Skoda is readying an all-new version of the Rapid Spaceback for launch in 2019, according to senior sources at the brand.
The decision to build a new Rapid means Skoda will have to develop it on its own this time, as SEAT sources suggest another Toledo is unlikely. Skoda's version of the current car is more popular than the Spanish brand's, with around 6,000 examples of the Rapid shifted last year in the UK, and far more in European markets.
The design will borrow elements from the current model but with a curvier, more upmarket look. The front-end will sport a design that's distinctly different from other Skodas, while the rear will retain the glass hatchback of the current car but with a more coupe-like roofline. A saloon version will follow in due course, while a small crossover sharing the same platform will arrive in 2019.
Sitting on the VW-Group's versatile new MQB A0 platform, the new Rapid Spaceback will be longer and more spacious than the outgoing car - sitting in between the Fabia and Octavia in terms of roominess.
The interior will benefit from the brand's latest infotainment systems, wireless phone charging, and configurable digital instruments on top models. Additional use of chrome and more tactile, higher quality plastics will help Skoda move the model upmarket towards cars like the Vauxhall Astra.
The Rapid will be powered by Skoda's familiar array of three and four-cylinder turbo petrol and diesel engines, with everything from a 1.0-litre petrol to a 2.0-litre diesel potentially available from launch. No hot vRS version is expected, though, as the brand is focusing its efforts there on more high-end models.
Prices may rise slightly over the current car, but we're lead to believe that the Rapid will still be a value choice in the family hatchback segment. Expect to see first images late in 2018, with a motor show debut to follow and first deliveries in the middle of 2019.
What do you think of Skoda's Rapid Spaceback plans? Let us know in the comments...
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