subject: Skoda Rapid Review Auto Car India [print this page] After hitting the markets in November 2011, Skoda Rapid really made big for the company. The car alone sold 2,627 units in the same month. Skoda Rapid sometimes referred as the resurrected version of Volkswagen Vento. They are similar aspects except for the grille, headlights, bumpers, taillights and some interior and exterior trim. But still Rapid out performs Vento hitting greater sale margins.
On the inside, Finished only in black, the central console has mismatch in the design of its parts: vents, buttons and climate control come from VW; audio system, with its large buttons and fonts, is from Skoda. Rapid includes dual tone upholstery, information cluster, driver assist, centralized console, chrome decor for interior parts, audio system with audio input for portable media players and SD/MMC data card reader, adjustable seats, headrests, armrests, tilt steering.
Rapid has also been voted Family Car reviews of the Year by the Indian Top Gear Magazine
Both Petrol and diesel variants are available for Rapid. The petrol version is equipped with a 16 valve 1.6 MPI having inline 4 DOHC configuration engine it delivers a power of105 ps at 5250 rpm building a torque of153 NM at 3800 rpm. The diesel is 1.6 TDI CR engine powering 105 PS at 4400 rpm with a torque of 250 NM at 2500 rpm.
The inside peek tells further more about the car a combination of beige and brown makes the already spacious interiors even more roomy. The front seats are extremely comfortable and offer good support all round. Adjustable for height and reach, finding a good driving position is very easy. One big feature you miss is the steering mounted controls but well it is usually a Skoda thing. With the again similar wheelbase of 2552 mm as Vento, it has a lot of legroom to play with. But what really add to the visuals are the brilliant 5 spoke alloys.
The Rapid has proved to be balanced performer it is tuned in a slightly different way compared to the Vento. While its slightly more audible, performance throughout the range is extremely linear with a crisp throttle response. In fact driven around town, the Rapid actually feels quicker than its German sibling. The Rapid throttles from 0-100 km in 10.7 secs and racing from 40-120 km in 4th gear takes about 16.7 secs. It can max to a speed of 188 km / hr. The ABS surely helps to curb that speed in instant.
Skoda India models possess a fine balance between ride and handling and the Rapid is no different. Ride quality is a bit on the firm side but never gets intrusive unless you are travelling over real crater like ditches.
The diesel version of Rapid really seems promising and delivers a quite economical performance with around 12 km/l in the city and 18 km/l on the highway, so cumulatively you can move about 748 km with a full 55 litre tank.
The rapid is priced at 6.92 lakhs for the base petrol version with manual transmission. The base diesel version costs around 8.20 lakhs with manual transmission. The auto transmission is only available in top two petrol trims ranging 8.43 lakhs and 9.33 lakhs respectively. The top end diesel trim is tagged at 9.70 lakhs.
So concluding, It looks good, is big on space, has very good performance with handling to match and to top it all is very fuel efficient as well. So comparing it with its rivals the Rapid is better priced and better equipped.
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