Skoda Roomster to grow from VW Caddy

SKODA is set to spring the Mk2 Roomster from the new-generation Volkswagen Caddy van due within the next 12 months, rather than the Fabia light car that underpins the existing model.

Growing in size as a result, the second-generation Roomster will still most likely feature a unique Skoda exterior design and interior layout, including removable second-row seats.

The Caddy connection could also mean the newcomer will gain sliding side doors.

Whether the growth spurt means that the Czech car-maker will also introduce a seven-seater version for the first time is unknown.

However, Australian buyers are unlikely to see either version anyway, as the Roomster has failed to find customers in our market twice since Skoda returned in 2007.

The most recent attempt at establishing the compact wagon was during 2011 with the facelifted Series II edition.

The current Roomster, launched in Europe at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, has had a mixed reception in most of the countries that it has been exported to, partly due to its distinctive yet polarising styling.

The new-gen version is said to tone down the asymmetrical B-pillar treatment, although we are promised that it will still feature a “distinctive design”.

The existing car features a number of parts from a variety of VW products, such as a Fabia/Polo front end, Mk4 Golf torsion beam rear end, and a special middle section joining the two ends up.

Skoda says it is in the middle of the biggest model expansion program in the company’s 120-year history.

Kicking off with the third-generation Octavia last year, the brand is currently in the middle of launching the Mk3 Fabia in Europe.

That’s due Down Under in the second half of 2015, possibly in about September, although the slow-selling Fabia Wagon that debuted at the Paris Motor Show earlier this month will probably not make it this time around.

The Octavia Scout is also set to appear later next year.

An all-new Superb, based on the latest Volkswagen Passat’s MQB-B modular transverse matrix architecture, will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next March, followed by the Golf-derived Yeti SUV replacement.

Don’t expect to see them in Australia before 2016.

The latter will eventually arrive in two distinct flavours – short-wheelbase five-seater wagon and long-wheelbase seven-seater iteration, as the Czech car-maker ramps up its SUV/crossover presence to match soaring consumer demand.

Also in Skoda’s pipeline over the next three years will be the replacement for the Rapid small car.

We understand that it will be a much larger car than the current, narrow-tracked outgoing Fabia-based sedan and Spaceback hatch, with dimensions that are said to be much closer to that of the Golf.

What's coming from Skoda

Fabia next-gen	October (H2 2015 for Australia)
Superb next-gen	March 2015 (2016 for Australia)
Roomster next-gen	2016 (not for Australia)
Yeti next-gen	2016
Rapid next-gen	2017