[Hemant_Joshi]

My Skoda Rapid 1.6 TDI, Elegance has arrived,,

What I like:

• Solid Build Quality
• Ride and Handling
• Looks - although its personal preference, I think Overall - this is one of the best looking cars - along with Linea
• Great Engine - Car drives really super

What I don't like:

• Rear Window glass - Cannot be rolled down completely
• Small IRVM, and less rear Visibility
• Floor Hump at Rear
• Lack of Rear Washer/Wiper
• No Dead Pedal

Total On-Road price: Rs 11,57,000
- 1,00,000 for my Old Car
- 1,00,000 Discount
- 35,000 for Caska HU with Rev Cam – after buyback of default HU (Elegance Trim),
- 13,000 for Leatherette Seat covers.
- 5,000 for LED’d, Mudflaps, Mats.

I started thinking of buying a new car about 5-6 months back. First thing for me to do was to go through Team-BHP. I'd like to thank you all and this wonderful forum - for the best / most authentic information and feedback.

I owned a Getz 1.3 Petrol GLS, bought pre-owned, which had been with me for more than 5 years. It was a solid and capable car and has served me well. However, I wanted to upgrade, which started a few month’s leg work, and reading and re-reading the multiple threads in here.

I wanted a Diesel car, as I expected my average running to increase a lot for next couple of years. My other Key requirements were,

• High ground clearance
• Solidly built car – which can withstand / take some rough use if required
• Peppy and fun to drive car
• ABS and minimum driver and front passenger airbags
• Light steering – the one in my Getz was hard, and a bit difficult at slower speeds
• Good AC – this was a big issue in my Getz
• Good look and feel
• Efficient with low cost of ownership
• Cool features, gizmos

Pretty much in that order, I intended to keep this car for 6 years at least, if not more.

The Hyundai VERNA was kind of default choice, especially with the updates and tweaks carried out to resolve the ride/handling and high speed characteristics - not that I intend high speed driving very regularly.

Just to clarify, I am no expert on cars, and these are just my feelings / observations - no way to pass a judgment on any car.

I took a test drive of Verna first, and was pretty much impressed with the car.

Likes:

• The Fit and Finish is super
• Lots of features and equipment
• Comfort
• Good looks

Dislikes:
Nothing specifically related to the car per say. However, I feel servicing is generally expensive and workshops always recommend replacing parts. I don’t think, they consider fixing something at all, at least that was the experience with My Getz. But still, this was my default choice.

So before taking the plunge, I wanted to check out other vehicles and I am really glad I did

My second choice was Ford EcoSport. I really wanted to buy this car, until I test drove it.

Likes:

• The SUVish body style - this was a huge draw
• High ground clearance - one of my top most requirements
• Super AC

Dislikes:
Lack of power - had it not been for this factor, I'd be writing a different review. Also, I did not feel this in the car with the new 1-liter petrol engine which I drove – while waiting for the diesel car to return from another TD. When I drove the diesel, I felt the car was reluctant to move. I took 4 test drives - just to ascertain if I was biased or if it was a problem with just the TD Car. However, all the 4 times, my feeling got reinforced on the lack of initial pickup, and got an overall feeling of heaviness in the diesel car. I still can’t pin point the exact issue/problem. The Nokia phone type dashboard was also not too much to my liking.

It’s after this, I started considering other cars. I checked out the Honda City, Fiat Linea, VW Vento and Skoda Rapid.
Below are my impressions of the cars.

Honda City:
Somehow, me and wifey did not like the look of the City. I also felt that the car was very long. Of course that would translate into more space inside and maybe, bigger boot, but somehow, the new look was not OK with me or my wife. The diesel engine is I think, extremely noisy. The SA was trying to argue – all diesel engines will be noisy. But, this was very much more than, Verna and EcoSport as well. Anyway, I took the same for a TD and I was informed by the SA on the designated route and was not allowed to deviate or prolong the drive. It was a pretty smooth and comfortable ride, the touchscreen was awesome and AC was great. There was a lot going in for City on the inside. However, the price would have definitely shot up from my limit. There was also a waiting period, I was informed – about 2-3 months.
Their valuation of my old car was also pretty unsatisfactory. So I ruled it out.

