Skoda Rapid 2011-2014 1.6 MPI AT Ambition Plus Alloy

Skoda went through few major changes in its one of the most popular sedan, Rapid. The whole line up of Rapid has been turned over, and now only two trim lines- Ambition Plus and Elegance are on sale. Along with this, the Leisure trim still continues to be in the market as it had been launched as a special edition model. So, overall there are six petrol variants and two diesel variants including the Leisure variants too. The Skoda Rapid 1.6 MPI AT is the petrol variant of the range, which features 1.6-liter MPI petrol mill coupled with six speed automatic transmission. The powerful 1.6L MPI unit is capable of putting maximum power output of 103.6bhp at 5250rpm and 153Nm of top torque. This particular variant has been priced at Rs. 9.63 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) . As far as mileage is concerned, the petrol model with automatic transmission offers a mileage of 14.3kmpl.

Exteriors :

Skoda has developed an upmarket version of Rapid, placing it as a stronger competitor in the segment. As far as exteriors are concerned, there are not major changes at this front, while it retains the same classic and decent looking front design to the refreshed models. The Ambition Plus model being placed as lower in the series, it comes with 14-inch steel wheels with Comoros full wheel covers on them. The front again comprises of the same prominent radiator grille that has chrome treatment over it as well as adores chrome surround to the radiator grille. Adjoining to this grille, this time Skoda brings projector headlamps that serves sharper visibility. Also the manufacturers went for body color bumpers, external mirrors and door handles across all the variants. As before, the sedan carries the perfect blend of style and ultimate design to woo the customers.

Interiors :

To upscale the model, Skoda went for maximum changes at the interior front of the sedan. Skoda Rapid has now turned a more feature-rich sedan, which will definitely get a good response from the market, as even earlier the model had played well in terms of sales for the company. Talking about the newly added elements, the steering mounted audio controls makes the sedan ergonomically high, while the audio system too gets upmarket. An advanced music system with USB, Aux-In, MP3, SD card slot and Bluetooth connectivity is dedicatedly designed to serve the entertainment need of the passengers. To make the overall ambiance more premium and luxurious, few cabin elements like, steering wheel, gear-shift selector and hand-brake lever, all come wrapped in leather .

Engine and Performance :

As it was more of a feature upgrade process, the Skoda didn't preferred any changes at the mechanical specifications of the car. This particular petrol variant features 1.6-liter MPI, 16V DOHC , which is efficient enough to belt out maximum power output of 103.6bhp at 5250rpm and 153Nm of top torque at 3800rpm. In this case, the mill is combined with six speed automatic transmission gearbox, which operates to transmit drive at the front wheels of the sedan. With these engine specs, the company claims 14.3kmpl of fuel economy with the Ambition Plus AT variant. Skoda Rapid is known for its impressive performance, and has received many accolades for being one of the best suitable city sedan model.

Braking and Handling :

The braking system of Rapid is certainly of high efficiency as it comprises of, hydraulic dual-diagonal circuit braking system, and the front brakes are of Disc type with inner cooling, while the rear brakes are of drum type. Such highly designed braking system is definite to serve better braking power, and decelerates faster. The vehicle stops immediately in case of sudden braking events. On the other hand, the suspension system includes McPherson suspension with lower triangular links and torsion stabilizers at the front axle and compound link at the rear axle. This makes the ride very comfortable and effortless with Rapid, even on rough surfaces, which is quite common with the Indian roads.

Safety Features :

For the safety purpose, the Ambition Plus variant gets new projector headlamps with manual leveling, which provides improved visibility to the driver. Along with this there are front fog lamps that again supports clear vision. Other added features comprises of dual front airbags, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and dual rate brake assist, two three-point outer seatbelts and center lap belt at rear. Safety features like , acoustic warning signal for overrun speed, fuel supply cut-off in a crash, door-open indicator, child-proof rear door and rear window locking, height adjustable head restraints at both front and rear, were already there before and continues to be the part of the new Rapid.

Comfort Features :

Rapid is built of a platform which offers best-in-class comfort to the occupants. With adequate amount of headroom, legroom and elbowroom, this sedan can easily accommodate five passengers. There are several added features, which are aimed to provide superior comfort to the passengers. Talking about the petrol automatic variant, first highlight is the six-speed automatic gearbox that smoothly changes the gears, and offers superb ride with the sedan. The seats are height adjustable, while the front and rear center gets an armrest, steering wheel is also adjustable, manually regulated air conditioning, rear AC vents are also adjustable and many such convenient features are added to the variant. There are cupholders and storage compartments at various places, while the steering mounted audio controls are also meant to serve the comfort aspect.

Pros : Feature rich, engine performance.

Cons : Poor after sales service, pricing is little high.