Skoda Rapid NH (2012–2019)

Filling the Octavia Tour gap

The Rapid NH was created to cover the space left when Skoda dropped the Octavia Tour in 2011. Skoda wanted a car positioned below the third-generation Octavia but larger than the Fabia.

The Rapid matched the old car's packaging closely. Its wheelbase of 2,602 mm (102.4 in) is slightly longer than the Octavia Tour's 2,578 mm (101.5 in), its boot of 550 L (19.4 cu ft) is a little smaller than the older car's 585 L (20.7 cu ft), and both cars carry the same 535 kg (1,179 lb) payload including the driver.

It shares nothing with the two earlier Skodas called Rapid, a 1930s saloon and a 1980s rear-engined coupe. Their story, and how the name was reused, is told in the Skoda Rapid overview of all three cars.

Kabaň's design and the PQ25 base

The Rapid was the first Skoda in the brand's new design language, styled under chief designer Jozef Kabaň and previewed by the MissionL concept at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Underneath, it uses the PQ25 (A05+) platform. Its closest relative is the SEAT Toledo of the same era, built in the same Czech plant. Sales started in the Czech Republic on 20 October 2012 and spread across central and western Europe by the end of that year.

Skoda's "Simply Clever" details were part of the appeal: a reversible rubber and textile boot mat, a holder for a warning vest under the driver's seat, a removable bin in the door panel and an ice scraper clipped inside the fuel flap. Most markets had Active, Ambition and Elegance trims; the UK used S, SE and Elegance. A GreenLine diesel rated at 99 g/km of CO2 joined in 2013.

Spaceback NH1: shorter tail, same cabin

The Spaceback is a conventional hatchback built on the liftback's wheelbase, with the same front end and doors but a shorter rear overhang. It is 4,304 mm (169.4 in) long, 179 mm less than the liftback.

The shorter tail costs boot space: 415 L (14.7 cu ft) with the seats up, rising to 1,380 L (48.7 cu ft). An optional false floor hides up to 135 mm (5.3 in) of extra storage below it. Spaceback buyers could also order xenon dipped headlights, and the fuel cap was locked with the central locking, which protected the ice scraper inside. Euro NCAP did not crash the Spaceback separately but expects similar protection to the liftback's.

Rapid NH engines by code and output

Every Rapid NH drives its front wheels. The table lists the main European engines with their engine codes; acceleration figures are factory data quoted on Wikipedia and refer to manual versions unless noted.

Buyers chose between five-speed and six-speed manual gearboxes or a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch. The 1.4 TSI came only with DSG. On the NEDC cycle the 85 kW 1.6 TDI is rated at 4.2 L/100 km (67.3 mpg UK) and the post-2015 1.4 TSI at 4.8 L/100 km (58.9 mpg UK). For more fuel-sipping options, see other diesel cars.

Rapid NH dimensions and boot space

The table covers the liftback. Width and wheelbase are the same for the Spaceback, which is 2 mm lower.

The towing figure comes from ADAC; the unbraked limit for the same engine is 620–640 kg (1,367–1,411 lb).

Euro NCAP 2012 test in detail

The headline result was five stars. Behind it, Euro NCAP's report on the 1.2 TSI Ambition gives 34 points for adult occupants, 39.2 for children, 24.7 for pedestrians and 5 for safety assist.

• Frontal impact: the passenger compartment stayed stable, and the front passenger received maximum points.
• Side impact: maximum points for the driver in the barrier test; pole-test protection was good, with the chest rated adequate.
• Whiplash: the seat and head restraint gave only marginal protection.
• Children: full marks for the three-year-old dummy, although the warnings about using a rearward-facing seat with the passenger airbag active were judged inadequate.
• Pedestrians: the bumper scored maximum points, but most of the bonnet area an adult's head would strike was rated poor.

ESC and a driver seat-belt reminder were standard. The passenger reminder became standard only from a specific VIN, so very early cars may lack it, and no speed limiter was fitted to the tested car.

Used Rapid NH: TÜV, recalls and the 2017 facelift

German inspection data puts the Rapid in the middle of the field. ADAC cites an average TÜV result, with worn brake parts, broken springs or dampers and oil leaks on older cars showing up more than they should.

Two German recalls are worth checking against the service book: seat-belt pretensioners on cars built from 23 September to 1 November 2016, and the towing eye on cars built between 1 October 2015 and 29 May 2017. On a 1.6 TDI, make sure the EA189 emissions software update has been done.

The 2017 facelift is the main dividing line. It brought a new front bumper and headlights, with optional bi-xenon lamps and LED lights, extra driver-assistance systems and a lightly revised dashboard, plus the 1.0 TSI. European sales peaked at 76,925 cars in 2014 and stayed above 60,000 a year until 2018, so there is plenty of choice. Production ended in February 2019, as covered in our report on the hatchback that replaced the Rapid.

Picking a Rapid NH or Spaceback

For most buyers the decision is body style first, engine second.

• Liftback: the bigger boot, at 550 L (19.4 cu ft), and the more grown-up look.
• Spaceback: easier to park, with optional xenon lights and the hidden underfloor tray.
• Best engine: a post-2017 1.0 TSI in either output, which autoplenum.de picked in 2019 as the best balance of the range.
• Long distances: the 1.6 TDI 85 kW or the 1.4 TDI, with the emissions update checked.

Compare it with the rest of the Skoda range before deciding.