New Skoda Rapid diesel auto review, test drive

This engine has a lot going for it. It’s a twin-cam unit, breathing through 16 valves and making its max torque from a low 1500rpm. Thanks to this, a squeeze of your right foot will result in a good amount of thrust from the get-go. The wide power band and strong midrange result in effortless performance. Overtaking is easy, the DSG ’box snaps up lower ratios almost as soon as you ask for downshifts, and the effortless gait that the car settles into makes it feel relaxed in most situations. Thanks to this, the Rapid covers ground rapidly and feels comfortable, even at high speeds. It’ll hit 100kph in 11.9 seconds, and we expect the figures to improve considerably once the car is fully run-in.