Rapid by name, Skoda by nature
The new Skoda Rapid is the latest addition to Our Cars and with its practical space and economical TDI engine it should prove the perfect car for our resident photographer.
Date: 10 May 2013 | Current mileage: 1347 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 67.9mpg
The Skoda Rapid is an interesting new model. While it may seem quite small, it's a proper family car although it has clear differences to rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Skoda launched the Rapid last year and it sits between the Fabia and Octavia in the model range. So although it's based on a Fabia platform it takes several design cues from the new Octavia and mixes them to produce a car which looks neat if not particularly exciting.
I've chosen to run the 1.6 TDI diesel engine which has a modest power output of 105PS. Due to the higher than average mileage I tend to cover it makes sense - especially as it's the only diesel in the range. The other engines include the 1.2 TSI with either 105PS or 86PS which may be better for lower mileage users and are certainly significant cheaper - around £1800.
However the one and only diesel is easily the most economical engine in the Rapid. The official figures say it will return an average of 64.2mpg while emissions of 114g/km mean annual VED of just £30
Trim level wise I've gone slap bang in the middle of the three versions available and plumped for an SE instead of the base model S or the range topping Elegance. With the 1.6 TDI engine it costs £17,100 and with the few options added to our car such as sat nav, the Summer Pack, a spare wheel and a Driving Pack.
That seems pretty pricey when the starting price for the Rapid range is £12,900 for a 1.2 S model. But our car does at least come well equipped with 15-inch alloys, the MDI mobile device interface, electric and heated mirrors plus Bluetooth - useful for long journeys.
It's quite an exciting car in a Steve Davis kind of way. It does have neat angles however when viewed in profile it looks like a small saloon - never a particularly sporty shape. However the Rapid has a trick up its sleeve as it is actually a hatchback. The tailgate open up to reveal an enormous boot - 550 litres in total - which is only a few litres short of a BMW 5 Series Touring.
This is where Rapid's value comes into its own. Why buy this over a Golf or Focus? Well, its secret lies in its long wheelbase which gives you lots of rear legroom as well as all that bootspace. It also helps the ride and the Rapid feels composed and controlled on the road.
The Rapid is a car that I suspect will be slightly leftfield from its competitors and so for six months I'll be able to find out what exactly it has to offer. Being a photographer I travel further than average. I carry lots of equipment and also have children to put in the back, so the Rapid has a lot to cope with.
The Tardis-like Rapid
The Rapid may look like a saloon but it's actually a hatchback - and a very practical one and that - with a huge boot and loads of rear space.
Date: 24 May 2013 | Current mileage: 4032 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 75.0mpg
I've been driving the Rapid for just over a month now and I have to say I'm very impressed. Lifting the tailgate reveals a very large boot that's 550 litres. Compare that with say, a Golf, which has around 380 litres you get an idea of how good this is. It looks like a saloon, but it's actually a hatchback and I can easily get all my equipment in.
On a recent trip with my children I managed to fit my daughter's bike and both of their scooters, as well as all my camera equipment, into the boot without folding the seats. Plus some food shopping. That wouldn't be possible in a standard hatchback.
The extra space doesn't just stop there as there's a wealth of legroom in the back. This one of the Rapid's big strengths and what makes it so attractive - you get masses of space in a small car. There's enough room for three adults to sit comfortably without feeling cramped. I've even found myself sitting in the back with my laptop editing photos helped by the privacy glass which makes it dark enough to clearly see the screen. My children benefit being able to watch DVDs without complaining of not being able to see the screen.
I chose the 1.6 TDI for its economy and I have to admit that it really does seem to be achieving its claimed figure of 64.2 mpg. In fact it's exceeding it. My latest journey took in some 175 miles of M25 and A1 traffic with the Rapid returning an average of 75mpg. Mightly impressive.
Disappointingly, the cruise control doesn't seem to work which is a pain on long motorway journeys and would probably improve the economy further. It's something I need to investigate so a trip to the local Skoda dealer might be in order.
Our car is also fitted with the media interface and Sat Nav system. It's an all in one job including radio, sat nav and an aux-in. First impressions are that it's very intuitive to use but the guidance system has found itself lost on two occasions already. Seeing as how I've only used it twice, I've already decided to not rely on it too heavily .
Rapid on the road
We've been impressed with the space and practicality of our Rapid but after several thousand miles already, what's the verdict on the handling?
Date: 7 June 2013 | Current mileage: 8967 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 50.6mpg
I've been really impressed with the practicality of the Rapid but having clocked up thousands of miles already, the driving experience has also made a good impression on me. The secret to its practicality likes in the long wheelbase and this is also good news for the handling.
