Photo: Skoda
The Skoda Rapid made its debut in India way before it did so in Europe. As such, it was in dire need of a mid-life upgrade, seeing as the Octavia is sold there as well.
That upgrade was revealed today in the form of a facelift and a complete tech suite. The former had us rubbing our eyes for quite a while. The car doesn't just look like it has Fabia headlights, it probably DOES have them.
This exterior parts-sharing is common within the Volkswagen Group. Ever notice how everything seems to have the same mirrors?
The grille, hood and fog lights have all been revised in the same angular fashion seen on the European Rapid. This Indian model has chunky-looking alloy wheels and much taller suspension to deal with the rough road conditions.
But they've made a complete mess of things at the back, with taillights that don't match the rest of the design and remind us of the Jetta SportWagen (Mk6 Golf Estate).
The interior is a predictable mix of Volkswagen Group parts, but not the most recent ones. The steering wheel is from the European Fabia, for example. A combination of black and beige plastic gives it a fake luxury look, but it kind of looks like the Octavia 2 in there.
Skoda's Indian division has also played with the engines a little. This new Rapid is the second locally made model to get the latest 1.5-liter TDI engine that we keep hearing about. It's rated at 110 PS and 250 NM of torque. Depending on the trim level, it comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG gearbox.
Unlike the VW Polo/Vento which packs a 1.2 TSI, the Rapid is sticking with its cheaper 1.6-liter MPI mill that dates back to the Golf 5 era. This unit produces 105 horsepower and 153 Nm of torque, being optionally available with a 6-speed automatic.
If you live in Europe and don't like this Rapid, then don't worry. Skoda isn't going to sell it to you, but they aren't going to make a facelift either.
This exterior parts-sharing is common within the Volkswagen Group. Ever notice how everything seems to have the same mirrors?
The grille, hood and fog lights have all been revised in the same angular fashion seen on the European Rapid. This Indian model has chunky-looking alloy wheels and much taller suspension to deal with the rough road conditions.
But they've made a complete mess of things at the back, with taillights that don't match the rest of the design and remind us of the Jetta SportWagen (Mk6 Golf Estate).
The interior is a predictable mix of Volkswagen Group parts, but not the most recent ones. The steering wheel is from the European Fabia, for example. A combination of black and beige plastic gives it a fake luxury look, but it kind of looks like the Octavia 2 in there.
Skoda's Indian division has also played with the engines a little. This new Rapid is the second locally made model to get the latest 1.5-liter TDI engine that we keep hearing about. It's rated at 110 PS and 250 NM of torque. Depending on the trim level, it comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG gearbox.
Unlike the VW Polo/Vento which packs a 1.2 TSI, the Rapid is sticking with its cheaper 1.6-liter MPI mill that dates back to the Golf 5 era. This unit produces 105 horsepower and 153 Nm of torque, being optionally available with a 6-speed automatic.
If you live in Europe and don't like this Rapid, then don't worry. Skoda isn't going to sell it to you, but they aren't going to make a facelift either.
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