The India-bound all-new 2020 Skoda Rapid has just made its world debut in Russia, where it will go on sale for RUB 8,29,000 (Rs 9.23 lakh) onward early next year
Skoda Auto has just unveiled the 2020 Skoda Rapid. The new model has been revealed in Russia, where it will be sold at a starting price of RUB 8,29,000 (INR 9.23 lakh) from the first quarter of next year. The more interesting bit here is that this is the same model that is also headed to India, albeit, with a handful of market-specific changes.
The all-new 2020 Skoda Rapid retains the liftback (aka notchback) format but comes across as a far more sharply styled car than the outgoing model. The front-end is characterized by sleek arrow-shaped headlights with built-in LEDs. On the other hand, the rear features L-shaped taillights with a crystalline design. It also gets bold ‘Skoda’ branding on the boot lid.
The interior is also completely revamped and comes across as a substantial upgrade over the previous generation. It is built up of more premium materials, while the dashboard has a floating type infotainment unit. It also offers ambient light to give the cabin a richer ambience. Finally, the analogue instrument cluster has made way for a fully digital unit.
The Russia-spec model will be on sale with two options for the steering wheel. While one of these is a regular 3-spoke unit, the other is a 2-spoke one with a heating feature. Russia will even get a heated windshield to help the users during extremely cold winters of the country.
The 2020 Skoda Rapid will be available in a range of engine options for the Russian market. These include 90 PS and 110 PS versions of a 1.6-litre MPi naturally aspirated and a 125 PS 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged engines. The base motor comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, while the 110 PS version can be had with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed auto unit. The top-spec engine comes mated to a 7-speed DSG.
In India, the 2020 Skoda Rapid will have to make do with a single-engine option in the form of a 1.0 TSI turbocharged petrol engine with a maximum power of 115 PS and a peak torque of 250 Nm. The Indian model will be underpinned by the highly anticipated MQB AO IN platform and expected to be launched by mid-2021.