Fiat Linea:
I just loved the new Linea looks. I feel, this is one of the best looking cars in India. The build is superb and just sitting in the car and closing the door, you feel safe. I don’t think, any other car gave me this feeling - at least as much as the Linea did. The interiors of the new model felt good - the seats were very comfortable and the Ambient lighting strip looked very cool. But, again, when I drove the vehicle - I felt the same feeling of heaviness and lack of low end torque, similar to the EcoSport. The 1.3-litre engine and 90 HP is inadequate, I feel for the weight of the car. Perhaps the 1.6 MultiJet would be a better fit. Also, I felt that the Linea has the longest clutch travel. At one time I just felt that I was releasing the clutch, but the Vehicle was not moving forward at all. My wife was totally impressed by the Linea's exterior looks and very much inclined on buying this car. But, I was totally not willing to consider it as my Getz also was not a peppy car and I wanted a car which was quicker, specially for slow moving traffic conditions. So the Linea also was ruled out.

VW Vento:
The look of the Vento, I think is a little plain and also I felt the build was not that robust. Mind you, this is just by looking at the car. However, when I drove it, it felt really good. The Turbo kick is fantastic and driving the car really made me happy. Compared to Linea and EcoSport, this car was really zippy. The interiors were functional and OK, but nothing special. They had a very good finance offer – EMI was lowest from whatever I had checked anywhere and for the first year, insurance was free + corporate discount. But somehow, did not get the feeling of WOW, which was very apparent in the Verna. But still, this car was in contention, along with Verna at this point in time.

Skoda Rapid:
Having heard of many bad stories and negative feedback, I was skeptical of buying a Skoda car. With somewhat tepid feeling, I went to Viiraaj Skoda, to check the Rapid and I think just by looking at the car, we fell for it - even without sitting in the car once! For me and wifey the looks of Rapid beat that of the Vento hands down. The Rapid’s interiors look strictly OK and equipment / features were very much evenly matched with Vento. Also, the build quality of Rapid, I feel, is better than the Vento's. The Rapid looks and feels much more robust and sturdy and to top it all, it was cheaper then Vento. The VW almost got ruled out even without driving the Rapid.

I took a test drive - 1 good thing, out of all the dealers / cars, Skoda TD was the best. The SA informed, I can TD the car for 40 kms and / or 1 hour, anywhere I wished. Throughout the TD, I never was hurried and the SA was not trying to impress with unnecessary chatter. He was very patient and polite and answered my questions, though not all to my satisfaction. He was honest about the various horror stories about SKODA service. but did say that Skoda management has addressed most of the issues and customers can expect better.

Anyway, I was totally impressed with the car even though the interiors and features offered were not that great compared to Verna. I took a pretty long test drive – compared to the one’s before. I went around the city areas, and about 10-15 kms on the Pune-Mumbai Bypass. The car just drove beautifully, pulled cleanly from start – I felt that the power is always available and just need to tap the accelerator. There is no lag or turbo kick like the Vento. I drove at all speeds – as low <10 kmph to >110 on the bypass and the car did not jerk or knockdown in low speeds and was very stable at >110.

So the choice was between Verna and Rapid. In the next couple of weeks, I took another 2 test drives, this time again, it was pretty long and once, they brought the TD vehicle to my house.

I diligently went through all the Rapid threads on the forum (thanks again to the forum) for reliable and unbiased opinions and great feedback.
The features and interiors of the Verna were tilting the choice towards it, but, finally the build and driving characteristics of Rapid weighed more and the decision was made. There was a choice to go for Rapid Ultima, but, opted for the normal Elegance Trim.

However, I had to clear-up some issues about my old car transfer and finance and had to wait for almost 2 months, to finally booked on 8/9. Meanwhile, the info on launch of an updated Rapid caused some anxiety. But, looking at the Black Edition (I did see this in their showroom), I am happy, I went for this one. The booking process was pretty straight forward and I got a discount of Rs. 1 lakh.

