Skoda Rapid 1.0 TSI pre-bookings start, launch scheduled for mid-April

With the launch scheduled for April, Skoda has announced the start of bookings for the BS-VI compliant Rapid sedan. The car was unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo with a new 1.0 litre TSI engine that is also available in the Volkswagen Polo and Vento.

The new Rapid, along with the engine upgrade, also gets a few minor cosmetic upgrades. The front is now garnished with LED DRLs for the headlamp, the sides get a new set of alloy rims and the rear gets a new boot-lid spoiler and diffuser.

There are no power figures announced for the car yet, but the new 1-litre 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine is expected to churn out the same 110 PS of power and 175 Nm of torque as the Polo and Vento. Transmission options are expected to be a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Skoda has also decided to drop the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated diesel engine from its lineup.

On the interiors, largely nothing is set to change except for the addition of a larger, touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Zac Hollis, Brand Director - Skoda Auto India, said, “The state of the art 1.0 TSI (Turbocharged Stratified Injection) petrol engine, to be introduced with the Skoda Rapid, is central to our BS-6 powertrain and fuel strategy - offering an exceptional power output as well as excellent fuel economy."

Deliveries for the Skoda Rapid are set to start on April 14 and it can be booked for a token amount of Rs 50,000. The sedan will go up against the likes of the Volkswagen Vento, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.