Skoda Rapid has been a successful product for the company since its launch. The car was launched in 2011-12 for the Indian market which shared the majority of its parts with the Volkswagen Vento. The car got an update in 2017 with a new design and some tweaks to the interior.
Why did Skoda Officially Remove the Rapid From Their Website?
The Rapid became old and outdated with time and the sales figures gradually went down as the competitors started to launch their products with new features and the Rapid couldn’t cope with the competition. So the reason is simple. The Skoda Rapid is up for a generation change and Skoda is all set to launch the successor of Rapid which is the Skoda Slavia.
The Skoda Rapid came with so many engine options with different updates. These include a
- 1.6-L, Naturally Aspirated, DOHC Petrol (MPI)
- 1.6-L, Turbo Charged, Common Rail Diesel(TDI)
- 1.5-L, Turbo Charged, Common Rail Diesel
- 1.0-L, Turbocharged Petrol (TSI)
All these engines were shared with the Volkswagen Vento with a 5-speed manual, 6 speed DSG and 7-speed Torque Converter gearbox which channelled the power to the front wheels.
The reason for the declined sales number is also because of the absence of Diesel engine. Skoda discontinued the diesel motor with the BS6 update. This made Skoda lose some more buyers.
Skoda Slavia offers more against the outgoing Rapid
As we mentioned already, the Skoda Slavia is a successor of the Rapid. The Rapid was built on Volkswagen’s PQ25 platform. But, the upcoming Skoda Slavia will be built on the new MQB platform which acts as a base for so many cars including Volkswagen’s, Audi’s and Skoda’s.
Apart from this, the new product will be having a new 1.5-L, Turbocharged petrol engine along with the older 1.0-L TSI unit. The Skoda Slavia will also be getting an all-new design language, a completely redesigned interior and exterior. The Skoda Slavia will be more premium and larger than the outgoing model.
What made the Rapid a great product?
Except for the outdated design and lack of features, the Skoda Rapid had some really strong points which made it a great buy. The Skoda Rapid came with amazing engine options along with its updates. These engines were punchy and had decent economy too.
The handling department of the car was also good, thanks to its steering wheel which had good feedback and the suspension setup which complimented the steering wheel. Both these made the rapid a dynamic car. The Rapid was one of the best family cars as it was comfortable for long drives.
