it was flipped out the way and used for storage.

 

That's exactly the reason I want one to be honest, I want to be able to leave stuff in the car but out of sight while still being easily reachable from the drivers' seat - it's how my dad used to use the armrests in his old Volvos too!

 

However, at the price Lee gave me to order one "as a part" (they've not 'released it as an accessory' or something) it's a bloody expensive cubby :/

[Thecko]

We've had 3 Micras in our house and we looked at the current one in the showroom at launch, got in it, got out again and said it was cheap and nasty -the salesman replied 'A lot of people say that' while looking at the ground.

 

Nissan have completely lost the plot styling wise with the majority of their cars IMO. The micra was always an odd looking car but in a quirky way, but the last couple are just hideous - and I genuinely don't know why anybody buys the Juke. It looks like what would happen if a Qashqai had sex with a Micra and when I sat in one it felt like it had about the same interior elbow room as a Micra too :/

[Thecko]

 

I'm wondering with the sports concept vehicles whether there will be a Rapid VRS in the future.

 

I think a few here are hoping that there will be. Been a few mentioning that the Rapid's interesting but doesn't have a grunty enough engine for them to consider it.

[BossFox]

I think a few here are hoping that there will be. Been a few mentioning that the Rapid's interesting but doesn't have a grunty enough engine for them to consider it.

 

I can't help feeling the Rapid is aimed as a budget family car and taxi market.

As has been mentioned, like the early Octavia was.  Core Skoda market a while back!

 

Not that it's a problem, because it means they are a good size for a good price.

But maybe that explains the limited engine choice and lack of a sporty model.

 

Maybe this will change when the lift back arrives and they push that, adding new things to generate interest.

After all, the Fabia mk2 only got a VRS model a few years after the shape came out.

 

Until then I guess you have to buy a yellow one and jazz it up.

[Thecko]

I can't help feeling the Rapid is aimed as a budget family car and taxi market.

 

Unquestionably - And I'm quite thankful for it, a well proportioned car with a range of economical but not underpowered engines available, winner all round really - On it's first (of many to come) round trip to my sister's place in Wales it did the job perfectly, good economy and I didn't have a sore back by the time I got there either (something which I suffered from in the Fabia, although the Fiesta was awful, my back was typically in bits after the 150 miles in that hateful thing)

 

Sent my fuelly profile link to a friend and ex-colleague of mine who now works in Nottingham, his response was, to paraphrase

 

 

Voodoo - I can understand getting 105 hp from a 1.2 engine, and I can understand getting 50+ MPG from a 1.2 engine. I can not understand that being the same engine.

[greenstripe]

Nissan have completely lost the plot styling wise with the majority of their cars IMO. The micra was always an odd looking car but in a quirky way, but the last couple are just hideous - and I genuinely don't know why anybody buys the Juke. It looks like what would happen if a Qashqai had sex with a Micra and when I sat in one it felt like it had about the same interior elbow room as a Micra too :/

The Juke is based on a Micra but it has less space in it due to the silly sloping roofline -try driving one though -it's dire.

The mother-in-law has a top spec Qashqai and it's quite a nice car.

 

We had a K11 and two K12 Micras -the first of the K12s was a top of the range 1.5 diesel and it was an absolute riot to drive -it could out sprint anything up to 30mph, but badley needed a strut brace    It had more spec than you could think of for a car in that class: keyless, rain sensing wipers, climate control etc (I still miss it 6 years on). 

[RapidRonnie]

I can't help feeling the Rapid is aimed as a budget family car and taxi market.

As has been mentioned, like the early Octavia was.  Core Skoda market a while back!

 

 

 

A Skoda person somewhere said the current Rapid was aimed more for central/eastern Europe and Spaceback more for Western markets with sportier styling.

 

I still don't believe we'll get a Rapid vRS but I'd be happy with a sport model, possibly in Spaceback form in a few years time.

[BossFox]

Put the Rapid to a bit of practical use today, had to collect a mountain bike.

 

I think it would have been a bit of a squeeze in the Yeti, but it went in the Rapid no problem, with a little to spare.

 

 

Also had chance to do a bit of colour comparison with the Nissan.

They seem to be fairly close.

 

People keep driving by and slowing down to look.  Clearly my house is easy to spot now.

 

 

 

Gratuitous wheel shot.  Brakes look a bit small.

 

 

Found something else the Rapid doesn't have too.

 

Came back from the bike shop, it was roasting.

Pressed/held the unlock button.  No windows dropped.  <sigh>  Thanks Skoda.

 

Still can't get the MDI off my phone so I can see fuel economy and range either...  blasted thing.

 

Tried holding the on/reset on the stalk, the phone button, the wheel for the volume (this switched the radio off) and still none the wiser. :wonder:

Really hoping I don't have to unpair my phone so I can see the MDI info that's not for the phone.

[Gizmo]

Found something else the Rapid doesn't have too.

 

Came back from the bike shop, it was roasting.

Pressed/held the unlock button.  No windows dropped.  <sigh>  Thanks Skoda.

 

I enabled this on Adams Rapid last week… but it did nothing at all, despite the coding change being accepted 

[Ad Lav]

Richard hold down in the rocker switch part of the right stalk. Will change to mdi.

[BossFox]

Richard hold down in the rocker switch part of the right stalk. Will change to mdi.

Trip up held did the job.

Thanks.