The Skoda Rapid has been around in the Indian market for a decade and not much has changed since then, except for some cosmetic updates in 2016. So what is a Rapid doing here on these pages? Well, a new heart is reason enough me thinks. Almost every manufacturer is now downsizing engines and as much as some may not take a liking to that, small capacity turbo engines are the way to go. And the Rapid sedan now gets an all new 1.0 TSI engine, replacing the older 1.6 petrol and diesel being discontinued all together. So here’s all you need to know about the Skoda Rapid 1.0 TSI.

Skoda Rapid 1.0 TSI Exterior

The Skoda Rapid is still a handsome looking car after all these years, more so after the midlife update. Our test car was the Monte Carlo Edition which looks sexy in the bright red paintjob. The black front grille flanked by projector headlamps looks smart and the dual tone alloy wheels have a sporty design. This variant gets the Monte Carlo badging on the B pillar. The all black roof and lip spoiler do their bit to add character to the car.

Skoda Rapid 1.0 TSI Interior

Nothing has changed on the interior either. It has been the same all these years, and build quality feels solid even today. However it does feel outdated now when compared to the competition. The flat bottom steering with contrast red stitching looks sporty. The centre arm rest is a good feature and you can even rest you hand on it when changing gears. There is an 8 inch touchscreen infotainment. The interface isn’t all that great and the system looks aftermarket when compared to those the higher Skoda models. There are read and grey seat covers with contrast stitching but look more after fitment than OE. Despite being the range topping variant, this Montecarlo Edition gets only two airbags instead of four that come in the cheaper Style trim. However many features that rivals in the segment come with like LED headlamps, electric sunroof wireless charging, cooled seats etc. are absent.

The front seats offer adequate comfort and come with height adjustable seat belts. The rear seat is comfortable and is best suited for two occupants, but there isn’t much as far as legroom is concerned. The rear passengers also get AC vents. There are also removable sunshades for the rear windows and boot space is good at 460 litres.

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