I opted for zero dep insurance and bought additional warranty. Additional accessories I got included a Caska HU with Integrated reverse camera and Map My India navigation. I was considering Blaupankt Philadelphia, but did not go for it as it was going upwards of 60K. Changed the cabin and foot-well lights to white LEDs, mudflaps, car cover and rubber mats (pathetic ones). I will get 3M mats in a day or two.

Some accessories / options, I would like to see in Rapid:

• Integrated parking sensors - I think, this may have been addressed in the latest update
• Indicator Lights on OVRM
• Rear washer / wiper
• Dead pedal

Apart from this, they should have multiple (at least 2) dealers in each city. Monopoly anywhere is no good for customers.

Finally, I got delivery of my Rapid yesterday - 25/9.
Happy occasion, but marred by some issues related to cleaning of the car. There were quite some white spots - as if something has been inadvertently sprayed. Was totally disappointed. The car was not cleaned properly and missed the new car sheen. Apparently, there were 2 versions on the state of the car:

• There was some issue in the entire lot of 5 cars and all of them have some white spots on the windscreen and window glasses, there were some white spots all over the body as well, which supposedly happened in transit. Skoda was aware of same and they had advised the dealer to clean / treat the car, once the delivery rush was over.
• There was some pest control activity in their yard.

Nothing major, but visible white spots, which did not go by usual cleaning. There were no dents, scratches or paint peeling or any sort of mark.

If there are any other people - on Team-BHP who took delivery of Skoda cars in Pune recently, please share your feedback. I did notice a Red Octavia with same problem yesterday. As per the SA, there were at least 3 more deliveries with same issue and those customers have been promised, they would get their cars cleaned / treated in the next few days.

I was not willing to take delivery of the car in that state. However, they requested me to take the delivery and promised that, they would collect the car and provide the cleaning treatment for glass and entire body. I had a discussion with their Sales Manager, and the matter was brought to notice of their GM. I have provided written feedback on this issue in their delivery feedback form.

Now, they have taken the car for cleaning / treatment, and have promised that they will treat / cleanup the full car and provide some wax / paint protection coating on the entire body, amounting to about 6K for free. I'm not sure about this treatment until I see the car after cleanup.

I am happy with the car overall - however, this issues did spoil my buying experience. If I am not happy with the cleaning / treatment - I will take this up further with Skoda, keeping my fingers crossed and waiting for them to bring it back post cleaning.

Update - 26/9:
They have taken my car for cleaning and have promised that it will be returned on 27/9. I have to wait for another couple of hours for it to arrive.
I got a call from Skoda requesting feedback and provided the same. I did raise this issue. I was informed that I could take this further with Skoda if I am not totally satisfied with the Vehicle. I was provided a contact of an "After Sale Support / Contact" - for any issues, any time. This guy is supposed to be my POC for anything related to my car. I am waiting for them to return my car. If not satisfied, would raise this issue with Skoda, Hoping it won’t come to that.

Update - 27/9:
My car is back after cleaning and I am pretty satisfied with the job. It's shining like a new car should. Looks like the feedback I provided was taken very seriously. The SA and his manager delivered the car to my house and claim to have cleaned up and provided some wax / protective coating. They have advised me not to clean the car with water for 3-4 days. It is shiny and definitely very clean. Appreciate the efforts by the dealer, and I am happy it ended this way.

Attached below are some images of my car:

[Hemant_Joshi]

Initial driving impressions:

I have driven about 250 kms till now. My usage is around 20-25 kms daily. Most of it is commute to office and in-city, with the occasional highway run. However, I expect it to increase in the coming months.

All my previous driving has been with a petrol engine, and it was very silent. I was expecting that the switch over to diesel would require changes to my driving style, But, it did not feel anything noticeable, specifically with the Rapid. However, the engine is more noisy when it is fired up or while driving. One can immediately know it’s a diesel. That said, if the windows are rolled up a considerable amount of noise is reduced, and the car appears silent - definitely much, much, better than the Honda City.

