Launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this month, the new Skoda Rapid Spaceback is the second body type of the Rapid, filling the gap between the Fabia and the Octavia. A combination between a hatchback and an estate, the Rapid Spaceback represents a more practical proposition than the sedan – and a better-looking one, if I may say so.
As the car’s launch on European markets begins in October 2013, Skoda has released more than 60 photos shot during the press test drive event that took place in Verona, Italy.
With an interior space identical to that of the Rapid sedan and a boot measuring 415/1,380 liters (14.6/48.7 cubic feet), the Rapid Spaceback is fitted with a double cargo floor in the boot, which can divide the space into two horizontal levels. Like the Rapid sedan, the Spaceback also has practical features like the ice scraper in the centrally lockable fuel filler flap, waste bin in the side door, ticket holder, multimedia holders, cup holders front and rear and the parcel shelf that can be stowed behind the rear seats.
The Rapid Spaceback debuts the Column-Electric Power Steering (C-EPS), which replaces electro-hydraulic power steering for weight-saving purposes.
The car is available with four petrol and two diesel engines at launch. The diesels are both 1.6-liter units with 88 hp (90PS) and 103 hp (105PS) respectively, while the petrol engines are a 3-cylinder 1.2-liter MPI with 74hp (75PS), two four-cylinder 1.2-liter TSI units with 84 hp (85PS) and 103 hp (105PS) respectively, plus a 1.4-liter TSI with 120hp (122PS).
All engines are available in the economical Green tec versions, with the most fuel-efficient being the entry-level diesel that averages 3.8 l/100 km (61.9 mpg US) and emits 99 g of CO2 per km.
By Dan Mihalascu
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