The Skoda Rapid hasn’t been doing too well on the sales charts. However, the new facelift infuses some freshness with the ageing car. While this facelift sure makes the car more appealing, it would be interesting to see if it would help the Rapid outsell hot-sellers like the Honda City and the Maruti Ciaz. It maybe noted that the Ciaz has been the highest selling car in the C2 segment. Thanks mainly to an attractive price tag, spacious and well appointed cabin and frugal engines, the Ciaz has a lot going for it. So will the Rapid facelift be able to make a dent on this Maruti’s sales performance? Read all about it in our New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz post here.
Also See – Skoda Rapid Facelift | Skoda Rapid Old vs New | Upcoming Sedans in India
New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz – Price in India
Currently, the prices of Ciaz start at Rs 7.53 Lakh. In comparison, prices of the Rapid start at Rs 8.35 Lakh. The Rapid has got a price hike with the launch of the new facelift. Hence, the Ciaz continues to enjoy a slight price advantage over the Rapid.
Petrol
| New 2016 Skoda Rapid | Maruti Ciaz | ||
| Active | Rs. 8.35 lakh | VXi | Rs. 7.53 lakh |
| Ambition Manual | Rs. 9.27 lakh | VXi Plus | Rs. 8.12 lakh |
| Ambition Automatic | Rs. 10.39 lakh | ZXi | Rs. 8.78 lakh |
| Style Manual | Rs. 10.44 lakh | AT VXi Plus | Rs. 9.29 lakh |
| Style Automatic | Rs. 11.46 lakh | ZXi Plus | Rs. 9.34 lakh |
| RS ZXi Plus | Rs. 9.48 lakh | ||
| AT ZXi | Rs. 9.94 lakh | ||
| AT ZXi Plus | Rs. 10.50 lakh | ||
Diesel
| New 2016 Skoda Rapid | Maruti Ciaz | ||
| Active | Rs. 9.57 lakh | VDI SHVS | Rs. 7.73 Lakh |
| Ambition Manual | Rs. 10.49 lakh | VDI PLUS SHVS | Rs. 8.28 Lakh |
| Ambition Automatic | Rs. 11.71 lakh | ZDI SHVS | Rs. 8.94 Lakh |
| Style Manual | Rs. 11.67 lakhs | ZDI PLUS SHVS | Rs. 9.55 Lakh |
| Style Automatic | Rs. 12.79 lakhs | RS ZDI PLUS SHVS | Rs. 9.64 Lakh |
Overall, the Skoda Rapid continues to command a premium over the Ciaz. There is a difference of 2 lakhs between the top end diesel Rapid and top end Diesel Ciaz!
Also See – 2016 Skoda Rapid vs VW Vento | Maruti Ciaz Review | Rapid vs City
New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz- Specifications Comparison
The new 2016 Skoda Rapid shares its petrol and diesel engines with the earlier model. Both these engines offer a good mix of performance and fuel mileage. The Diesel engine has been given a remap for more power and efficiency. In comparison, the Ciaz offers a 1.4-litre Petrol and a 1.3 Diesel engine. These engines offer sufficient power and torque. Also, thanks to the light weight of Ciaz, the car is pretty quick off the block. Fuel mileage is where the Ciaz really scores. The Diesel model is India’s most fuel efficient sedan!
