2014 Skoda Rapid Facelift Launched

Skoda has today launched the facelifted version of the Skoda Rapid in the Indian market. With the competition stiffening, the facelift was a much needed boost for the Rapid, to enhance its appeal to customers, especially since the festival season - where sales peak - is just around the corner.

Sharing its platform and mechanicals with its cousin - the VW Vento, which was launched yesterday - the main focus of the refresh is focused more on mechanical changes and introduction of additional equipment, with the design aspect receiving very minor updates. As a result, the main changes on the Skoda Rapid are refreshed headlights - which on the upper end version now feature projectors - along with the addition of a black trim option, in which certain components - such as the front grille, headlights, alloy wheels, roof, rear view mirrors - are finished in black.

The main changes however, are in the engine and gearbox department, with the Skoda Rapid now featuring the new 1.5-litre TDI engine, which is available with both 5-speed manual and 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox versions. The carried over 1.6 MPI petrol engine on the other hand is available with 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic gearboxes. The company claims that with the new 1.5 TDI diesel engine, the fuel efficiency of the Skoda Rapid has also improved - with the figures now being 21.66km/l for the DSG automatic, while the manual has figures of 21.14km/l. Interestingly, both the engines produce an identical 103bhp, however the torque outputs differ with the petrol producing 153Nm, while the diesel put out 250Nm.

Additionally, the Skoda Rapid now gets a new, much nicer, multifunction steering wheel, along with cruise control, rear parking sensors and electrically adjustable external mirrors. A novel feature on the Skoda Rapid is the Skoda Audio Remote App, which allows passengers to control the music system of the car simply by downloading the app on their iOS or Android smartphone, which should be a very worthy addition for all the backseat drivers of the new Rapid.

Pricing of the Skoda Rapid has also been announced, with the petrol versions of the car starting at s. 7.22 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) and peaking at 9.82 lakhs. The diesel versions of the other hand starts at 8.39 lakhs and tops out at 10.97 lakhs for the top-end automatic version. Interestingly, the pricing of the Rapid is slightly lower than the Vento.

However, the major point of both the Rapid and the Vento is that Indian consumers now have increased options of buying a mid-level sedan equipped with both a diesel engine and an automatic gearbox, an option which was available on just one model in this market segment earlier.