Thinking of getting Skoda Rapid Spaceback?
The style of the car
The Skoda Rapid Spaceback is a compact five-seat hatchback that’s bigger thansuperminis such as the Ford Fiesta and smaller than mid-size family cars like the Ford Focus. The Spaceback is one of two versions of the Rapid, with a more upright rear windscreen and a shorter length than the ‘regular’ Rapid hatchback.
How it drives
The Rapid Spaceback feels light, agile and gives a smooth ride. It’s great for nipping around town and its compact size makes it a doddle to park. It’s good on motorways, too, if not quite as quiet as some rivals. Petrol and diesel engines are available, all of which give good acceleration. The diesels are a little noisy but give excellent fuel economy. An automatic gearbox is available with some of the engine options.
The interior
The Rapid Spaceback is a compact hatchback with five doors and five seats. It’s slightly smaller than a Ford Focus but still feels spacious inside. Back-seat passengers in particular have a lot of headroom and legroom although because the Spaceback is narrower than some hatchbacks, anyone in the central back seat might feel a bit squeezed on shoulder space. Still, it works well as a family car no matter your childrens’ ages. The boot is big enough for three large suitcases and the back seats fold down for more space. The dashboard is user-friendly and feels sturdy, if rather plain compared with some rivals. All models have air con and DAB radio.
Running costs
The Rapid Spaceback offers a lot of room and equipment for relatively little money, so it’s very good value. According to official figures, both petrol and diesel models can give fuel economy of more than 60mpg. Road tax and insurance cost little. Safety organisation Euro NCAP awarded the Rapid a full five-star rating.
How it compares with similar cars
The Rapid Spaceback is more cost-effective than many compact hatchbacks. It’s not the most sophisticated car but it offers a combination of generous passenger space and low running costs that no rival can really match. Sold new between 2013 and 2019, the Rapid Spaceback has been replaced in the Skoda range by the similar-size Scala.
