[rauldsouza]

is the Head Unit on this, RCD 330 plus ? Looks very similar to me.

[shagils]

Seriously an astonishing Facelift (much needed).

I personally liked the front grill and clean side profile. The alloys are simple but neat.

I do not understand why they would drop the lever to move the front seat ahead from the back side. What is the point in removing such a nice feature?

Overall a nice face-lift & Kudos to Skoda.

But I reckon the success would surely include the after sales service of Skoda which they would have to improve in order to get the sales chart on fire. Let's hope for the best.

Thank you for such a nice report & beautiful pictures.

[Dieselritzer]

Wow, i am drooling. A quick question, i understand that DSG gearbox has reliability issues, but if i chose to buy the manual diesel, how reliable is it? I make long distance trips with family very very often and reliability is of top most priority.

Also, if anyone has driven the ritz diesel and the rapid diesel manual, is rapids clutch harder than Ritz?

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by Dieselritzer

Also, if anyone has driven the ritz diesel and the rapid diesel manual, is rapids clutch harder than Ritz?

I have driven the older Rapid and yes the clutch is on the harder side as with all the VAG diesels. But I feel that it is felt more in stop-go traffic rather than long drives.

[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by Dieselritzer

A quick question, i understand that DSG gearbox has reliability issues, but if i chose to buy the manual diesel, how reliable is it? I make long distance trips with family very very often and reliability is of top most priority.

Other than the DSG issues, VAG cars have known injector reliability issues. I have read many BHPians mentioning the same. I don't know if they have rectified those issues, but seems unlikely given how DSG issues still persist.

[adneeraj]

Does the DQ200 still throw as many issues as are being discussed?
I have a Fiesta Classic that is just about 2.5 yrs old and I'd think of replacing it with a Rapid diesel AT. The Fiesta is a whole lot under-powered even with the RD chip.

I had test driven the Rapid automatic earlier about 6 months ago and had liked the car then but decided against because of this very reported issue.
Now with the 4 year maintenance program, it might just be one of the good options I may consider in automatics. I had briefly driven the Polo TSI as well and just love the gearbox. All other automatics in this range I found are just junk compared to this gearbox!

[deerhunter]

Originally Posted by adneeraj

Now with the 4 year maintenance program, it might just be one of the good options I may consider in automatics.

The 4 year warranty is great. But one more thing is the repair time. I dont know the condition now but it was unreasonably long for Skoda. If you ever have a DSG failure, you maybe looking at a 60 day repair time.

[F150]

Originally Posted by GTO

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").

I think the recent power bump to 110 bhp, given to the 1.5 TDI has increased the initial turbo lag slightly.
We test drove the Ameo recently and my brother also complained about the same. My Rapid which made 105 bhp didn't have this problem and after the recent remap and retrofit made by SKODA for the emission issue, the lag is non existent.

[Turbohead]

Excuse me Gannu, but were you able to check the RPM at 100kmph in the 5th gear? With better 0-100 timings and complaints about turbo lag I was wondering whether there were any changes in the gear ratios.

Originally Posted by Dieselritzer

Wow, i am drooling. A quick question, i understand that DSG gearbox has reliability issues, but if i chose to buy the manual diesel, how reliable is it? I make long distance trips with family very very often and reliability is of top most priority.

The manual versions are largely trouble free. There were complaints about fuel injectors in the 2010 to 2013 batches. I have a 2014 pre facelift model and have not faced any major issues. Its done 45k and we're very happy
The only things to look out for are
1) Brake rotors: They develop cementite very quickly for some reason and produce judders during hard high speed braking. High quality after market replacemts include OE Brembos.

2) Suspension: The shock absorbers are the low quality ones produced in India by Gabriel.They are absolutely comfort oriented and bounce,dive etc. They fail quite early too! They can be replaced with the specifications of the initial batch of Vento's from vendors such as TRW, Monroe, FKG, Sachs etc. Bilsteins are the ultimate but comes at a price.
After the upgrade, members have reported better ride and handling characteristics.

