Skoda Rapid at the motor show

Australia can be a tough nut to crack, but persistence and an appreciation of the price-conscious buyer is producing some staunch stayers. Skoda has made inroads since it first showed its face in the form of the conservative Octavia and the more radical Roomster at the 2007 Sydney Motor Show.

The Volkswagen-owned Czech brand sold 146 cars in its first year but broadened its range, pushed its corporate logo and shared its practicality to win friends. Persistence, price and practicality last year won it 3501 sales.

Now Skoda ups the ante. It will show its spacious, neatly sculptured Rapid liftback – and later, a hatchback version – before future launches of the Citigo light city car, a larger SUV and a new midsize sedan and wagon wearing the Octavia nameplate.

The Rapid is a pragmatic solution to budget family motoring. The remarkable – and that’s a word not used lightly – Skoda Rapid can seat four 180cm-plus people and their luggage, yet the car is city-friendly compact. It is the sedan – a hatch will follow – that Skoda wants because its fresh styling is crisp and broadly agreeable.

That it looks pretty, is perfectly proportioned and almost perennial in its style are qualities that Skoda hasn’t had before. Yet despite its delicate unity of design and engineering, it is in fact one of the Frankenstein’s monsters of the car industry that has been cobbled together from the Volkswagen Polo and Golf parts bin.

But the proof isn’t in the assortment and diversity of ingredients, but the pudding that comes from the oven. The dichotomy of Skoda’s latest car – making its public debut in Australia at the motor show – wasn’t lost on me as I drove a Rapid loaded with myself and two 180cm-plus journalists, plus luggage, from Slovakia to Austria.

At times, the 77kW 1.2-litre, four cylinder engine cleanly swept the speedometer needle past 160km/h, though my passengers weren’t aware of that speed. The car is quiet, solid and simple to operate. The sum of its parts, conditional to the parts being above-average quality, was proof that the Rapid works so well in Europe it is sure to make a big statement in Australia.

The name Rapid implies performance . But this is no neck- snapping thriller. Rather, it’s a clever and practical, family sedan that has a huge liftback tailgate, making it a versatile hauler. It has more room than its sister model, the Octavia – indeed, Skoda claims the biggest in its class – and its boot takes more luggage.

Engines start with a 1.2-litre four-cylinder that’s remarkably fuel efficient and responsive. The vehicle in which we crossed two European countries averaged 6.9 litres/100km – yes, with the three adults, the luggage and at speeds from 130km/h to 160km/h. We will also see a 1.6-litre diesel and a 1.4 petrol turbo with manuals or dual-clutch DSG autos. Clever ideas from the factory’s suggestion box include a plastic square for scraping ice off the car and pockets in the side of seats.