Diesel
| 2016 Skoda Rapid | Maruti Ciaz | |
| Length x Width x Height | 4413 x 1699 x 1466 mm | 4490 x 1730 x 1485 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 163 mm | 170 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 1182-1228 KGs | 1115 kg |
| Wheel Type and Size | 15-inch alloys | 16-inch alloys |
| Boot Space | 460 L | 510 L |
| Engine Type/ Displacement | 1.5 L Diesel | 1.3 L Diesel |
| Power | 108 bhp | 89 bhp |
| Torque | 250 Nm | 200 Nm |
| Transmission (Gearbox) | 5-speed manual/7-speed Automatic | 5-speed Manual |
| Mileage | 21.13 KMPL (MT)/21.72 KMPL (AT) | 28 KMPL |
Petrol
| 2016 Skoda Rapid | Maruti Ciaz | |
| Length x Width x Height | 4413 x 1699 x 1466 mm | 4490 x 1730 x 1485 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 163 mm | 170 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 1140-1174 kg | 1010 kg |
| Wheel Type and Size | 15-inch alloys | 16-inch alloys |
| Boot Space | 460 L | 510 L |
| Engine Type/ Displacement | 1.6 L Petrol | 1.4 L Petrol |
| Power | 104 bhp | 91 BHP |
| Torque | 153 Nm | 130 Nm |
| Transmission (Gearbox) | 5-speed manual/6-speed Automatic | 5-speed Manual/4-Speed Automatic |
| Mileage | 15.41 KMPL (MT)/14.84 KMPL (AT) | 20.73 KMPL (MT)/19.12 KMPL (AT) |
As can be seen, the Rapid is more powerful than the Ciaz. Also, the Rapid offers better automatic transmissions. The Ciaz, however, scores higher almost everywhere else. It is not only dimensionally bigger, but is also more frugal. Overall, the Ciaz is the clear winner here.
New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz – Mileage Comparison
| Petrol | Diesel | |
| New Skoda Rapid | 15.41 KMPL (MT)/14.84 KMPL (AT) | 21.13 KMPL (MT)/21.72 KMPL (AT) |
| Maruti Ciaz | 20.73 KMPL | 28.09 KMPL |
New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz – Dimensions
| Skoda Rapid | Maruti Ciaz | |
| Length | 4413 mm | 4490 mm |
| Width | 1699 mm | 1730 mm |
| Height | 1466 mm | 1485 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2552 mm | 2650 mm |
| Fuel Tank | 55 litres | 43 litres |
| Boot Space | 460 litres | 510 litres |
New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz – Exterior Design
Much like the pre-facelift Rapid, the facelift has taken design cues from the Fabia. It now gets a sharper front-end. The front’s styling is now in line with Skoda’s latest design language. It boasts of sleeker headlamps that have projector units and LED DRLs. The hood and the grille are also new. Apart from this, the car also gets a slightly revised rear. In comparison, the Ciaz looks a lot more understated. While Maruti has sprinkled chrome at a few places, the Ciaz looks much simpler than the Rapid. That said, the Ciaz does look premium enough.
New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz – Interior Design
While the Rapid gets Polo-like interior, the Ciaz gets a spacious cabin that is decidedly more premium than other Marutis. The Rapid offers a brown-beige color theme. In comparison, the Ciaz offers a black-beige theme. The RS trims, however, get sportier all-black theme. Both the cars offer a long list of features.
New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz – Features
The Skoda Rapid facelift gets additional equipment over the pre-facelift model. Even the Ciaz is pretty feature-laden. Here’s a quick comparison of the two-
| New 2016 Skoda Rapid | Maruti Ciaz | |
| Air Conditioner Type | Automatic Climate Control | Automatic Climate Control |
| Power Windows | Yes (4) | Yes (4) |
| Central Locking | Yes | Yes |
| Steering Audio Controls | Yes | Yes |
| Audio System | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
| Airbags | 2 | 2 |
| ABS | Yes | Yes |
New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz – Verdict
We feel that both the Ciaz and the Rapid are as different as two C2 segment sedans can get. While one makes for a good family sedan and is easy on the pocket, the other is sporty and is expensive to both buy and run. It’s a matter of personal taste, seriously. However, here’s what our comparison results look like-
- Design – While the Rapid gets a modern ‘nose’, the Ciaz is all about understated elegance. Also, Rapid looks a lot like the Vento, which robs off the novelty value to some extent.
- Features – Both cars are evenly matched in this aspect.
- Specifications – The Rapid is definitely more performance-oriented. It gets more powerful engines and DSG ‘box. The Ciaz, however, offer higher fuel economy. It is also dimensionally bigger. For a family car, the Ciaz makes more sense. It’s not as exciting to drive though.
- Price -Rapid is priced higher than the Ciaz. Hence, the Ciaz looks like the more practical buy here.
So what are your thoughts about our New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz comparison? Do let us know via the comments section below and stay tuned to Car Blog India for more updates on the New 2016 Skoda Rapid vs Maruti Ciaz comparison once the price and other details have been made public.
