For a considerable part of the population, a car has remained a luxury since the times of the USSR, which, if you buy, is obviously for a long time. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, there have been legends about the notorious “German quality” (the Skoda brand has long been ingrained in people’s memory as a “cheap Volkswagen”) of vehicles. AvtoVAZ “gained fame” as a car, which greatly hinders its development. Even specialists from Renault and Nissan cannot regain lost trust, but with the release of a new model range, it is beginning to acquire a lighter shade.
Which is better: Skoda Rapid or Lada Vesta
We will find out which of them will win today’s “race” after a short time (depending on your reading speed). When comparing facts about the Lada West and the Skoda model, a funny fact emerged: the body types of the tested products of the automotive giants are significantly different. The Rapid is a liftback, the vesta can only be presented as a sedan and, more recently, as a station wagon. Taking into account that the competitors from VAZ & VAG (what consonant abbreviations) belong to the same class B+, we come to the general opinion that it is reasonable to compare the Lada Vesta with the Skoda Rapid. At first glance, you can find out about the choice of the majority of Russians by looking at the number of Lada Vesta sales. Afterwards, compare the number of Skoda copies sold and the trick. Let's take a closer look at what merits each car is chosen for. Of course, we won’t keep silent about the “cons” of each model discussed today.
Other options
When choosing the most interesting budget car before your upcoming purchase, do not forget that the models presented here are not the only cars in their class. There are also other equally interesting competitors here, which in some ways are even superior to the compared cars. In particular, before making an immediate purchase, it is recommended to pay attention to the German Volkswagen Polo, which also received an update this summer. Of course, we cannot ignore the South Korean representatives of the budget segment represented by Kia Rio and Hyundai Solaris. In addition, you can turn your attention to Chinese cars, and, in particular, to the new Changan Alsvin.
Skoda Rapid or Lada Vesta? What's better - salon
“our” car or a foreign one? From the inside, the VAZ looks more modern: an instrument panel with deep “wells”, an interesting torpedo shape, front seats with good lateral support. There is enough space in the back row even with a driver and a passenger sitting in front with long limbs; getting into the cabin through the rear doors is not a problem. This should appeal to young users (approximately under 40 years old). We cannot fail to mention the fairly good viewing angle. Poor visibility (especially when reversing) forces consumers to pay for the additional installation of parking sensors with other rear view cameras. Of course, if it is not provided for in the package. Sales people are very pleased with the growing profits for installing additional add-ons. The air conditioning system for vesta, which is necessary for many, is available in any configuration, with the exception of the basic one (vesta classic). Performs assigned duties well, even on a summer day there is a risk of freezing. The sound insulation of the fret is made a little better, thanks to the use of felt instead of plastic fender liners. There was also a “fly in the ointment”:
the brake and accelerator pedals were placed too close; design miscalculation in the placement of the driver's armrest; The quality of the plastic is poor, the “crickets” will not take long to appear again. It’s surprising that even today the manufacturer of the Russian model is not too lazy to remind you that there is a cup holder in the cabin!
The interior of the competitor from Deutschland looks quite “German”, has almost standard ergonomics, better plastic quality, and the fit of parts is also at a higher level - in a word, classic. The seats have unobtrusive lateral support, but remain comfortable. Air conditioning is installed from the factory only on the Ambition package; it can be installed on the Active and Entry packages for additional money. Style cannot be equipped with an air conditioning system at all - it has climate control. It turns out that the target audience of the Rapid and the Lada Vesta are very different people. Even the almost perfect Skoda is not without its drawbacks:
modest size of the driver's and front right door openings; the armrest prevents you from using the handbrake; gas pedal travel is only 5 cm; the large angle of inclination of the rear window upsets tall passengers in the rear row (they did not complain about the lack of space); there is a design flaw in the location of the front fog lights, leading to frequent glass replacement; wide rear pillars reduce visibility; The fuel tank flap cannot be closed (there is no locking mechanism
Interior
Here the approach is the same as in the case of appearance. The LADA Vesta interior is designed in a new style. A dashboard with spectacular wells, a grippy 3-spoke steering wheel, a protruding center console with a large screen and thoughtful ergonomics. All this, coupled with new seats with high-quality lateral support and good visibility, is in sharp contrast with other AvtoVAZ products.
Lada Vesta is the case when the interior completely matches the exterior.
The back row of the Lada Vesta is free and comfortable. Three headrests allow room for three passengers, and the width of the car guarantees shoulder room. And your legs don’t rest on the front seats. In a word, the designers did a truly amazing job on the interior of the Lada Vesta!
The rear of the Lada is also not inferior - comfortable, high-quality and spacious!
The Rapid's salon is different. In him, as in his appearance, correctness and German character shine through. In fact, the only thing missing for a complete ambiance is a table lamp - with it you could feel like you’re in an office.