It feels very stable for what is a relatively small car and it's happy to go through corners relatively quick with no more body roll than you’d expect. I did expect the ride to be a little stiff but it's far from uncomfortable. The seating position is fully adjustable as is steeing column, so finding the right driving position is very easy. It actually goes surprisingly low down.
Unfortunately the seats themselves are quite firm and can be uncomfortable with no extra lumbar support, especially on longer journeys. It feels like you are pushed right into the base and strangely there is a feeling that you are sitting on something. Quite a few times I have, I have got in and then had to get out again as I thought I was sitting on something. Passengers have also said the same about the front passenger seat.
On the whole though, the Rapid is a joy to drive. The steering is very light yet direct while the gear lever slots satisfyingly into each gate. Couple this with a light clutch and the Rapid gives you an effortless driving experience. The gearbox is a five-speed but the Rapid doesn't feel like it needs a sixth gear. However at idle it is a rather noisy engine, although from inside the cabin the sound proofing does a good job of reducing this.
One slight niggle is rear visibility. The screen is very shallow so I'm pleased we have the optional rear parking sensors which are an absolute must given the restricted view. The sensors coupled with a visible display on the MMI really do help.
Matt tries to discover what is in the seats that makes his long journeys so uncomfortable
Red alert
Our Rapid is proving a bit like Fort Knox when it comes to actually unlocking all the doors and getting in.
Date: 21 June 2013 | Current mileage: 9960 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 58.6mpg
The specification of our Rapid SE is something of a mixed bag. There's nothing in the car to get overly excited about however there's nothing to really complain about either. There are some quite luxury features like the MMI system, alloy wheels and rear privacy glass. But then there are no electric windows in the back, only a simple winder which seems a little dated.
This may well be keeping the costs down but the drivers electric window also seems very basic as there's no auto up, it's a small niggle but after being used to most cars having this feature as standard coupled with the wind up windows in the rear you do get a sense of corners being cut a little.
While on the subject of security glass and security in general, the Rapid feels like its on a constant red alert, before even entering the car. Upon pressing the key fob you hear a very definitive clunking sound of the doors unlocking, not so it seems, as only the drivers door has actually unlocked. To open all the other doors you have to double press the key fob - a traditional Volkswagen feature that's made its way across the group. It can be annoying though, as I find myself repeatedly pressing the fob, so it becomes guesswork as to whether the car is locked, unlocked or fully unlocked?
The car then goes into a further state of security by auto locking itself as soon as you drive off with a very definitive clunk and a door lock light button lights up, however pressing this button soon unlocks the car again if required. It becomes even more apparent when you fill up the car as even the petrol filling cap needs to be unlocked with the keys which again is something you don't see much on modern cars. Usually the flap is unlocked from inside rather than using the key.
But having said all this, added security is no bad thing it just takes a little bit of effort to remember it's there and ignoring your passengers faces as they repeatedly pull door handles whilst I repeatedly press the key fob.
One nice extra touch while on the subject of the filler cap is the ice scraper fitted on the inside, which easily slides out when required. This is something I've not come across before which given our summer so far might come in very handy.
Lock on the fuel cap seems old fashioned but the clever ice scraper in the flap is a neat touch
Over sensitive sat nav
The sat nav in our Rapid is a good value system that also adds Bluetooth but it can be a little too keen to divert you around imaginary traffic problems.
Date: 6 July 2013 | Current mileage: 10280 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 59.3mpg
Over the last two weeks I have been driving in and out of London and heavily relying on the sat nav to get me there and on time. It doesn't come as standard on the Rapid and costs an extra £550 over the standard radio. That's not too bad compared to other integrated navigation systems but is pricey compared to systems from the likes of Tom Tom and Garmin. However, it does have DAB radio, traffic reports and Bluetooth.
Initially I wasn't too impressed with the system but having relied on it heavily over the last week, I've found it to be actually very good. First off is the Bluetooth connectivity, which is very easy to set up, and then from there on my phone automatically connects whenever I'm in the car.
A very clever touch here is that I can play music via the Bluetooth connection as well. Phone calls can be completely hands free as you can use the trip computer buttons to thumb through controls and phone book, it really is very useful.
The sat nav guidance is very quick, I've noticed that with other navigation systems you can get left wondering what the next instruction is before it's too late and you end up in the wrong lane or missing a turning. Not with the Rapid's guidance though, it is very good and so far I've turned up to locations without any problems.
