Skoda's Rapid capped-price expansion

Skoda Australia has announced capped-price servicing will cover its new Rapid hatch small car and face-lifted Yeti SUV, giving the importer capped-price coverage across its entire range.

Although Skoda was late to the capped-price servicing party, introducing its scheme on the Octavia in November 2013 (brand's such as Toyota were offering it as early as 2007), the European car maker is hoping one of the industry's longest coverage periods will pique the interest of customers looking for value.

All models in the Skoda range are now covered by a six-year/90,000 fixed-price servicing regime.

The European importer revealed a full list of the exact pricing for service intervals for all models in the Skoda range, which require one service per year or per 15,000km, whichever comes first.

It will cost $337 for the first 12-month/15,000km service on a Skoda Rapid, which the company says includes "the replacement of regular service items including oil filters, engine oil and sump plug washer".

While Skoda has a strong capped-price service scheme and three years' free roadside assistance with all models, its overall car warranty is only three-years/100,000km; far from industry leading. Skoda warranties can be extended to five-years but it'll cost extra: $1650 for the new Rapid and $1760 for the Yeti.

The Volkswagen Group-owned Czech car maker will be hoping to increase Australian sales of its vehicles in 2014 with the recent arrival of the new Rapid hatchback and its range-wide capped-price service regime.

Thus far in 2014 (January to April), Skoda has sold 987 cars, which is down on last year's 1064 sales for the same period. While sales of the Octavia and Yeti are up, the Fabia is down by 28 per cent for the year, dragging the overall number down.

Skoda will launch its new-generation Fabia light car at the 2014 Paris motor show in October, but it won't be available in Australia until later in 2015.