Related threads:
TRW: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...-vw-vento.html
Dig deeper into this thread for info from halfbytecode, info on Sachs etc.

Bilsteins B6:http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modifi...k-springs.html

Originally Posted by The Brutailer

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.

I respect your opinions.We need more people like you on these Skoda, VW threads which are misleading to the uninformed buyer due to their drool- worthy nature
Honda City is a great product! On paper right now. Yes, the niggles will be sorted (completely, if not to a large extent) once the facelift roles out. Will soon start recommending it again.

VW/Skoda is not for the noobs or for the average commodity seeker. It's for those who like to drive AND for those who are willing to take risks! The customisability of these cars are very high too! Just look at the stuff Gannu has done to his GT TDi! Most of the parts installed are OE! I can even change the ride characteristics of my car with OE options from different shock absorber manufacturers. These cars are definitely for enthusiasts and apart from people who love quality and driving, I don't see anyone else buying it!

Those are some personal opinions but opinions don't paint the entire picture.

[Annibaddh]

A little late in the day, but a brilliant review. What made the C-Plussers from VAG for me was the 1.6 TDi. It set the VAG cars apart in a sea of sedans. My Vento, now in its 5th year and fast approaching 100,000 KM mark, is as rev happy as it was on day one. Even today hitting the highway brings joy like nothing else. 1.5 motor, while competent, just doesn't feel the same in a car which otherwise feels like home. And VWs advantages are quickly disappearing. New Koreans are better built and feel European. Heck, even Tatas seem to be chasing build. Wonder if VAG should bring in a 1.4 Tsi sport version or equivalent for the enthusiasts a la Octavia 1.8. Would add another element to a family of cars fast becoming irrelevant and begin to differentiate again. VW surely don't have the resources to bigger refreshes / flurry of launches what with the cut-backs since dieselgate.

[shibujp]

Crisp review and awesome pics.

One stand out of the new Skoda Rapid is the blue silk and carbon steel colors that they offer both of which I really love. They bring out the cuts and slashes of the revised front end very well.

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

. NVH levels are well controlled; however, the engine does get noisy at higher rpms. There is noticeable turbo lag at lower rpms; once the turbo wakes up and spools, the car leaps forward! Overtaking is effortless and all you need is a slight dab on the throttle without any downshifts.

The defining character of the VAG engines is the mid range torque which once sampled spoils one for other cars. Too bad that a little of this character has been lost in the new engines. Perhaps a victim of the emissions fallout.

I personally went out to check the Rapid a few weeks back and realised that for all the changes Skoda make in the service department you still do not get the feeling that the human factor has changed. I was promised a td which never materialised and on top of that after three weeks received an SMS which thanked me for taking test drive of the Rapid.

Superb products : them VAG cars but come with a serious trust deficit. They are great products for markets where service and spares are not monopolised by dealers in the name of warranty.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[jinu_joseph]

Hi Folks, is it possible to upgrade/mod the new Rapid to add the Optical Parking System Module with front and rear sensors integrated with the ICE HU. Also is it possible to add the Automatic headlamps feature in this.

[ashishskapoor]

Hi guys, is it possible to make Apple CarPlay work on Skoda Rapid / Vento via RCD 330G Plus head unit?
Vagtune has same head unit offering Apple CarPlay & Android Auto.
http://bit.ly/2hTccTu
If the feature is possible, how can we enable it on stock music systems?

[rageshgr]

I always loved Rapid more than the Vento. Rapid has a character and a dark appeal to it, while Vento is a nice gentleman.

The new bonnet bulge, the stunning headlamps and the addition of more creature comforts is a great change.

But I preferred the old grille, and the proportions. The side profile now looks more bulky with stubby tapering nose. It looks more Vento-ish. The old look was aggressive and more proportional.

That said, it is overall a better car and even looks better from front 3-quarter.

[e46]

This car ticks all the right boxes sans the abundance of beige and sub par service backup. The more I see this, the more i tend to fall in love. They should bring in an all-black interior theme, it would go well.

Anyone in here, got this car lately? Please put in an ownership report. It would be great.

-Abhishek.