One slight niggle is that it can be slightly over sensitive. On a number of occasions it takes into account traffic reports and redirects me, so to test this on my last trip into the office I ignored all the redirections only to find no traffic problems whatsoever. Whether this is the navigation's fault or the traffic report problem is up for debate.
However, this is where problems arise and it has happened on a number of occasions. The sat nav is working fine, radio on and phone connected, and the phone then rings. The whole system goes into meltdown, in fact nothing works, even to the point of trying to turn the system off with the off button.
The only remedy has been to actually stop the car and turn the engine off so there's no power to it and even then sometimes it hasn't remedied the problem. Nevertheless, it has only happened on a handful of occasions but it's very frustrating on motorways when you lose guidance, phone and the radio.
The sat nav in our Rapid tends to be quick to divert around traffic - even when there isn't any.
Racing Rapid
Goodwood may be all about performance and glamour but that didn't stop our Rapid getting a run down the hill. Even if it was under a 10mph restriction...
Date: 22 July 2013 | Current mileage: 11450 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 60.1mpg
Summer is finally here and over the last two weeks I've added just over 1200 miles to the Rapid. First off was a succession of trips to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, working for various car manufacturers, allowing me and the Rapid access to all areas before the public arrived on the first day.
I even managed to drive the hill route however it was probably one of the slowest times recorded as there was a speed restriction of 10mph for all vehicles! However the Rapid was more than up to the task of carrying all my equipment and because of its huge 550-litre boot, it puts some estate cars to shame.
Access to the Goodwood site was restricted to commercial vehicles only, but no one seemed to mind that I was in the Rapid and considering the amount of equipment I was carrying, you could argue I was a commercial vehicle. Even with the extra load the 1.6 TDI didn't feel sluggish in any way, returning an average economy of just under 60mpg over the three days.
Next up was a series of location shoots which involved mostly motorway miles, helping improve the already impressive economy up to 63mpg. To finish the week was a short trip to collect a mountain bike I bought on ebay. My neighbour offered the services of his Nissan X-Trail but I declined, much to his confusion . It strangely never crossed my mind whether the Rapid would be big enough and it fitted in the back with ease.
That's the real secret to this car. Most will see it as a family saloon, at best a well priced value for money small family car - but it's so much more. It's a hatchback with a whopping amount of room. And with more room comes added practicality which it's competitors simply cannot achieve.
Sadly though with every plus there is a minus and after being extremely pleased with the sat nav and MMI interface, the unit is again freezing with the screen going into what looks like MS DOS mode before shutting down. But then who needs sat nav when you're racing up Goodwood Hill at lightning speeds!
Driving in the bath
The recent thunderstorms and heavy rain have highlighted a worrying issue with our Rapid which sees the rear doors get filled with water when it's been left parked.
Date: 2 August 2013 | Current mileage: 12,180 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 59.5mpg
Over the past few weeks I've mostly been using the Skoda to take me to and from various airport car parks, as much of my work takes me to far flung locations in Europe to take photographs of manufacturers up and coming models.
It seems our British summer actually is happening this year and I've been to Portugal only to find it colder there than back here in the UK. However last week came the inevitable thunderstorms and with it, very brief but heavy downpours of rain. Not a problem in any way, however after a recent trip to Germany last week, I left the car at Heathrow T5 for a day at the Business car park. On my return, I learned of some heavy downpours had occurred while I was away, not that you could notice as it had completely dried out by the time I got back to the car
So ticket ready in hand, I slowly drove to the pay point, as I pulled up to the barrier and braked, the Rapid made an incredibly loud sloshing sound, the sound my children make when being very noisy in the bath. Pulling away, from the barrier the car again made the same noise. It was like driving in a bath full of water.
On inspection back at home, I couldn't find water anywhere yet the noise continued when driving, it was two days later when my son got into the car and noticed the sound immediately, he found it was coming from the rear doors.
However it wasn't just his door but both rear doors that seemed to be absolutely full of water.
Looking under the sills, there didn't seem to be anyway of letting the water out until I gently pulled the rubber seal, only to get covered in about 2 litres of water, the same, maybe a bit more from the other door. The sound has disappeared as most of the water has gone, but it has made me quite concerned as to how water got into the doors in the first place, and not just one door but both of them.
In theory, there shouldn't be any water in the car at all, and Skoda obviously feel the same as there's no way of getting the water out, i.e. no plug at the bottom of the doors should water enter somehow. Whether this was a case of incredibly hard rain or a design fault I don't know but I suspect the latter as both the front doors are fine and dry. In any case these cars undergo all sorts of extreme weather testing before going on sale.
