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-   -   2016 Skoda Rapid Facelift : A Close Look (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/182745-2016-skoda-rapid-facelift-close-look-3.html)

True that there is no car in that range with the killer look, a friend of mine got the automatic version and it was 14.85L on road cochin. He says the DSG thrills on S mode and is happy with it.

Also, forgot to mention :
The Space : People who want to be chauffeur driven, City is a no brainier. Oodles of space and very comfortable seats.

Also, the turbo lag of Diesel Rapid. City has negligible turbo lag.

My point is, you should wait for the facelift City and drive it once before spending your hard earned money on this Skoda. Of course, if you want this, I can agree. The heart wants what it wants.

That could also have been the DSG's lag you felt. While the 1.5L TDI does have some lag, I don't think it's as bad as you described it ("just not ready to move forward").

There have been a fair number of DSG failure stories in 2016 itself. I don't think the transmission can still boast about long-term reliability. Buy it if you want to, but be prepared for a breakdown or two.

Are you really sure the above pictures are not from the official website of the Skoda Rapid??

If they are not, Skoda would do good to contact the owner and get the rights for these and use them for advertising.

Man, the pictures make the car look so much more desirable !! Kudos to the photographer :thumbs up

The tinny build and shoddy cost cutting are good enough reasons to stay away from the City. No comparison with Skoda or Vw if you love cars with great build quality.

For chauffeur driven, it is a no brainer to go for the City or the Ciaz.

Skoda's new 4 year warranty and service plan will attract many who are worried about their reliability. But what matters more than the warranty is the ability to repair in reasonable time. Warranty is of no use if your car is going to be stranded in ASC for 3 months, for lack of parts.


This tinny build is a global phenomenon. With more attention being given to emission reduction and pedestrian safety, tinny build is going to be seen on more and more new cars. The cost cutting in City has definitely reduced its perceived quality, but City's mechanicals are far more reliable.

What is more worrying is the cost cutting in VAG cars in areas that are not readily evident. If they had put more money on research and testing, their DSG could have been as reliable as others, their injectors wouldn't have failed at this rate. But they instead chose to put their money on perceived quality- sheet metal thickness, thud when closing the door etc. This is the major difference between VAG and Japanese car makers. While the Japanese invest in high quality, reliable mechanicals, VAG invests in pleasing those who love the thud.

But I have to agree, this new facelift is really elegant.

Looks great now, and is definitely worth considering in my books. Pity it didn't get the 1.2L TSI petrol. I am guessing this is big brother VW's doing to maintain an upper hand with the Vento. Need to TD the updated diesel with the DSG. DSG is always a gamble (speaking as one who was impacted with DSG failures twice). Guessing they still haven't moved to the wet clutch in the 7 speed?

Agreed, 100%. We were stranded for over 45 days waiting for Skoda to change the gearbox. This is the biggest challenge with them.

Couldn't have said it better. :thumbs up Carmakers should first get the basics right. Gearbox is one of the most fundamental parts of a car. If you have an unreliable core part in the car, how can you even consider it? Imagine you're on a highway, many miles away from civilisation and your gearbox fails. Even if it doesn't, it'll always be there at the back of your mind. You would think twice before initiating a long interstate roadtrip. I know I would.

A crisp, yet detailed report accompanied by exceptional photographs is what this new Rapid deserved! And Gannu / Rudra haven't failed to deliver! Great job guys!

With this face-lift, Skoda has ensured that the Rapid's lifespan has been extended by at least 3 years if not more!

In my opinion, the only thing missing from this sharp package is the TSI+DSG option. VAG wouldn't allow that though as it would cannibalize the Vento.

The turbo assembly is made at HTT, Pune. The design team is in Bangalore who work with French team in TLV.

I wish they had given this new rapid a keyless entry and push button start to make it even more well equipped to compete against rivals. But having said that , this car looks drool worthy. 1.2Tsi DSG would have been icing on the cake

Wow! Despite the DSG failures reported so far, this facelift indeed makes it look good as a package. In spite of the fact that they (Skoda) still have many loose threads to tie up, WRT their service, dsg box and maintenance costs; I would still try and get a manual transmission equipped version of the Rapid if I could! stupid: Not because of the scare factor, but I still prefer the good old manual way over the automatic.

Nice review with super pictures. The car looks absolutely beautiful. And there are enough hacks on team bhp itself to enhance the creature comforts in this one. Overall, I like the car and the review as well!

A Rapid test mule has been spotted by Thrust Zone spies doing the rounds with no badges at the rear.

Could it be the rumored 1.2L TSI variant?

Can't believe it is the same car in the background... An XUV with same registration number - quite a few Rapid test cars were pictured at the same location before launch. So perhaps this is a lucky place to spot new cars. I'd like to call it "spy junction" :)

Great review and a pretty nice facelift I must say. I have always liked Skoda designs more than Volkswagen. Be it Laura/ Octavia vs Jetta or Superb Vs Passat. Vento was the only model where VW in my eyes got it close to Skoda. Even there, while majority felt Rapid design was dated, I intact liked it more than Vento.

With this facelift, Skoda has made Rapid much more desirable. Only proverbial fly in the ointment is absense of a Tsi+DSG combo.