Skoda Rapid (2012 – 2019) Review

The Skoda Rapid fools you into thinking it’s a saloon when it’s really a hatchback. This might explain why it wasn’t a bigger seller when new, which is a shame as it’s a very capable alternative to stablemate the Volkswagen Jetta, the closely related SEAT Toledo and rare Suzuki Kizashi. Read on for our full Skoda Rapid review.

The Skoda Octavia initially found favour with buyers thanks to its no-nonsense design and practicality, but as it moved upmarket in terms of quality and price, the gap was filled with the Skoda Rapid.

This was a car that aimed to deliver no-nonsense, down-to-earth motoring, and it now has strong appeal as a used buy.

The Skoda Rapid, at first glance, looks very traditional, but while it has a saloon silhouette, it’s actually a hatchback, with all the practicality benefits to match.

That means an extremely useful boot and space in the back so generous that even the very tallest passengers will be comfortable. It all makes the Skoda Rapid an appealing family car.

Drivers will be happy, too, as it is an easy car to pilot, courtesy of a smooth ride, slick gearshift and light steering.

The instruments are clear and everything is sensibly laid out, logical and simple to use.

There are some nice flourishes too, like an ice-scraper in the fuel filler flap, while there were a few handy, low-cost options including a bin in the door and a reversible floor carpet with a wipe-down covering on one side.

The engine range is fairly simple – there’s a 1.6-litre diesel and petrols with power outputs ranging from 75PS to 122PS.

The diesel won the most buyers, but those on a budget would be wise to consider the 86PS 1.2 TSI, which suits the car well. It’s best to avoid the entry-level 1.2-litre MPI petrol though.

Fancy a second opinion? Read heycar’s Skoda Rapid review here.

The Skoda Rapid is a fairly small car, but the saloon-like bodywork means a long wheelbase, which in turn delivers a well proportioned cabin.

The front seats are easy to adjust, and even with a tall driver, there is space in the back for two adults. They’ll ride in as much comfort as those in the front.

There’s also a generously sized rear load area with a hatchback door, rather than a boot. It’s good for 550 litres of luggage.

However, while the Skoda Rapid provides the sort of practicality delivered by larger models, it does lack a ‘big car feel’ inside.

The Skoda Rapid might not look the most sophisticated in its design and layout, but there’s nothing wrong with the way it’s put together.

Some of the plastics look and feel a bit hard and unyielding, but there’s no question about their ability to last the course.

A few more soft-touch materials would have lifted the ambience a lot, but most will be able to live with what the Skoda Rapid has to offer given the value it represents.

Basic Skoda Rapid models get a stereo with a black and white display that works well enough. It also has a CD player.

Skoda Rapid SE variants let you connect your phone for calls and to play music. Look out for models with the Multi Device Interface (MDI), which has a colour screen, even though it’s small by modern standards.

Things improved from 2017 with an updated infotainment system with Bluetooth, an Apple-compatible USB port plus modern touches like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The touchscreen was much improved too, with a bigger and clearer display.

You should need around £4500 to drive off in an 11-year-old Skoda Rapid that has around 65,000 miles on the clock. This will give you a choice of petrol or diesel engines.

If you fancy something newer, a seven-year-old Skoda Rapid Sport with 40,000 miles to its credit will cost up to £9500.

You could never accuse the Czech firm of not offering a wide engine range in the Skoda Rapid, with 1.0-litre, 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre petrols, and 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre turbodiesels all available.

The diesels are the most frugal and the 1.6 Greenline promised as much as 74.3mpg combined. Our Real MPG data shows 68mpg is realistic, which is highly impressive. The 1.4 diesel manages 60mpg with ease.

Among the petrols, the 1.0 TSI claimed the best average fuel economy at up to 62.8mpg, with 54mpg likely in the real world.

The 1.2 has an official score of up to 57.7mpg and delivers a true 50mpg, while the 1.4 was touted at up to 58.9mpg and delivers 45mpg in normal use.

Emissions of less than 100g/km for the 1.4 diesel and Greenline version of the 1.6 diesel mean these models require no road tax for cars registered up to 1 April 2017.

As with all Skoda Rapids put on the road after that date, later ones will pay the flat rate of £190.

Even the standard 1.6 diesel in earlier guise only pays £35 per year for road tax. With the petrols, you’ll pay between £20 and £190 for a year’s road tax.

Insurance should be affordable, too. The Skoda Rapid stretches from group 7 and goes as high as group 18, so no models will be prohibitively expensive to get cover for.

Nor will routine maintenance leave your finances depleted, as the car has a sound reputation for reliability and Skoda dealers are not the priciest by any measure.

Regardless of which engine is fitted, the Skoda Rapid is a very relaxed car, with light steering, a smooth gearchange and comfortable suspension that manages to soak up most lumps and bumps.

The only thing that breaks the serenity is the amount of road noise, which can be intrusive and boomy at times, particularly over coarse B-road tarmac.

On a smooth road, the Skoda Rapid feels quiet and refined, and it’s perfectly at home on a long motorway cruise.

Thanks to light, precise steering it works fairly well in town too. And unless you drive it hard, it’s fine on a country lane – disconcerting body roll is only apparent at higher cornering speeds.

There are several engines in the Skoda Rapid range – a 1.2-litre MPI petrol with 75PS, a pair of 1.2 TSI petrols with either 86PS or 105PS, a 1.4 TSI with 122PS, a 1.4 turbodiesel with 90PS, and a 1.6-litre diesel with 105PS.

The 1.6 diesel was a popular choice and it’s quiet and refined unless pushed hard – which it never needs to be, thanks to a decent torque output of 250Nm.

If you want a refined car, the TSI petrol engines are hushed and produce peak torque from low revs, making for smooth, quiet progress.

Avoid the old tech 1.2 MPI, though, which is nowhere near as good as the TSI.

The Skoda Rapid was awarded the maximum five-star rating when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2012.

It comes with ESC stability control standard on all models, along with driver and front-seat passenger airbags, plus Isofix mounts on the two outer rear seats.

Based on which exact engine and trim of Skoda Rapid you choose, it can tow an unbraked trailer of up to 630kg.

With a braked trailer, the maximum goes up to as much as 1200kg.

The Skoda Rapid S comes with central locking, curtain airbags, daytime running lights, reach/height adjustable steering, a height-adjustable driver’s seat and electric front windows.

The Skoda Rapid SE adds 15-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured door mirrors and handles, air-conditioning, a trip computer, MDI for connecting phones and audio, plus a leather steering wheel.

In Skoda Rapid Elegance trim, you get 16-inch alloy wheels, cornering front fog lights, cruise control, a height-adjustable passenger seat, rear electric windows, chrome interior details and a multi-function steering wheel with audio controls.

It’s worth looking out for the limited-edition Skoda Rapid Sport. It only comes in white, but has extra kit including 17-inch black alloy wheels, front fog lights, sports seats and a rear spoiler.