Fortunately the car has ceased taking on any more water and it has rained quite a bit since this incident, however it's something I'll be checking very regularly, it may just be the seal between the window and the door, but I think this is best checked by Skoda themselves, so a quick trip to the dealers is in order me thinks.
The Skoda's doors are finally drained. Although what it's doing to the metal inside is another matter.
Rapid goes in for some attention
Our Rapid has gone off to Skoda HQ in the hope that the leaky doors problem can be solved. In the meantime, we've been looking back at how it's performed so far.
Date: 16 August 2013 | Current mileage: 13,960 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 57.4mpg
Having been on holiday for the past two weeks the Rapid hasn't seen many miles and I intended to give it a well-earned rest on the driveway. However, since the problem with the doors taking in water Skoda has offered to take a look at the problem.
So it's taking a rest back at Skoda HQ as technicians try and discover exactly where the water is getting in and hopefully how to remedy it. In the meantime it's given me a chance to look back after the past few months with the Rapid.
Since April I've been running my own economy figures and recording mileage, cost and litres to see how close the figures are to the quoted manufacturers figures. Skoda claim combined fuel economy of 64.2mpg and at present my figure comes in at 57.4mpg - so not far short. That's over 6371 miles and considering I regularly carry passengers and lots of heavy equipment I'm quite impressed. My driving covers motorway and towns which should give a good representation of a real world figure.
It's something that was apparent right from word go with the Rapid, some journeys it reached an average of 70mpg, mostly motorways mind, you but if you're after a big family car with a huge boot enough leg room for an NBA basketball player that's also super economical, then this could be your car.
As such I can't think of anything competition wise which comes this close at this price range other than Skoda's own Octavia. However the diesel Rapid starts at a higher price than some of the petrol Octavia models, so inevitably where you save on fuel in the 1.6 TDI Rapid you end up spending more initially for the ability to be economical.
Next month sees the Frankfurt Motor Show where Skoda will be unveiling an estate verison of the Rapid, called the Spaceback. With a bigger overall boot (confusingly the estate has less boot space than the standard Rapid when the seats are in place) and even more practicality, it could be a real success.
However, there are still niggles in my Rapid which may be small but are worth mentioning. The sat nav system is playing up again and has decided at regular intervals to just turn itself off while the cruise control has never worked, leaving me wondering whether there is in fact cruise control or whether it is in fact just a generic stalk that's fitted to all cars in case you wish to add or upgrade in the future?
Water torture
Our Rapid is back after its fix but it seems the water leak problem has returned, leaving us with a bit of a headache as to what to do next.
Date: 6 September 2013 | Current mileage: 14,495 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 58.6mpg
It's back on track and back to work after a holiday in France and the Rapid, true to Skoda’s word, was delivered back to me cleaned and checked by their technicians after they requested a look at the leaky doors problem. I had searched online about this problem and it seems a few people had also experienced the same issue with water in the rear doors. A worrying sign.
So I was confident the problem was fixed and with no more sloshing noises the car seemed fine. That was the case for three days and then in true British summer style it rained. And unfortunately the problem re-surfaced with the driver side and then passenger side rear doors full of water.
Skoda contacted me on its return and it does seem there is a known problem so its technicians have carried out a procedure from factory guidelines to fix it but unfortunately it hasn't worked, or it did but only temporarily and now the water build up is back I'm afraid to say.
So it's back to square one on this. I have worked out a way to drain the water out of the doors by gently pulling the rubber seal away from the bodywork in various places but it still remains a mystery as to how the water build up occurs in the first place. It's not a fix I'm really after here, more of an explanation as to how so much gets in.
We all know what happens when water and metal mix with oxygen and that's not something you want from a brand new car. Without a solution I guess that's exactly what will inevitably happen to the underside of the doors as time goes by. Hopefully Skoda will get back to me with a more permanent fix. Fortunately the rear doors have manual windows as opposed to electric, so I guess in this instance there’s no electrical worry.
However, I have now noticed another area where there's significant water seemingly entering the car. After the rain last week I noticed on opening the boot, that once the tailgate is fully open, water on the rear glass flows back down the glass to the roofline where it then goes back down either side of the boot opening. When it reaches the rear lights there's a pretty big gap, at least 5mm, where the water simply flows down inbetween the body work and the light cluster.
Open the boot a few times on a rainy day and that's quite a significant amount of water being channelled, where it disappears to I don't know, into the depths of the inside of the car it seems.
