It was VW’s Vento yesterday that got better equipped to take on the new Honda City and Hyundai Verna, and it was its Czech cousin’s turn today to get the same treatment. Skoda launched the Rapid sedan today with the same 1.5-litre diesel engine that does duty under the VW Polo GT TDI (and also in the new Vento now) along with the 7-speed DSG gearbox too. Like in the Vento, the new engine is available with a 5-speed manual gearbox too.
Though it’s not strictly a facelift per se, Skoda has thoughtfully given the option of adding a Black package to any of the trim levels for people who want a sporty-looking Rapid. The option pack basically gives you smoked headlamps (these really seem to be quite IN these days!), black grille with logo-lip, blackened alloys, and black outside rear view mirrors as well.
Inside the cabin, the new car gets added equipment and features in the form of dual airbags, cruise control, parking sensors, front and rear height adjustable head restraints, dual air-con vents at the rear, double-din audio system with Aux. input, Bluetooth connectivity, and SD/MMC data card reader as well. Moreover, the stereo system can be remotely controlled from the phone application, ‘Škoda Remote’, available for both iOS and Android.
Some other features/equipment in the Skoda Rapid:
ABS (Anti-lock Braking System)
EBC (Engine Braking Control)
Dual-rate Brake Assist
Projector headlamps (with manual levelling)
Electronic theft-deterrence module (engine immobiliser with floating code system)
Anti-pinch power windows
The Skoda Rapid comes with a choice of six shades for the exterior: Brilliant Silver, Candy White, Cappuccino Beige, Deep Black Pearl, Flash Red, and Toffee Brown (new colour – available from November onwards). Prices for the car with the new 1.5-litre engine start at INR 8.32 lakh and go up to INR 10.97 lakh. The Rapid petrol with the 1.6-litre engine continues in both manual and automatic forms and is priced between INR 7.22 lakh to INR 9.81 lakh.
Related: New 2015 Skoda Rapid with New 1.5L Diesel Engine Launch on 30th Sep