I intend to run-in the car, so, I am not going to rev above 2000 rpm. The clutch appears a bit hard right now, but I expect it to get better with running. Couple of times, I found the gears to be notchy and not slotting perfectly. However it was not present for long. Most of my driving is around 1500 to 2000 rpm. I noticed that the car pulls well in lower gears, even on a bit of incline, with no input on accelerator. However, the 1st gear cannot go for long and needs an upshift as soon as possible. Also, in traffic or very slow speeds (less than 10 kph), the car was running without knocking or being jerky. At such low speeds, I would have had to be driving my Getz on half-clutch.

Whenever, I have to get in or out of Rapid, I get a distinct feel that it is lower than Getz. The dead pedal is sorely missed – I am very much used to one in my old car. It does make a lot of difference and I don't get why simple thing like these are missed by manufacturers - specially in a Rs. 10-11 lakh car.

I need to adjust to the stalks being in reverse position to my Getz. Also for lights, the Rapid has a different switch which is not on the stalk. The driver seat height adjust is really useful and together with the steering rake and reach adjust, makes it very easy to find a comfortable driving position. However, the armrest, which is pretty useful – interferes with the hand brake as well as plugging the seat belt. There is not much space to store any items in the cabin; the only usable space are the 2 cup holders. This space is now already occupied by the iPod and USB Cable from my Caska HU. Bottles (1 liter) can be stored in the door pockets. I don't know how useful the small box in the armrest is.

The OVRS are adjustable – a kind of joystick, which is better than the lever I had in my old car. They appear to be of a decent size and offer good visibility. The IRVM is definitely smallish. A bigger mirror would have been better. The rear visibility from IVRM is not that great, however the electrochromatic function works well. I could check on this during a drive on the Pune-Mumbai Bypass. Having a reverse parking camera / sensors is a must for this car.

The lights from the projector lamps are really good. In the city, it’s more than adequate. I still have to check it on the highway. Fog lamps are nice and wide and add to overall front lighting. Although not required, I always drive with the fog lights on and this will be my default setting.
I will come to ICE, Caska HU later.

Braking is spot on. Having ABS always provides a sense of safety. The ride is pretty comfortable, even at low and medium speeds. Only big humps and potholes seem to filter inside - many a time, there is a big thud after crossing a big hump / speed breaker. This is disturbing, but a known issue - there are many owners, that have reported the same. However, if there is any fix for this is not known. I have put mud flaps from the dealer and am keeping an eye on them for any scrapping – again, something that has been reported by multiple owners.

The steering wheel is quite chunky, a bit smaller then my Getz and appears a bit harder to hold. The one in my Getz had a leather cover, maybe that’s why I feel this one is a bit harder. I have placed the steering at the highest point possible. The steering itself is light and I just love this. Light steering was one of my primary requirements.

I have put leatherette seat covers. Initially they felt a bit stiff, but are comfortable now. In the TD car, which was without any covers. the seats were a bit softer. I think with a little usage the seat will offer a more sunk sitting position. The seat covers I put are supposed to be OEM from Skoda itself, fitted by dealer of a cream / ivory shade, but they are already appearing a bit dirty – this will be a high maintenance item.

The horn is quite powerful, this is default horn. However, a fair amount of pressure is required to depress the horn pad and it is not consistent in all the places. The right thumb reach area I felt is pretty sensitive; however, other areas need a bit more pressure to honk. I expect this to become more sensitive over time.

The AC in manual mode does not seem to be powerful at all. However, in auto mode it’s really good. I have not sat in the back seat, but my brother and sister-in-law, were pretty comfortable. The rear AC vents are very useful. However, we could not shut the vents completely.

I wish, there was a rear washer / wiper - I think it is an extremely useful feature, and I was using this regularly in the rainy season in my old car. This is missing and I wish it was not so. It should have been available as an additional accessory at least, but sadly is not and I am not sure if this can be retro fitted. I would go for it, if it can be done.

In the MID - I am consistently getting an instantaneous FE of more than 15 kpl. Sometimes it goes as high 35+. I would be more than happy if I get an Average of 15+ in the city (with AC). Will be doing a tank full test for FE in the near future. There is only 1 trip meter - or am I missing something? My Getz had 2.

I got a quote of 6K, for 3M Mats and will get them fitted in next few days.