Rapid economy on the up
We've been keeping an eye on the Rapid's fuel economy over the past few weeks which has been a distraction from the leaky doors problem.
Date: 20 September 2013 | Current mileage: 15,695 | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 69.2mpg
I've managed to cover around 1000 miles in Rapid over the last few weeks, the majority of which have been on the motorway. And I have to say that fuel economy has been very impressive. On two occasions my 78 mile journeys have given me average fuel consumption of 70.4mpg and 71.8 mpg, according to the trip computer - easily exceeding the claimed average figure of 64.2mpg.
However, there is a little head scratching when nearing an empty tank which I've not come across previously mainly due to my refuelling habits. I've noticed that the re-fuelling light tends to be a little over zealous and lights up around the 80 miles range.
Maybe that's just me and my range anxiety making me feel that's a bit early. The range may say 80 miles but the needle on the dial is way into the red, indicating there's basically nothing left in the tank. On the other hand, the 80 miles does seem to then drop dramatically quickly, so to test this I reset the trip just to see how accurate the range meter is. The answer is very accurate. On reflection I did test this while driving in town which will exlain the difference compared to motorway miles.
That's not been enough to distract from the worry of the water intake in the back doors. Unfortunately there's still no improvement from the last update and if anything it's worse. We had a significant amount of rainfall over the last couple of weeks and both rear doors are full of water again.
The only way to drain the water is to gently pull the rubber seal which allows it to flow out but I have noticed that without doing so the water is also falling into the rear footwells - something that went previously unnoticed. On my last journey my son had very wet feet by the time we had got back home. I don't think water is creeping in while driving, it's more of a build up of water as the doors in the rear are in constant use with my kids or work.
On a positive note the Rapid is good on the motorway at 70mph in 5th. I had reservations about only having a five speed gearbox but in reality this isn't a problem. In fact less gear changing makes the driving experience even better and just like the lenses I use for work, they all have a sweet spot where they work absolutely tack sharp - in this case it's at 70mph. It's very quiet, the suspension seems to smooth out a little, the steering is effortless, and the mpg rises. It almost makes up for the water build up.
A storm in a Rapid teacup
Our Rapid is leaving us after six months and while the leaky door problem remains unresolved, we still think the Rapid is an impressively practical small family car.
Date: 4 October 2013 | Current mileage: 16400 miles | Claimed economy: 64.2mpg | Actual economy: 66.3mpg
So here we are - six months in and it's already time to bid farewell to our Skoda Rapid. I must say I've been pleasantly surprised by the Skoda and am going to miss it. There are a few extra details that I've previously skipped but feel are worth mentioning so I thought the final update would be a good time to mention them.
Bearing in mind this car is all about value, a traditional Skoda trait, there are some subtle yet nice little extra touches which probably haven't cost the earth but demonstrate how nicely thought out the Rapid is. Firstly there's the ice scraper hidden in the fuel filler cap - such a simple idea that it's surprising no other manufacturer has thought of it before.
I also like the sunglasses holder in the roof by the rearview mirror - a really handy feature for me. Then there's the onboard computer which tells you everything from fuel economy to your range and will even display navigation instructions. But for me the best feature is the reversible boot mat. On one side it's carpeted while the other has a rubberised wipe clean and hardwearing protective surface.
It's especially handy in this car as its boot holds such a huge capacity, ideal for trips to the tip or putting your muddy bike in which isn't far fetched considering its 550 litres of space. The mat is so easy - you just take it out, flip it over and slot it back in. Given my job as a photographer and all the gear I have to carry around, it's proved invaluable.
So sadly my time with the Rapid is up and I have to say goodbye. Not that it;s been faultless. There have been a few teething problems, most notably the water intake issue which should be a simple fix but continues to be unresolved. With winter on the way I'm pleased that I don't have to worry about it any longer. Recently the car again took on far more water just parked on the driveway. Upon inspection it's so bad that after leaving the car for four days there is now condensation on the windows and mould on the seats. This is a car that's just six months old.
Not that I'm going to judge the Rapid on this one fault. The Rapid remains a great car and one that's perfectly designed for a practical family's needs. The fuel economy is outstanding, then there's the huge boot space and the impressive rear legroom. But most of all, it's the Skoda's value for money which really sells it. At £17,100 for our car (without any options) it represents a lot of car for the money given the 1.6 TDI engine and the standard equipment. And now with the new Rapid Spaceback being launched, it makes even more sense. It's simply a great all round package.
The leaky doors problem is now causing more serious issues such as mouldy seats