Definitely, the Rapid salon is an example to follow!
The driver's seat is organized extremely competently. A standard readable dashboard, straight lines in the dashboard, a very comfortable steering wheel, a good combination of colors in the decoration and an arrangement of controls that allows you to use everything with your eyes closed - that’s what the Rapid’s interior is all about. And, most importantly, all this “correctness” is not devoid of aristocracy and taste!
Looking for flaws in all this splendor is a thankless task.
Comparison of bodies and wheelbases
According to the characteristics indicated in the sales sources of new Lada vesta cars and a competitor from the Skoda brand, the confrontation between Russian cars (Skoda is assembled in our country) is gaining momentum. The Rapid is produced only in a liftback body, the Vesta can be produced in a station wagon and a sedan.
The Czech product beats the domestic one only in length (4483 mm versus 4410 mm). Otherwise, the Lada turns out to be a favorite: width (1764 mm -1706 mm), height (1497 mm - 1474 mm), wheelbase (2635 mm - 2602 mm). The VAZ vesta model has a smaller thickness of the “skin” to reduce weight.
Off-road
We went out into a real forest, it was beautiful.
Test Skoda Rapid - Lada Vesta SV.
Test Skoda Rapid - Lada Vesta SV: it’s a little scary to drive off hard ground without the support of a tractor.
This is the steepest path we decided to take. The Skoda Rapid had enough ground clearance here, and the Lada Vesta SV even had plenty of ground clearance.
Ground clearance we. As always, we measure with our 200 mm high branded tire. The Lada Vesta SV passed it, but the Skoda Rapid hit it with its bumper, didn’t even run over it, and lost here.
4:2 in favor of Lada Vesta SV - they set off in pursuit.
A smart person will still get around the puddle. We did not slide, realizing that the front-wheel drive, although armed with electronics, might not take us out.
They put competitors on slippery rollers.
In both cars, the electronics worked well; the wheel on the asphalt received the required torque and pushed the car off the slippery surface. It's a draw here.
Test Skoda Rapid - Lada Vesta SV - overall score 5:3.
So, it turned out that each point in favor of the Skoda Rapid costs more than 100 thousand rubles. A little expensive for a car with a reputation for fragile VW engines and gearboxes. And it’s good that there is another argument for reducing the price of German-Czech cars - worthy competitors in the form of the Vesta family. They will still argue where there is more SV.
From the author of the blog automps.ru Peter Menshikh: I thank Igor Sirin (co-author and presenters on the video), Evgeniy Mikhalkevich (operator) for participating in the preparation of the material.
Video test Skoda Rapid - Lada Vesta SV below, technical specifications at the end of the article.
Drive and gearbox
Today's competitors are exclusively front-wheel drive and can be equipped with manual or automatic transmission. There are no complaints about manual variable gearboxes (the exception is the “inherited” howl of the Russian-made VAZ manual transmission on Lada). If “mechanics” is not given to you, with all confidence, buy only a “Czech”. The Vesta's robotic gearbox cannot be compared with the DSG type transmission offered by VAG specifically for the 1.4 liter turbo engine. If the client prefers a “classic” gearbox, Skoda has provided this option by offering a 5-speed torque converter. Gears change quickly, so you don’t have to ride behind everyone else in traffic.
Test Skoda Rapid - Lada Vesta SW: where there are more advantages and for what money.
We took a Skoda Rapid with a 1.4-liter turbo engine producing 125 hp. and a DSG gearbox, while the Lada Vesta arrived with the most powerful 122-horsepower 1.8-liter naturally aspirated engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. The AMT robot in the Lada Vesta family did not please us at one time; it is not a competitor in dynamic exercises, and for this reason we put the Vesta SV to compete with mechanics.
Test Skoda Rapid - Lada Vesta SV.
There is an opinion that Rapid is only as good as it is more expensive. But it also has a lot of disadvantages: the ground clearance is too low for our conditions, the engine life, like that of the gearbox, is always in question; weak stove - the 1.4-liter engine does not swing it. But the most important thing: the price difference between a Czech liftback and a Frenchman of Russian origin in the form of a station wagon reaches 300 thousand rubles.
Lada Vesta SV sells from RUB 712,900. up to 798,900 rubles, the Skoda Rapid (1.4 TSI DSG-7 / 125 hp) has a price tag of 200 - 300 thousand rubles. higher: from 998,000 to 1,097,000 rubles. Are the advantages of Rapid worth the money, and is it necessary to overpay if there is no urgent need for automatic gear shifting? I hope our test will help answer this.
The VAZ team had a Vesta liftback in the project, but it did not go into production; instead they made more promising sedans and cross station wagons - in support of them - the SV.
