Car deal of the week: Skoda Rapid hatchback

Buy a new Skoda Rapid hatchback through Skoda Finance and you’ll get three years free servicing and a £1,000 deposit contribution.

The deal is available on the Solutions scheme (the firm’s version of Personal Contract Purchase) at 7.9 per cent APR representative. And depending on which engine and specification you choose, monthly payment can start from as low as £189.

The Skoda Rapid takes on the Volkswagen Jetta and Ford Focus, and wins hands down when it comes to value for money.

The Rapid is very easy to drive, with light but accurate steering and comfortable suspension. It’s also excellent on the motorway, managing to keep road and wind noise to a minimum. All this means it’s an excellent option if you’re often travelling long-distances for work or pleasure.

The Rapid also comes up trumps for safety, as it comes with head and side airbags, as well as the usual driver and passenger airbags and ABS and electronic stability control. All this helped to score the Rapid a full five stars for crash safety from Euro NCAP.

You’re also unlikely to find any issues with its reliability, as all of the Rapid’s electrical and mechanical components will have been thoroughly tested. It feels sturdy and built to last, while Skoda placed an impressive second in the 2013 Auto Express Driver Power survey.

The Skoda Rapid also beats its rivals for practicality, with plenty of space inside and the largest boot in its class. With the rear seats in place it has a 550-litre boot – much bigger than the VW Golf’s 350-litre load area. The reversable floor cover is handy, too. On one side it is carpeted, but if you flip it over, it’s covered in rubber for when you’re carrying muddy things.

Every Rapid across the range is cheap to run, with the 104bhp 1.6-litre diesel capable of 64.4mpg.

For more information visit www.skoda.co.uk or for the full Skoda range, see the CarBuyer Skoda reviews page.