Skoda Rapid (2012-2019) Review

It may look like a saloon, but the Rapid is a hatchback and a practical one at that. If you want a car that’s easy to park and doesn’t take up much room on your driveway but still has lots of room in the back and a big boot, the Rapid could fit the bill.

The Rapid might not have a striking design, and if you want a car to make an impression, look elsewhere. However, it will appeal to those not phased by neighbouring opinions and are more concerned about getting lots of space for their money.

It’s good for families who don’t want a huge car yet still need good rear space and a big boot. It’s also ideal as a second runabout or for retired couples who still want to be able to take the grandchildren out occasionally. 

The Skoda Rapid shared the usual engines found in most small Volkswagen Group cars of that era and is a car focused on low running costs rather than performance. The best, in our opinion, was, and still is, the turbocharged 1.2 TSI, which comes in two versions.

The more powerful was the better choice if you carried more kit in the Rapid. But the lower-powered model was still more than adequate around town. The basic 1.2 MPI is slow and is best avoided unless you seek a basic A-to-B car.

The 1.2 TSI was later replaced by the 1.0 TSI, which wasn't as smooth as the 1.2-litre but was still just as nippy. SE models are the ones to go for, and there are lots around. SE L and Elegance got more kit, but we wouldn’t pay much more for them on the used market.

If you haven’t already worked it out, the Skoda Rapid was the sister car to the SEAT Toledo. They had the same engines, interior and basic design. Only the headlights and grille were different. The Rapid was more popular, so used examples are aplenty.

To slightly confuse things, the Skoda Rapid Spaceback was a more conventional hatchback offering the same lots-of-space-in-a-small-package design. There are also more of them about on the used car market.

The Kia Cee’d and Hyundai i30 were rivals, or you could consider a small crossover like a Suzuki SX4 S-Cross or even a Citroen C4 Cactus. 

The Kia Cee'd was replaced with the newer Ceed, and the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross is no more; the latter was replaced with the S-Cross. Similarly, the Citroen C4 Cactus was superseded by the new C4. There's also the Citroen C3 Aircross. 

If a direct Skoda replacement is preferred, there's the Skoda Scala. 

You can tell the Rapid was built to a price with lots of hard plastics everywhere and little in the way of luxury. Little was wrong with this, but it made it feel like a dentist’s waiting room - a place you have to spend time in but rarely enjoy.

The plastics used were not only hard but scratchy and marked easily. Compared to newer Skoda models, the Rapid feels distinctly old-fashioned in this respect. It means older models that aren’t well cared for can look tired.

On the plus side, all the buttons and switches felt good quality, and the controls, like the clutch and gearbox, all worked solidly. It was a well-finished car and certainly not flimsy. Higher spec models got a leather steering wheel and a leather gear lever surround, giving the interior more appeal.

Another area where the Rapid is showing its age is in infotainment. Or rather the lack of it. Basic models had a simple-to-use stereo with a black and white display. If you’re not fussed by having the latest tech and aren’t worried about playing music from your phone, this still works well enough. It also had a CD slot (remember those).

SE models were better and had phone connect ability for calls and music. Look out for models with the Multi Device Interface (MDI), which had a colour screen, albeit small by modern standards.

Fortunately, things improved in the 2017 models. These got an updated infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple-compatible USB port, and modern touches like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The touchscreen was improved too, with a bigger and clearer display.

Skoda is well known for its ‘simple clever’ features. The big Superb has umbrellas built into the door, for example. And the Rapid doesn’t miss out on these. There was an ice scraper built into the fuel filler flat, a little clip for holding parking tickets on the windscreen and even a removable rubbish bin in the door. The reversible boot liner was ideal for muddy dog paws and even muddier wellies.

It may not be a big car, but the Rapid made the best of its space. There were few cars this small that offered this much space inside. Those in the back had plenty of room, and even with the front seats back, there was still good legroom for those behind. It also meant extra room for children and car seats.

