Skoda Rapid Ownership review (Diesel)
Dear friends,I am writing this review after owning a Skoda Rapid Cappucino Beige 1.5 Diesel for 9 months and having done 11,300 kms!
Engine -1498 cc / 1.5 Litre Diesel
Mileage - 16.5 city, 22.7 (Achieved in the highways from Nagpur to Hyderabad)
Power - 104 BHP
Torque - 250 nm at 1500-2500 RPM
Appreciated for
A1. Excellent performance - A power packed car, it can be easily driven in the city without having to change gears much. On the highways, it delivers enough torque even in the 4th and 5th gears making overtaking a breeze! I've never done an overtake for more than 4 secs, while i used to take 7+ seconds to overtake trailers in the past in my earlier petrol car.
A2. Steering precision and stability - Response of the steering is uniform and sharp. Small efforts produce precision results. Good maneuverability and a decent turn radius for a car of its length. One can zip through traffic, change lanes quickly. The other key point i appreciate is the zero feedback on the steering wheel from bad roads or bumps, inspires confidence.
A3. Crisp gear changes - Gear throws are short and crisp and changes with a click sound. Talking of gear changes, once you're in the 3rd gear, you'd most probably wont need to switch down to 2nd gear unless you're under 15kmph. The 3rd gear has a great range down from 20kmph to about 55kmph, the most suitable ratios for a city drive that doesn't demand frequent gear changes.
A4. Excellent braking power and stability - With the rapid's brakes, one never feels out of control in any situation. Even if you jammed on the brakes, the brake assist is excellent and would bring you to a controlled slowdown / halt.
A5. Great AC - I did a 1600km drive over 2 days in temperatures ranging from 38 - 47 deg C and the air conditioning just works like magic, calm and composed, no stuffy feeling, you last longer in the cabin since you never feel low on oxygen even in recycled mode. One wouldn't need breaks too often. I took breaks once every 3hrs, while in other cars i've felt the urge to rush out of the cabin after 1.5hrs of driving.
A7. Very Torquey - Just demand the power by pressing extra on the accelerator, it just responds with glee. Rapid delivers such punch you get sucked back in to the seat like in an airplane during the take off run. You could load up the car with 3 suitcases, 5 people and drive effortlessly with a smile on your face. In my earlier car, i would have been jamming the controls to squeeze out some power and sheepishly smile at the co-passenger as he/she gives you the stare as if asking what are you trying to do!!
A9. Good mileage - I got a decent 16.6 kmpl everytime in the city with AC on all the time. On highways, the Skoda Rapid does anywhere between 20 and 22. I'd achieved a peak mileage of 22.7 KMPL on the Nagpur-Hyderabad highway, driving 80-90 kmph throughout. Check out the Rapid Diesel mileage video
A10. Quality cabin and good on safety - Good build quality, solid doors, no noises / rattles at high speeds. I'm told the roof is laser welded for added security and you wouldn't find the rubber beading on the roof like in most other cars. Excellent quality of plastics in the cabin. I'd parked the car for 2 hours at noon with temperatures close to 47 deg C, no plastic smell in the cabin. I'd never used a car perfume, the cabin is airy and great. It has also got enough bottle holders and a spacious glove box.
A12. Great muscular looks - Definitely great on looks is the Skoda Rapid. I owned a Cappucine beige colour with a black package. Its got those muscular lines and an angry look, which i admire about the car. Its got a serious look and gets the respect on the road!.
Downsides
D1. Suspension - Thuds into the cabin with a sound on many occasions. Very firm - which is great for highways in the way it handles but a big problem in the city and on bad roads. I felt this a huge discomfort! Having suffered a disc prolapse a few years ago, this suspension definitely does not encourage me to drive through roads with bad sections. Service tells me that the car wasn't designed keeping Indian road conditions in mind, now that's a big disadvantage!
D2. Low ground clearance, mud flaps don't last as they brush every speed breaker. I had to drive make the effort to drive around the bigger bumps in the road, everytime. If there are dug up roads or bumps, then i had to choose other routes to reach home. I'd envy some of my friends' cars with 180mm clearance who just casually pass over such bumps without getting thrown around / rocked.
D3 - Front seats are just enough. The seats are small compared to some cars in the sedan segment, under thigh support is lacking in the rear seats. Another minus on the comfort aspect. Also there is not enough leg room for the 5th passenger due to a high transmission tunnel. I had a bulky colleague who struggled to get in and out of the car and much worse, the driver's seat.
Lastly, maintenance can cost you considerably over the years since spares are costly.
To sum it up, it is a great car, an excellent performer! All said, ownership is an experience and the buy decision is based on what you need the most and not only on the specifications!
