I think that if you are of the Ian Seabrook persuasion, then the shameless poverty specification of this car is wonderful. For me, it's a bit too much!

@@lloydvehicleconsulting I’m much older than you, so poverty spec today was opulent when I had my first few cars ! A decent stereo with , importantly a cd player, I have thousands, is essential, beyond that central locking, power steering and probably air on is necessary. As you know my car has beige leather, looks fantastic, easy to maintain, a huge bonus when I bought the car, with heated front seats, never use, always got trousers on ! The satnav I have never used, don’t often use cruise control, too much traffic. Can’t stand the “driving aids” either . One very good feature is the reversing camera though.

Yes sir, no driving aids, no air conditioning and really not much in the way of excitement at all. My uncle's Rapid Spaceback that I filmed in 2021 is slightly more luxurious, but not by much. He has had it for almost six years now, and I don't think that he will be selling it any time soon.

That's because the rear end is completely different from the Polo.

@@lloydvehicleconsulting My last landlord had a second generation Fabia Combi, which I understand to also be Polo-based. It was actually a good, practical workhorse.

That's right, based on the chassis of the 9N Volkswagen Polo.

@@lloydvehicleconsulting It was hardly a Kenworth, nevertheless it could tow a full trailer well!

Yes, the front suspension is very similar to a Mark III Fabia, although the back end is different. Very similar engines, gearboxes and interior components, as you say. For me, it has to be a much higher specification than this to be worth considering, but there are others who would disagree with me about that...

Sir, the Seat Toledo I had when the channel started was ever so much better than this...

Over the last ten years, Skoda seems to have developed an attitude that if you want a fully equipped car, you need to resort to the options list, which means that the cars look attractively priced, but in order to bring them up to scratch, ticking those options boxes brings them close to the price of everything else. The SE-L and Sport models were indeed much more spartan than a Toledo Xcellence, unless you got some options, hence why I did not buy a Rapid back in the day.

Ever so sorry, but I don't quite understand the question... Are you talking about the differences between the 1.2 TSi and 1.0 TSi engines?

The Seat Toledos with more power are much better to drive, unsurprisingly. That coolant reservoir was everywhere back in the day.

Yes, to a certain extent, although different TSI engines seem to have different problems...

@lloydvehicleconsulting Remember that lovely looking Octavia L&K 1.8 TSi DSG, she's been using a lot of oil recently, drives perfectly fine, performance doesn't feel dulled and temperature is normal but there's something not right.

@@paulie-Gualtieri., sir, specific questions about said 1.8 TSi engine are best reserved for someone like Mr Coleman...

@lloydvehicleconsulting My friend is taking her to a VW Audi specialist for inspection on the 5th. Hopefully, it's nothing major, The other Škoda we can't talk about doesn't burn oil or does anything sinister, in fact, the bonnet is only ever opened to top up the screenwash.

@@paulie-Gualtieri., sir, such libellous comments may get you into trouble...

My uncle has had his 2017 Rapid Spaceback since 2018, and he won't be getting rid of it any time soon...

I prefer the Toledo best of all, but yes, only the high specification Rapid Spacebacks look good, in my opinion.

Tsi is the engine. S is the trim level

Thank you, Mr Watters!

@@lloydvehicleconsulting am not mr watters? grrr

@@classics144sportscarschannel , the gentleman who replied to you first is Mr Watters...

@@lloydvehicleconsulting o right ok np. thanks.

As well as the Toledos.

That's why my uncle bought his six years ago and he still has it.

@@lloydvehicleconsulting I drive a very basic 2006 plate Skoda fabia estate brilliant motor had it 8 years now. I was looking into fiestas at one time I just don't like their cheap tacky interior.

The Mark I Fabias have much nicer interiors than a Rapid.

@@lloydvehicleconsulting I'm on two minds with my car it's done 82000 miles now don't know wether to get rid or not but its never let me down. I bought it for 3 grand it's been cheap to run has cost a lot on service and MOT sometimes but so what it's still cheaper than forking out 10k+ on a car.

If there's nothing really wrong with it, you may as well keep it.

Yes, my uncle still has his 2017 Rapid Spaceback after six years and has no plans to sell it.

It's quite telling that the Scala that replaced the Rapid is a much better looking, higher quality and better specified car. A Mark II Fabia that I have driven also had a very plain interior, which was most certainly corrected in the Mark IV. Not everyone is really bothered by that sort of thing (my uncle isn't, and will probably have his Rapid Spaceback forever), but my Mark IV Toledo was ever so much nicer than this.

Sir, fortunately my uncle's Rapid Spaceback is not adorned with such extras either, and he is not planning on selling it any time soon either. Please keep your comments clean in the future, though, we don't want any of that talk round here....

@@lloydvehicleconsulting apologies sir, one didn’t mean to lower the tone. The last part of my comment was as gauche as those door handles. I hope Leigh gets rid of the accoutrements, can’t just be me who think it looks a bit dodgy.

Thank you for your future self-censorship, sir!

Sir, there is no doubt at all that the Mayor of London has won himself few friends in the motoring world with his policies. We shall find out soon the results of today's election.

Yes, the 1.0 TSi engines do not really have the best reputation.