Rapid has a Sportback version, which has a shorter rear overhang than the liftback, but a vertical rear door. She, like the Kia Rio X-line, is stuck somewhere between ordinary hatchbacks like the Skoda Fabia and full-fledged station wagons. It is fighting in our market with Rapid Liftback.
Whatever one may say, both the Skoda Rapid and Vesta SV have very spacious trunks, which means they are great for a summer residence and traveling with a large group - this is another reason for comparison.
Whose appearance is better?
Vesta looks more aggressive in appearance (look at the front - you will notice the massive radiator grille), with emphasized “muscles” due to the presence of side X-stampings. The design of the rear lights goes well with the glitter on the trunk lid and the large bumper.
Skoda Rapid is trying to imitate its “big sister” - the Octavia, so much so that an ignorant person would confuse it (the A7 body is in pre-Restyle, which caused the Octavia-vods to “burn” rather sourly). Correct shapes, classic outlines in the Volkswagen style, calm design give a certain solidity in appearance. The type of car instantly becomes noticeable - beauty lies in simplicity. The almost square lights at the stern of the rapid only confirm these arguments.
Content:
- 1 Engines
- 2 Appearance
- 3 Salon
- 4 Specifications
- 5 Price
- 6 Conclusion: which model is preferable
One of the closest competitors of the Russian model, both in terms of technical characteristics and cost, is the Rapid liftback from Skoda. This car, produced since 2012, has already gained popularity among Russian buyers thanks to the traditional combination of high quality, reliability and affordable price for the Czech manufacturer.
So, Lada Vesta or Skoda Rapid: which is better? Let's try to compare these models and figure out which one has more advantages from the point of view of the domestic car enthusiast.
Car trunk
I feel your patience is coming to an end, because not a word was said about the capacity of the Rapid's trunk. The luggage compartment can accommodate as much as 530 liters. versus 480 hp available to users of the Lada Vesta sedan. We do not take the “Okay” station wagon into comparison due to the lack of similar performance in the presented car from VAG (Spaceback can be compared with the SW/SV cross station wagon, which will not happen now).
Who is more liquid during resale?
Vesta Sport and turbocharged Rapid lose value in different ways. And if now we cannot estimate how the sports version of Vesta will behave in three or five years, we can already assume what will happen to the price of this car. Heartless statistics say that any Lada loses in value in a year as much as a Skoda does in three years.
Our expert believes that a good “Rapid” without critical accidents, with a clean history and a good reputation, will sell quickly and easily, while the Vesta Sport will become cheaper and rot while waiting for its buyer. Even a new one is not very readily bought up, let alone a used one, and even one with a lot of problems.
Here is a live example: a brand new LADA Vesta Sport of the current year with a mileage of 16 thousand km:
A check via avtocod.ru showed that Vesta had already been in an accident:
In addition, she is listed as a lease and mortgage and has unpaid fines.
But this does not mean at all that the Rapids are white and fluffy. They also need to be checked before you buy. This Skoda Rapid is also proving problematic.
The car is listed as collateral:
The collateral obligations will expire in April 2020. Until this time, it is better to either wait or go with the seller to the bank after the purchase and pay off the existing debt.
Chassis
Ground clearance (178 - 170 mm) - +8 mm in favor of the Volga car. There are no innovations at the front - only traditional MacPherson struts. A semi-independent beam is quite reasonably located at the rear (surprisingly, even in the configuration for a “supercharged” engine, an independent multi-link is not offered). “Czech” has a minimum of 14 wheels, the Lada is shod with 15 wheels.
Thanks to the suspension tuners, the Rapid seems more collected, but cannot boast of ride comfort in most of the Russian Federation; sometimes shock absorber breakdowns occur in the product of the Czech brand. Vesta steers a little worse, although on washboard-type roads it’s more pleasant to be inside its cabin.
We're sitting in the back
Strange as it may sound, Vesta turned out to be even more convenient in this category than Skoda. In the Rapid, the passenger's head literally props up the ceiling, and the person sitting in the middle suffers from the massive central tunnel. In addition, heating the rear sofa in Rapid is available only in the most expensive trim levels, when the price exceeds a million rubles. Vesta has a similar amount of legroom, but is slightly higher and more comfortable if three people sit in the back. By the way, the Lada doesn’t look bad at all in terms of noise insulation. On the rear arches, Tolyatti residents have provided fleecy fender liners that protect riders from road noise.
In the back seat, the Skoda Rapid lost one point to the Lada Vesta SV. More details in the video.
4:1 in favor of Skoda Rapid.
