Next year, the hatchback version will be available with new styling.
Skoda gave Rapid a subtle facelift just over a year ago. But it is already excited to discuss the next generation. There are some big changes coming. Not only will the Rapid be renamed but it will also get a new identity. Alain Favey (man in charge of sales and marketing) said that the new model won’t be a replacement in the traditional sense. It will be built from scratch to compete with the Volkswagen Golf.
Isn’t the Octavia a direct rival to Wolfsburg’s highly-loved hatchback? Well, not quite. Skoda’s most popular model is significantly larger than the Golf, and almost any other model in this segment. The Octavia’s rear legroom in this class is unbeatable, and the hatchback’s cargo space is unmatched by any rival.
The Rapid’s next iteration will feature a new moniker and a completely new design. Favey stated that only the Rapid Spaceback would continue, while the fastback version will be discontinued. Skoda’s representative promised to differentiate the Rapid from the Octavia and that people wouldn’t be able mix the two.
Favey says the Rapid replacement will ride on the VW Group’s MQB A0 platform. It will feature a new “state-of the-art” infotainment system. It won’t be as extravagant as the Vision X Concept’s setup, as this high-tech system, which will debut on a production model with the VisionE production-ready, Skoda’s first pure electric car, will not be.
The next-gen Fabia will share engines, which are expected to include 1.0- and 1.5 liter TSI gasoline units as well as a diesel. Skoda has not yet decided if it will electrify Rapid’s replacement. However, we aren’t surprised if this hybrid is added.
Skoda anticipates that the new model will arrive in 2019 and that annual sales will double compared with the Rapid.