Niggles:
Already a little portion (maybe an inch) of the front door rubber beading, seems to have come off near the handle. I tried to put it back in the notch, but to no avail.
There is some squeaking sound from armrest when you put some weight on it. It’s not robust. I intend to get it checked.

Overall, I am pretty happy with the car and hoping for a hassle free ownership in the years to come.


Update - 02/10:

ICE:
I wanted one system for Radio/Music/Navigation/Rear camera. However, there was no built in navigation in the default system and one had to put another device either on the dash, windscreen and also a separate display for parking sensors. I wanted an all in one system, so I opted for a Caska HU, in lieu of the default system. However, there is only a rear cam and no parking sensors integrated in this as well. I am OK with the music quality, but, not so happy overall. The touchscreen is not sensitive enough and sometimes one needs to try multiple times to say, switch between FM stations. Sometimes, the steering wheel mounted volume control behaves erratically - it goes up when I am decreasing the volume and vice-versa. I'm not sure, if this is an issue with the fitment. You can connect your ipod / mobile, but, in this mode, the steering mounted volume controls don't work. The Next / Previous - Scan button on the steering works only 1 way - forward. The back button does not work. When I raised this point, I was informed that nothing can be done. I feel, should have put another 25-30K and opted for a Blaupankt Philadelphia 835. As of now, this is the only thing in the vehicle that I am not really satisfied with.


Update - 06/10:
I got the 3M mats fitted - black colour, total 5.5K. They look and feel very good. I also Got the anti-rust treatment with 5 years warranty done. I am thinking of going for sun control film. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.


Update - 13/10:
The car has completed close to 1000 kms. There is nothing major to note, except that the "Distance to Empty" in the MID is not correct. Today morning, at start it was showing 200 kms and after driving for 10 kms (this is my 1 way office commute), strangely its now showing 160! The trip meter confirms the distance run as exactly 10 kms.

The clutch is a bit hard. A harsh thud sound - while exiting a hump or a big pothole is really disturbing. I know this has been reported earlier by many owners, but, I could not find, if there is any, a fix to this problem. Any feedback / update / suggestions on this would be very welcome and appreciated,

I have put 3M Crystalline film - for the front windshield and RE Series film for the windows and rack windshield. It cost me Rs 11,000 after a hard bargain. It's really good, specially the Crystalline film - extremely effective in reducing light glare from the headlights of on-coming vehicles and over all it also has a big impact on air conditioning. Crystalline film for whole car was quoted at Rs. 24,000/-.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[rejoycjohn]

Originally Posted by Hemant_Joshi

Update - 13/10:
The car has completed close to 1000 kms. There is nothing major to note, except that the "Distance to Empty" in the MID is not correct. Today morning, at start it was showing 200 kms and after driving for 10 kms (this is my 1 way office commute), strangely its now showing 160! The trip meter confirms the distance run as exactly 10 kms.

The clutch is a bit hard. A harsh thud sound - while exiting a hump or a big pothole is really disturbing. I know this has been reported earlier by many owners, but, I could not find, if there is any, a fix to this problem. Any feedback / update / suggestions on this would be very welcome and appreciated,

Hi Hemant, its a superb car that you have bought. Rapid would be even my choice over Vento. All the best and wishing you lots of miles ahead.

Caska, yes it has a lot of bad reviews online and in TBhp. I feel that if you are ok without an inbuilt navigation, the stock system is better than Caska. Anyway you always have the option of selling it in Olx if you not a happy customer.

With respect of MID, there isnt anything wrong. It is pretty smart that the DTE keeps on changing depending on your driving and traffic condition. If it was in the morning and you had the crawling traffic in front of you, the DTE will decrease. You can verify it, take your car for a early morning highway drive and you can see the DTE increases along with average FE. The reverse happens when you drive in rush hour traffic.

Hard clutch, not sure if there is any solution for this. Lets look at it this way, you will get a good calf muscle work out by the time you reach office.

Cheers, enjoy your ride

[puchoo]

Many congratulations and wish you a great ownership experience!!

