Skoda Rapid test drive since 2011 sedan
Skoda Rapid. Czech answer
Rapid is a kind of answer to the changed needs of customers, so a member of the board of directors of Skoda, Jurgen Shtakmann, whose area of \u200b\u200bresponsibility is sales and marketing, presented a novelty.
Skoda Rapid. Price: Not defined. On sale: since 2013
Stanislav Shustitsky, journalist, 58 years old, driving 27 years, travels to the Chevrolet Lacetti.
To this it is worth adding that Skoda Rapid became not just a new model in the range of creations of specialists from Mlad-Boleva, but also appeared the first-born of the new concept of the brand.
To be honest, the term family car has become a kind of amorphous substance today. We say a station wagon, and certainly we mean a family car. About the same applies to most crossovers, and there is no need to talk about mini-wen. The concept is just as vague as, unfortunately, today a number of family values \u200b\u200bthemselves have become. What is there to say about humanity as a whole, if I see a scatter and shaking in choosing a car among my many relatives. By the way, burdened (no, rather proud) rather big families. Nevertheless, the project ideologists themselves position Skoda Rapid exclusively as a family car. Yes, what they position there they make an offer, which is difficult to refuse. A spacious, elegant and at the same time affordable car for the whole family, which is impressed by smart solutions, advanced technologies and high efficiency. The right car is at the right time, so Rapid is evaluated by the chairman of the board of directors of Skoda Winfrid Fans. So I want to shout in response: I want! Do you know what is the most interesting? I experienced a similar mood throughout the test, passing along the roads of Austria and Slovenia.
It seems to me that it makes no sense to undergo exterior preparation. This part is from Fabia, this is from Octavia ... The main thing is that Rapid designers managed to create a truly whole image
We also had a dispute regarding the difficulty and liberty of the translation. We are talking about the slogan of Skoda Simply Clever. The Czechs themselves, apparently, have in mind the phrase is simply brilliant, but we are more familiar to us more ingenious. Personally, I concluded that Skoda Rapid is a kind of derivative of these two concepts. At least from the point of view of a family man. Here, for example, the exterior. Rapid designers say that this car is the first -born of the new brand style. And here, thank God, there were no revolutionary transformations. A peculiar arrangement was made, from which the work called a new one, while preserving the main line of the original score. And in this case, no amendments to the fact that Rapid is positioned as a budget car, it looks very worthy. As for functionality, the liftback body corresponds to the purpose of the machine as possible, providing a symbiosis of a spacious luggage compartment, a spacious salon and a positive general perception of the model. But the main thing is not even that. The thing is that Rapid does not have one -platforms, the car was created using individual modules, which significantly expanded the capabilities of designers. And hence the record numbers in the classroom. For example, Rapid’s wheelbase is 90 mm more than that of Octavia Tour, which allowed the rear seats to push the comfort of passengers. And this is with the total length of the car 4480 mm versus 4511 for Tour. And the trunk? Its volume is 550 liters, 40 more than that of the Renault Logan leading in this indicator. The creators of Rapid confirmed (and especially noted this) the absolute readiness of the car for a long and comfortable trip by the presence of 19 positions from the list fully corresponding to the Simply Clever style. These are devices for attaching things in the trunk (which is equipped with a bilateral rug), and a holder for a smartphone in the cup holder of the central console, and many places where you can attach bottles of different sizes, and slots in the plastic of the rear seat belts, and a plastic case on The rear towing loop can be listed further. The apotheosis of all this luxury was an ice scraper hidden in a gas tank hatch. The hatch, which in our frosty winters, often alternating with a thaw, can tightly proceed by morning. However, to the Russian version of Rapid, the attention of its creators will be special, but more on that later. If you continue the theme of the interior, then the main claims were expressed regarding the hard plastic of the front panel. And this naturally it so happened that from the point of view of quality, we no longer evaluated Rapid by the standards of an exclusively budget car. In the same connection, it was also surprised that the driver could control the glass window of only his own window with a draft for ventilation of the cabin would not be easy to arrange. But all this is so, more likely grumbling to all the good that the creators of Rapid suggested, you quickly get used to it and already want an ideal
And the trunk is simply shocking its size ...
