Skoda Rapid sketches revealed
New official images have been released of the upcoming Golf-sized family car, which goes on sale later this year
These are the first official sketches of the new Skoda Rapid - a small family car that will sit between the Fabia and the Octavia in the Skoda line-up.
Entry-level versions are likely to cost less than £13,000, undercutting the similarly sized VW Golf by around £3,500.
The production version is set to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September with sales starting in the UK later this year.
As you can see from these sketches - which were released to Auto Express at an event at the company's base just outside Prague - the new Rapid retains the saloon profile of the MissionL concept which was shown at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show.
It teams this look with a practical hatchback tailgate, though, ensuring the Rapid will stand out in the compact family car market – and not tread directly on the toes of other VW Group models such as the VW Golf and SEAT Leon.
In fact, SEAT will launch its own version of the Rapid, as previewed by the Toledo 'concept' at this year's Geneva Motor Show. Thanks to their hatchback tailgates, both cars will have 500 litres of bootspace.
The Skoda Rapid will feature the company's latest family 'face', moving on from the Geneva 2012 VisionD concept car with a new grille, badge and more prounounced creases in the bonnet. This will be carried over to the production car, as you can see from these spy shots.
Engines will be confirmed nearer to the car's launch, but expect a range of efficient small capacity turbocharged petrol and diesels, with at least one sub-100g/km Greenline version.
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