The AC in manual mode does not seem to be powerful at all. However, in auto mode it’s really good. I have not sat in the back seat, but my brother and sister-in-law, were pretty comfortable. The rear AC vents are very useful. However, we could not shut the vents completely.

This sounds funny , this should not be the case at all and the cooling capacity of the AC should be working in the same manner irrespective of the setting being manual or On Full Auto.

[torque18]

Hi

Congratulations for your new car

Have a request to you - please post some pictures of the seat covers as I am also contemplating these from Skoda. How is the fit and finish?

[KevinP]

Congratulations and welcome to club Rapid! No matter how many times I look at this car, she always looks gorgeous!

I have also been contemplating 3M mats in black since the carpeting is in black. How is the interior feel with black mats? Cosy? Mind sharing some pics please, would really help in making up my mind.

Thanks mate, enjoy the drive!

[Hemant_Joshi]

Thanks rejoycjohn,
I wanted an all in 1 Unit, the default system - had 3 different display, each for Music, Navigation and Reverse Sensor..
Yes - I am disappointed with the caska HU, feel that, I should have put some 25,000 extra and went for Blaupankt, or other..
Anyway, its done now,

Thanks for clarifying the DTE - I was wondering there must be something, but had not fugured out on this,,

Originally Posted by rejoycjohn

Hi Hemant, its a superb car that you have bought. Rapid would be even my choice over Vento. All the best and wishing you lots of miles ahead.

Caska, yes it has a lot of bad reviews online and in TBhp. I feel that if you are ok without an inbuilt navigation, the stock system is better than Caska. Anyway you always have the option of selling it in Olx if you not a happy customer.

With respect of MID, there isnt anything wrong. It is pretty smart that the DTE keeps on changing depending on your driving and traffic condition. If it was in the morning and you had the crawling traffic in front of you, the DTE will decrease. You can verify it, take your car for a early morning highway drive and you can see the DTE increases along with average FE. The reverse happens when you drive in rush hour traffic.

Hard clutch, not sure if there is any solution for this. Lets look at it this way, you will get a good calf muscle work out by the time you reach office.

Cheers, enjoy your ride

Hai Puchoo, Thanks, I think there is some difference - in AC, when in Manual or Auto, Will further check on this,,

Also - I have put the Sun Films, so, expect the AC to be more effective..,

Originally Posted by puchoo

Many congratulations and wish you a great ownership experience!!

The AC in manual mode does not seem to be powerful at all. However, in auto mode it’s really good. I have not sat in the back seat, but my brother and sister-in-law, were pretty comfortable. The rear AC vents are very useful. However, we could not shut the vents completely.

This sounds funny , this should not be the case at all and the cooling capacity of the AC should be working in the same manner irrespective of the setting being manual or On Full Auto.

[Gannu_1]

Congratulations Hemant! Wishing you many happy miles with her. Have fun and drive safe!

Originally Posted by Hemant_Joshi

A harsh thud sound - while exiting a hump or a big pothole is really disturbing. I know this has been reported earlier by many owners, but, I could not find, if there is any, a fix to this problem.

I suspect the mudflaps. I used to hear this sound from my Polo whenever the car exits a deep’ish pothole or a hump when the car is heavily loaded. Since the monsoons are over, you could try removing those mudflaps and check if the noise is still evident. I intend to get rid of the mudflaps on my car as well when I find some free time.

How do you find the projectors while driving in the night?

[Hemant_Joshi]

Thankyou torque18, attached are pics for the Seat Cover. The covers are good and go well with the overall car interiors, and fit is fine, they have a high affinity for dirt and stains, and require regular maintenance - else, they appear dirty pretty fast,,
Skoda does not offer a choice of colour, or the design..

Originally Posted by torque18

Hi

Congratulations for your new car

Have a request to you - please post some pictures of the seat covers as I am also contemplating these from Skoda. How is the fit and finish?

Thankyou KevinP, attached are pics for the Mats. The rear hump is not covered, and is an eye sore right now, intend to get this fixed,,

Originally Posted by KevinP

Congratulations and welcome to club Rapid! No matter how many times I look at this car, she always looks gorgeous!