Family does not mean boring. Not in terms of appearance, as already mentioned above, but in terms of enthusiasm. So that dad driving does not acquire an outsider on the road, and all households had no doubt about the correctness of my father’s choice. There are plenty of engines in the range of Rapid. In any case, Europeans have a wide choice: only gasoline units are already four from a base 3 -cylinder 75 -horsepower atmospheric with a volume of 1.2 liters with a 5 -speed mechanical KP up to a 1.4 -luxury TFSI with a capacity of 122 liters. p., which is equipped with a 7 -speed automatic DSG. And inside the ruler there are two 1.2 -lifted turbocharged engines with a capacity of 86 (with a 5 -speed KP) and 105 liters. With. (with a 6 -speed KP). Say, it will be not enough? Well, in the sense, volume and power? Not at all. In any case, if the dad in this sense had an inferiority complex, then in the case of Rapid engines, he certainly will not receive development. And then they will help to recover. Personally, I chose a car with an 86 -horsepower turbo engine for the test, and during a trip from Vienna to Bratislava I certainly did not feel damaged. Moreover, neither on the highway, nor on narrow, with a drop in the heights of serpentines. The motor is dynamic, and most importantly, so elastic that I’m not sure if I would give preference to the version with a diesel engine. There is also diesel engines in the Rapid engine. This is 1.6 -litful TDI with a capacity of 90 and 105 liters. p., the first of which can be equipped with either a 5 -speed mechanics, or a 7 -speed DSG, and the second only manual 5 -speed KP. And the option with a diesel engine, despite my first love for the 1.2 turbo motor, also deserves five on a five -point scale.
There are plenty of legs, but above your head ... but also a decent growth ...
As for the chassis (everything is simple here: McPherson is in front of triangular levers, a twisted beam, plus the front and rear reptile stability stabilizers), the car is controlled excellently, but the suspension operation seemed too hard. No, this did not tire on the Austrian and Slovenian roads, but we are involuntarily trying to simulate our road conditions. Let virtual. At the end of the test, I could not help but ask a question about the suspension settings Irji Dietrich, the head of the Skoda Rapid project. Today you met only a pre -production model of a car, which, of course, will be finalized, Dietrich explained. For example, we want to replace the hydroelectric steering wheel of the steering wheel with electric, which, again, will require adaptation adaptation. As for Russia, the configuration provides a package for bad roads, which involves both the clearance of a higher, and the settings are appropriate. And then the revelation of Dietrich, unexpected even for me, followed: in Moscow the roads are good, but, say, in St. Petersburg they really leave much to be desired. Typically, foreign experts say so about roads in the Russian outback. Although in general, I agree with Irji Dietrich. It is a pity that the governor of St. Petersburg Georgy Sergeyevich Poltavchenko did not hear all this. Well, God with them, with the power of those who are in power, it is better to note another bar, talking about how carefully the Skoda Rapid project was worked out. During the conversation, Irji Dietrich asked if I paid attention to one of the options a small spoiler on the back door of some cars. I replied that the addition is pretty, not even spectacular, it was, first of all, functional, interrupted Irji. This is not just a decor, but a real aerodynamic element that optimizes the direction of the air flow and stabilizing the machine. Like this.
Skoda Rapid salon is just the case when simplicity decorates. Moreover, not to the detriment of functionality
The world premiere of Skoda Rapid will be held as part of the Paris Motor Show, and European sales of the new products will begin in November this year. In Russia, the car will appear only at the end of 2013, it will be assembled in Kaluga and cost, but this point of the program is still a secret. But in many ways it depends on him whether it will decrease by the time of the appearance of Rapid on Russian roads that one of mine I want!. And most importantly, if it is transformed into optimistic!.
Our verdict
Summing up, it remains only to shout: bravo! To the creators of Rapid. Even in raw form, the car is good. And what will be adaptation for Russia is also good. But from how much this adaptation will make it possible to enjoy, similar to what I experienced during the test, success in our market will also depend.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
+
The car is really good. In addition, engineers continue to work on its improvement.
-
Of the negative qualities, I can only note one thing: uncertainty. The exact start date for sales, price and configuration are already subparagraphs.
Driving
10 This is not an advance by subsequent refinement, but an assessment set for an excellent balance of characteristics. But Skoda engineers say that it will be even better ...
Salon
Simple, comfortable, with good ergonomics ...
Comfort
The suspension is harsh. But this is an opinion with an eye on Russia.
Safety
There is a necessary set of active and passive safety systems.
Price
Not determined.
We do not love
Chip
A scraper for ice hidden in a gas tank hatch.
Excellent
RAPID's security level is at a height.
Comfortable
The volume of the luggage compartment with folded rear seats increases to 1490 liters
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions 4483x1706x1461mm
Base 2602 mm
Equipped mass 1161 kg
Full mass
1621kg
There is no data clearance
Trunk volume 550/1490 l
Fuel tank volume 55 liters
Gasoline engine, tsi,
4-cylinder., 1197cm3, 86/4800l.s./min-1,
Transmission 5 -t., Front drive
Dynamics 183 km/h; 11.8cdo100km/h
Fuel consumption 5.1 liters per 100 km
Competitors Kia Rio, Hyundai Solaris,
Volkswagen Polo Sedan
