INTRODUCTION
It’s always human to want more, but this saying has
tweaked in-line with the modern times...it’s always human to want bigger. So
over the last decade there has been tremendous hosh posh in the entry level
sedan arena as far as India and other developing markets of the world are
concerned. No company wants to leave out this particular segment of the market.
Hence, Skoda also brought out their ‘RAPID’ warrior into
the arena. It’s the kind of car which does most of the things right and a few
wrong. So here's the complete in & out about Rapid.
LOOKS
Exteriors & Interiors
We don't mind calling Rapid a "Volkswagen Family's
Major Recipient" as far as its looks goes. The car is majorly VW Vento
with Skoda Fabia's face as far as exteriors is concerned. And as you step-in,
the story continues. The steering wheel, Instrument cluster and gear knob are
Fabia's and rest everything is a Vento. And we are not complaining about that
because interior quality is still very much European, build to last. However,
we were not that much impressed with the interior colour combination used.
The looks are something which is not as cheeky and modern
as Hyundai Verna but it surely is a no-nonsense stuff. One will not get bored
with it over the years; instead it will grow over you. The rear of the car with
its sharp angular cuts next to tail lights will make you say "uff teri yeh
ada...” (What a beauty...).
FEATURES
It is this aspect where we keep wondering why why why..??
When everything was going so good then why comprise on features. The car has
all four power windows with single touch-down feature with Pinch gaurd and rear
AC vents as standard in Active variant. The ABS, a Driver side airbag, Fog
lamps and a smart key adds up in the Ambience variant. However, this variant
lacks an Audio system and an electronical adjustment for side mirrors...how
pathetic for a 10 lakh rupees variant. The top notch Elegance variant gets
Alloys, audio system with only CD, Aux and a SD card slot, but with no Bluetooth
or USB connectivity. No steering mounted audio controls nor rear parktronic
sensors. However what this variant gains is an additional airbag for a
co-driver and a climatronic AC.
ENGINE
& PERFORMANCE
Engine is a 1.6 litre unit both for petrol and diesel
which also does duty on Volkswagen Vento, both producing 105 PS. Starting with the petrol first, it is not the one which
can excite an enthusiast. The engine is decently refined with a decent power. However, its the diesel TDI unit which robs our heart
with a 250Nm of torque produced in a very refined and a linear manner. That
means the in-gear acceleration is very good, better than Hyundai Verna we must
say.
Out on the open road the Rapid seemed quick with triple
digits speed reaching in 10.8 seconds for diesel, 10.7 seconds for petrol MT
and 12.4 seconds for Petrol AT.
RIDE
& HANDLING
Ride and handling is the area where Germans have never
compromised whatsoever. So does the Rapid keeps up the legacy. It’s a well planted car with well sported ride. And it is
more improved than an already good-handler Vento. The steering grip is chunky
and feels nice to hold. Rear seats are super-comfy suited to take out most of
the potholes; nothing really gets into the cabin. There is nothing to complain
about handling and ride with this car.
FINAL
VERDICT
The Skoda can really bet on this machine to bring in
numbers, reason being it’s priced lower than its sister VW Vento. And Skoda is
still perceived in India as a bigger brand than Hyundai, Toyota or Nissan.
Also, it is a distinctive looking
car, with good handling, great comfort and a jewel diesel unit. So, as we said
in the beginning SKODA'S RAPID DOES OF MOST OF THE THINGS RIGHT AND A FEW
WRONG.