Engine performance and fuel consumption
Let's look carefully: all “metal hearts” are powered exclusively by AI-95 gasoline and have 4 cylinders. The range of Skoda Rapid engines is slightly wider: 3 versus 2 for the Vesta. The initial 1.6-liter power unit is a naturally-aspirated 16-valve engine with a power of 90 hp/4250 rpm, torque is 155 Nm/3800 rpm, a maximum speed of 185 km/h, acceleration to 100 will occur in 11.4 seconds. The second engine is similar to the first, but produces 110 hp. at 5800 rpm, the torque remained the same. The time before the first hundred became just over 10 seconds, and the “maximum speed” increased to 195 km/h. Naturally aspirated engines consume up to 5 l/100 km on the highway and up to 8 in the city. The third engine - 1.4TSI with a power of 125 horses at 5000 rpm has a torque of 200 nm in the range of 1400-4000 rpm. Acceleration to the usual 100 km/h will be only 9 seconds and will please you with good consumption (7 liters in the city and 4.3 liters on the highway).
The VAZ can be equipped with 1.6 engines with a power of 106 horsepower, a torque of 148 nm at 4200 rpm, and a 1.8 liter with a return of 122 hp/170 nm at 3750 rpm. The disappointment will come due to the slightly increased consumption: the smaller unit consumes 6.2 liters. on the highway and 10.2 liters. in the city. The more “angry” one devours gasoline more readily - 6.7 and 10 liters, unlike its smaller brother.
Basic equipment - the basis of choice
It makes sense to compare the list of basic equipment. Vesta is more preferable from a safety point of view. It has two airbags, a more rigid body, an ERA-GLONASS system and an assistant when driving uphill. In addition, the “pure” starting package of Vesta offers more amenities in the cabin - air conditioning, a basic audio system, three adjustable headrests in the rear. The remaining components of the packages can be compared in the table below.
| Model | Lada Vesta | Skoda Rapid |
| ABS+EBD (brake force distribution system) | + | + |
| Stability Control (ESC) | + | + |
| Hill Start Assist (HSA) | + | — |
| ERA-GLONASS system | + | — |
| On-board computer | + | + |
| Audio preparation | 4 speakers / Audio system | 4 columns |
| Power steering | Electric | Electric |
| Optics | Halogen | Halogen |
| Electric headlight corrector | + | + |
| Fog lights (front/rear) | — / + | — / — |
| Athermal glasses | + | + |
| Air conditioner | — / + | — |
| Electrical package | + | + |
| Front airbags (driver/passenger) | + / + | + / — |
| Adjusting the steering wheel for reach | + | + |
| Adjusting the driver's seat height | — | + |
| Disc brakes (front/rear) | + / — | + / + |
| Full size spare tire | + | + |
Guarantee of AvtoVAZ and a competitor in the form of Rapid
For detailed information, see the websites or car dealerships of AvtoVAZ and Skoda. Let me highlight the main points:
Both concerns provide a warranty period of 3 years or 100 thousand km, subject to timely maintenance at the dealer. Skoda promises to preserve the body from through holes appearing for a couple of years longer and provides a replacement vehicle for 5 days or less if prompt repair of yours is impossible.
↑ Price
For a significant portion of potential buyers of these cars, cost will play a decisive role, and in this regard, the advantage is entirely on the side of the domestic sedan. For example, from a dealer in Neftekamsk, a well-equipped Lada Vesta 2022 can be purchased for 677,900 rubles, and the basic Classic version costs from 584,900 rubles. In total, AvtoVAZ provides four configurations, which can come with various ready-made sets of additional options.
At the same time, it is not possible to choose a specific option yourself, for example, in addition to the Comfort Optima package; you need to agree with what the manufacturer offers. The maximum configuration with all additional options will cost 839,400 rubles.
The minimum price tag for the Skoda Rapid is 646,000 rubles, the maximum is about a million. The Czech company also offers four configuration options, however, it gives greater freedom of action to buyers, allowing them to include some additional options in the desired configuration at their discretion. For example, choose the tires and wheels you like, choose the interior color, gearbox (robot, automatic or manual) and much more.
On the circle
We have praised the Lada Vesta many times for its driver's chassis, but even it turned out to be powerless against the Rapid. And it’s not just about the advantages of the engine and gearbox. Skoda has vast experience of Volkswagen engineers who regularly delight the world with their charged versions. So, even the standard Rapid with a European ground clearance of 136 mm turned out to be much more interesting and clearer in aerobatics than the much taller Vesta.
On the lap, the Lada Vesta SV was unable to oppose anything to the Rapid.
On the verge of sliding, Rapid feels much more confident. The stabilization system helps steer the car into a turn and does not limit power during acceleration. Well, and of course, a more pleasant steering wheel and grippy seats. It’s no coincidence that Rapid’s closest relative, the VW Polo sedan, has a slightly warmed-up GT version. Moreover, it was obtained only with stickers on the hood and larger wheels. The chassis is set up perfectly.
3:0 in favor of Skoda Rapid.
