Variants Explained: Skoda Rapid

The Skoda Rapid is available in three variants and is offered with two engine options

Available in a total of three variants- Active, Ambition and Style, the updated Rapid comes with features like ABS, dual airbags and tilt-telescopic steering as standard. The top-of-the-line Style variant is equipped with four airbags, automatic climate control, rear parking camera with sensors and a touchscreen infotainment system. The Rapid is also offered with automatic transmission options along with the manual ones. The automatic versions come with extra features like hill hold control and electronic stability control.   

Before diving into the variants in detail, let’s take a look at the Rapid’s spec sheet:

Vital Stats:

Engine:

Skoda Rapid Colour Options: Brilliant Silver, Candy White, Cappuccino Beige, Carbon Steel, Silk Blue, Flash Red.

Skoda Rapid Active Variant: Dual Airbags and ABS standard 

This is the base variant and comes with basic features like manual AC with rear AC vents, central locking, tilt-telescopic steering and a rough road package. 

Features:

• Body coloured bumpers, door handles and wing mirrors
• Rear defogger
• Dual airbags with ABS
• Tilt and telescopic steering
• Front/Rear power windows with one-touch operation
• Manual AC with rear AC vents

 Worth Buying?

The base Active variant of the Skoda Rapid is for those who are on a budget and are looking for a good looking car with sporty performance. It is fairly equipped with features like tilt and telescopic steering and front/rear power windows. On the safety front, it gets dual airbags and ABS as standard. All in all, the Rapid gets almost all the basic features you get in this segment. 

• Know More: 2017 Hyundai Verna: Variants Explained

Skoda Rapid Ambition: Gets Automatic Transmission

The Ambition variants comes with features such as a 2-din audio system, automatic climate control, front/rear fog lamps and electrically foldable wing mirrors. The Ambition variant also gets an automatic transmission option for both petrol and diesel engines. The automatic variants come with hill hold control and electronic stability control (ESC), however, ESC is offered only with the diesel-automatic combo which gets the dual-clutch DSG transmission. 

Features Ambition gets over Active Variant:

• 15-inch alloy wheels 
• Front/rear fog lamps
• Hill Hold Control (only with automatic transmission)
• Electronic Stability Control (only Diesel automatic)
• Rear parking sensors 
• Leather wrapped steering wheel, gear knob and hand brake lever 
• Electrically foldable wing mirrors
• 2-din audio system with bluetooth and telephony controls on steering wheel
• Automatic climate control 

Worth Buying?

A premium of Rs 92,000 that Skoda is asking for the Ambition variant, makes it overpriced. However, the fact that this variant gets majority of the comfort and safety features you can ask for in a car of this segment, gives it a place in our pick list. 

And if you are looking for an automatic sedan, the Rapid can be had with an automatic transmission as well, with both petrol and diesel engines. The automatic variants are priced about Rs 1.35 lakh over their manual counterparts. Diesel automatic gets a DSG gearbox which is one of the more sophisticated gearboxes on offer in this segment, whereas the petrol automatic is equipped with a torque converter unit.  

• Know More: Skoda Announces Price Hike From New Year Onwards

Skoda Rapid Style Variant: Extra Safety With Four Airbags 

The Style is the top-of-the-line variant of the Skoda Rapid. It comes with features like cruise control, automatic projector headlamps, rain sensing wipers, LED DRLs, four airbags and a touchscreen infotainment system with a rear parking camera. Like the Ambition variant, it is also available with petrol and diesel automatic options. 

Features Style gets over Ambition Variant:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Four airbags
• Automatic projector headlamps with LED DRLs
• Automatically dimming IRVM 
• Faux leather interiors (seats and door armrest) 
• Cruise control 
• Rain sensing wipers  
• 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Mirrorlink 
• Rear parking camera 

Worth Buying?

The premium of Rs 1.41 lakh over the Ambition makes it quite fairly priced. However, the diesel-powered variant commands a premium of about Rs 1.7 lakh, which in our opinion, seems overpriced.

Even with the top model, there are still some features that the Rapid misses out on compared to its rivals. Missing features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, leather interiors, LED Headlamps,an optional sunroof, ISOFIX and a push-button start option. 

The automatic variants follow the same suit and cost about Rs 1.3 lakh to Rs 1.6 lakh over the Ambition automatic variants.   

Also Read: Decoded: Skoda Rapid ‘Buy Now Pay In 2019’ Offer

Read More on : Rapid diesel