Skoda launched the base-spec BS6 Rapid Rider variant for a price of Rs 7.49 lakh which is the most affordable in its segment and with its new 1.0L turbo-petrol engine and plenty features, its a great value for money proposition.
Skoda recently launched the BS6 Rapid in India with a new 110hp 1.0L turbo-petrol engine, ditching the old 1.5L diesel engine and the 1.6L MPI petrol engine. But what really stands out for the BS6 Skoda Rapid is its starting price of Rs 7.49 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base-spec Rider variant. Let us give you some perspective. At this price, the BS6 Rapid is the most affordable mid-size sedan in the country; it is the most affordable Skoda in the country; it is also the most affordable car from the Volkswagen group with the new 1.0L TSI engine, even more affordable than the Polo 1.0L TSI.
The engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and it doesn’t skim on too many features either. Even for this base-spec Rapid, you get features such as automatic climate control, all four power windows with one-touch up/down function, 2-DIN sound system with four speakers and Bluetooth connectivity, remote central locking, rear defogger, front and rear adjustable headrests, rake/reach adjustment for the steering wheel, power-adjustable ORVMs, rear AC vents, front and rear centre armrests, two airbags, rear parking sensors and full-wheel covers. Yes, it does not get features such as alloy wheels, a touchscreen infotainment system and LED headlights, but the features list isn’t too short either.
Even a couple of years ago, what the Rapid Rider offers was still considered plenty for a car of this class. The question is whether the BS6 Skoda Rapid Rider is great value for money or is it a compromise where you could have got more. Let’s explore this in a little more detail and see what else can you buy for this money. And we will take you across various segments for this.
Like we already mentioned, the Rapid Rider even undercuts the price of the Volkswagen Polo TSI by Rs 53,000. But what’s really surprising is that the Rapid Rider undercuts the entry-level price of the Volkswagen Vento by a massive Rs 1.36 lakh. And both these cars are literally identical under the skin. The nearest other alternative in the mid-size sedan category is the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, entry-price for which is still Rs 82,000 higher. Other rivals of the Rapid like the current-gen Honda City, the Hyundai Verna and the Toyota Yaris are at least Rs 1.3 lakh higher.
But at this price, you could also be looking at other segments like that of the compact sedans. A similar amount of money will fetch you the Maruti Suzuki Dzire ZXI or the Honda Amaze V MT. These are higher-spec variants of both cars with additional features such as alloy wheels, steering wheel mounted controls and the Dzire even gets a touchscreen infotainment system. Both sedans are also significantly shorter than the Rapid which will be useful for buyers wanting to fit their cars in tight parking spots and they still offer generous amount of interior room as well.
Also Read : Ford Endeavour Gets A Turbo Petrol Engine From Ford Mustang!
You could also be looking at the premium hatchback segment with cars like the Maruti Suzuki Baleno Alpha, Tata Altroz XZ, Toyota Glanza V and Hyundai’s Elite i20 Sportz+. These are mostly top-spec variants of all these cars and they come very well equipped with all modern day features you could ask for. The Tata Altroz even comes with features such as semi-digital instrument cluster and cruise control. A similar amount of money could also get you one of the sub-compact SUVs like the Maruti Vitara Brezza, the Tata Nexon or Hyundai Venue. These variants are however very light on features and not much in demand either.
Also Read : Here’s How The Nissan Magnite Could Look Like Based On Rendering
So how well does the Skoda Rapid Rider make a case for itself? Well, it turns out a pretty strong case. Firstly, its really commendable that Skoda has been able to able to set the base price of the Rapid so low. The seond-in-line Ambient variant is priced Rs 2.50 lakh more and yet this base Rider variant does not skip out on the essentials. Its true that there are better equipped and perhaps more practical options in the from of premium hatchbacks, compact sedans and even sub-compact SUVs for a similar kind of money, but the Skoda Rapid Rider still is an extremely great value for money offering for what it is. Moreover, VW Group’s new 1.0L TSI engine is quite an exciting motor and that makes the new Rapid an even more promising proposition. It’s definitely on top of our recommendation list.