The boot was 550 litres, making it bigger than a Ford Mondeo’s. A same-era Golf, for comparison, had 380 litres of cargo room. It was a useful space too, so despite the rather prominent lip, the boot could carry a lot more than you’d expect, helped by the wide opening and vertical sides.

The Rapid engine lineup reflected the car’s practical nature. There were the usual small petrols and diesels, starting with a 1.2-litre 12V in the entry-level model. It was fine for getting around, but we’d avoid it if possible and go for the 1.2 TSI.

There were two versions, and even the lesser-powered one provided decent get up and go at low speeds, thanks to its turbocharger. It may seem small, but it as a great engine and suited the Skoda perfectly, giving it a surprisingly rapid turn of pace (if you’ll pardon the pun).

This engine was later replaced by a 1.0 TSI, an eager three-cylinder. This wasn't as smooth as the four-cylinder 1.2 TSI. The most powerful 1.4 TSI petrol had a DSG automatic, which we’d avoid as it has a high failure rate. 

Most models had a five-speed manual gearbox that was easy to use with a nicely positive shift. The more powerful 1.2 TSI had a six-speed gearbox and was quieter and more relaxed at speed.

If you want outright economy and cover mega mileage, pick a diesel. Sadly, they weren't very refined and were pretty noisy. The 1.4 TDI was slow, so go for the better 1.6 TDI. It was no bundle of fun, but it had more pulling power, and efficiency was few and far between.

The Rapid's poor ride quality over rough roads meant refinement wasn't great, and it tended to thud over potholes, which wasn't pleasant for anyone on board. This was one area where it felt like a cheap car. The Hyundai i30 was a lot better in this respect.

Things improved at motorway speeds, where the Rapid was smoother and surprisingly relaxed at a gentle cruise, especially with one of the more powerful engines. The 1.6 TDI barely worked at 70mph. 

Wind and road noise were respectably low, and the engines weren't intrusive either. That couldn't be said for around town, though, where both TDI units were noisy and clattered on start up. There was also considerable vibration through the steering wheel from the diesel engines, and the later 1.0 TSI wasn't much smoother.

The Rapid was awarded the maximum five-star rating when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2012. This meant the identical SEAT Toledo also had the highest rating possible. Adult occupant safety scored 94%, although the report highlighted that the seat and head restraint only provided marginal protection against whiplash.  

The safety kit included ESC stability control alongside driver and front-seat passenger airbags, head airbags and side airbags for front passengers. There were Isofix mounts on the two outer rear seats.

Steer clear of the DSG 'boxes as these were troublesome. Other common issues included headlamp fogging, blocked DPF, weak headlights and rear windscreen wiper issues. 

While economical, the Rapid is also cheap to insure, with most models hovering around group 15 and 16 for insurance, so expect premiums to be very affordable. 

Even the highest-rated models are only group 19, but they’re DSG automatics, which we wouldn’t recommend as it's a gearbox with a poor reliability record. The basic S is the most affordable for insurance as it’s a group 7 while the economical 1.6 TDI Greentech is group 15.

The Skoda Rapid straddles two tax systems - post and pre-2017. Regardless, the cheapest is the 90 bhp 1.4 TDI CR and the 115 bhp 1.6 TDI CR. Both emit under 100g/km, meaning no road tax is paid. 

The most expensive is the 1.4 TSI DSG, so more reason to steer clear. These emit 134g/km of c02, meaning £190 per year. Most post-2017 cars emit C02 figures of around 100g/km. 

Skoda pretty much stuck with the same trim levels throughout the life of the Rapid, making working out what you’re looking at on the used market a lot easier. Essentially, S models were entry-level and were a bit back to basics, although you got central locking and electric front windows.

SE trim was much better and had 15-inch alloys, air-con and electric front windows, alongside a height-adjustable driver’s seat. The top Elegance version had 16-inch alloys, cruise control, rear electric windows and a multi-function steering wheel. Elegance was later replaced by the SE L.

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