Last week, news broke out that Skoda will launch a
new Rapid after all, but only in Russia. In all other European markets,
both the Skoda Rapid Spaceback hatch and Rapid liftback have been replaced by
the new Scala compact hatchback. However, Skoda has decided to continue using
the Rapid nameplate in Russia where the model is very popular. In September,
the Rapid was the Czech brand’s best-selling model and the 15th best-selling
car in the country with 2,918 units sold.
A few days ago we got a first glimpse of the new
model’s design courtesy of an official sketch. Now we’re getting one step
closer to the finished item courtesy of these realistic renderings published by
Russian website Kolesa.
Building on the official design sketch which only
revealed the front end and a bit of the side profile, their automotive
rendering expert had to imagine what the rear end will look like using design
cues from the Scala. Yes, we’re mostly talking about the taillights which look very
similar to those on the compact hatchback and that’s actually a safe bet given
that the face is also modeled after the Skoda Scala.
In all likelihood, the 2020 Rapid won’t be an
all-new car, as the body appears to be the same as before with only the front
and rear ends getting an overhaul. The interior is also likely to gain some
upgrades, especially in the infotainment department. The 2020 Skoda Rapid is
expected to debut in Russia towards the end of this year.