I have also been contemplating 3M mats in black since the carpeting is in black. How is the interior feel with black mats? Cosy? Mind sharing some pics please, would really help in making up my mind.

Thanks mate, enjoy the drive!

Thanks Gannu_1,
I can't figure out where the Sound is originating from - I think its the Shock Absorber Spring, and on the Forum also, could not find any definitive answer for same, I could not find any tell tale signs of the scraping of Mudflaps on the bumper. This issue is there for Cars without Mudflap as well,

The Projectors Lamps are really good, more than adequate for city.
I feel its adequate for highways as well -but, have not been able to check..
I have driven about 20/30 KMS on the Mumbai-Pune Bypass at late evening/night, and I think they suffice the need for good lighting on highways,,

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Congratulations Hemant! Wishing you many happy miles with her. Have fun and drive safe!



I suspect the mudflaps. I used to hear this sound from my Polo whenever the car exits a deep’ish pothole or a hump when the car is heavily loaded. Since the monsoons are over, you could try removing those mudflaps and check if the noise is still evident. I intend to get rid of the mudflaps on my car as well when I find some free time.

How do you find the projectors while driving in the night?

[torque18]

Thanks

Looks nice indeed, especially the front seats. How is the comfort level?
Would you suggest investing twice the amount (or thrice may be) and get the leather work done from Karlsson or some other good brand?

I am confused after seeing the pics :P

[Hemant_Joshi]

Hi,
The seats are comfortable - initially for a day or 2, it was a bit stiff, but, its pretty comfy now..

Well - if you have the greens - go for Leather ones - Karlsson is superb, there are many pics of their seat covers in the forum and their website,,
If you are going for leather - go for Karlsson only,
I inquired when I decided to get the seat covers , but they don't have their center in Pune,
Also If I am not mistaken, they also have faux-leather ones - check out,,

Originally Posted by torque18

Thanks

Looks nice indeed, especially the front seats. How is the comfort level?
Would you suggest investing twice the amount (or thrice may be) and get the leather work done from Karlsson or some other good brand?

I am confused after seeing the pics :P

[wilful]

Congrats on your new car - looks really good I must say!
Tell me - I am curious - you mentioned good ground clearance as one of your top requirements - do you think this is fulfilled by the Rapid?

[Vik0728]

Hey Hemant_Joshi congrats on your latest acquisition and it's a stunner !!

I thing we both share a similar path of Car ownership and transformation, from a Korean to German. My previous car was a Getz Primie 1.3 GLS and it had spoilt me quite extensively, be it the big car feel, comfort or hassle free ownership.

I am sure you are enjoying the Rush and Thrust of over 250 NM of torque everytime you floor that throttle.

Drive safe and wish you many more happy miles.

[Hemant_Joshi]

Thanks Wilful, Over all, I am OK with Rapids GC. Although, I would have loved to have GC like that of Ford EcoSport,
The next best was Punto, but, I did not want a Hatch again, and Was not satisfied with the Linea overall,

I had a Getz - which had pretty good GC and high seating position...,
So, If you leave EcoSport/Punto-Linea, I think, Rapid satisfy's my requirement pretty well, though I must add that, every time, I enter/exit Rapid - I feel, its lower than Getz...

Originally Posted by wilful

Congrats on your new car - looks really good I must say!
Tell me - I am curious - you mentioned good ground clearance as one of your top requirements - do you think this is fulfilled by the Rapid?

Thanks Vik0728,
Yep, Completely agree Getz is a very nice and capable car,,
I am running-in my Rapid, So, still very conscious of the RPM, trying to keep at less than 2000, almost done a thousand kms, so, waiting for another 500 odd kms - when I can drive more freely,,

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Hey Hemant_Joshi congrats on your latest acquisition and it's a stunner !!

I thing we both share a similar path of Car ownership and transformation, from a Korean to German. My previous car was a Getz Primie 1.3 GLS and it had spoilt me quite extensively, be it the big car feel, comfort or hassle free ownership.

I am sure you are enjoying the Rush and Thrust of over 250 NM of torque everytime you floor that throttle.

Drive safe and wish you many more happy miles.