It might seem a bit long in the tooth, but the Skoda Rapid is far from done in the Indian market. Having been on sale for nearly a decade now, the Rapid is due for a replacement, but that’s still some time away. For now, Skoda has upgraded the sedan to meet BS6 emission norms, a decision that will prolong the life of the current-gen Rapid by a fair bit.
The big news with the Skoda Rapid BS6 is the arrival of a brand-new engine option. Gone is the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder MPI unit, and taking its place is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder TSI turbo-petrol that develops 110hp. A dual-clutch automatic gearbox is likely to be on offer, though that has yet to be confirmed. As has been reported, the Skoda Rapid will not be offered with a diesel engine in the BS6 era.
Skoda did showcase two versions of the Rapid – the Matte Concept and the Monte Carlo – which are mainly differentiated by a number of cosmetic changes. The Rapid Matte Concept, as its name suggests, comes with a matte black finish, along with contrast red highlights and new design blacked-out alloy wheels. The Rapid Monte Carlo, on the other hand, is a variant that is already on sale on the BS4 Rapid, though it also comes with differently designed alloy wheels.
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The Czech company has also said that the BS6 Rapid will get a new touchscreen infotainment system, though has not yet specified the size.
Of course, the upgrade to BS6 emission norms will come at a cost, but you can still expect the Skoda Rapid BS6's prices to go up only by a small margin when it is launched in the coming weeks.
The Skoda Rapid will go up against the new Honda City and updated Hyundai Verna, aside from the petrol-only Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Volkswagen Vento.
Think a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol will suffice in the Skoda Rapid? Let us know in the comments.
Also see:
Skoda Superb facelift makes India debut as petrol-only model
Skoda Kodiaq transitions into BS6 era with 2.0-litre petrol engine
Skoda Karoq debuts at Auto Expo 2020 as Jeep Compass rival