The Skoda Rapid is not a car you buy with your heart, but it definitely appeals to the head. It doesn’t hurt the eye, having good proportions and clear lines, and a typical VW Group interior that places function over form. Now, the Czech automaker has updated the car for the new, 2014 model year, and the main addition is that instant kudos-builder – Xenon headlamps.
There’s also a new 1.6 TDI, which puts out 90PS (89hp), and can be coupled to either a seven-speed dual clutch transmission or five-speed manual gearbox, and it can even be had in ultra-efficient ‘Green tec’ trim, in which case it manages a claimed 3.9 l/100km (72.4 mpg UK) thanks to the addition of low rolling resistance tires, a stop-start system and regenerative braking.
Still, it is one of six available engines, so if all-out efficiency isn’t your priority, then the 1.4 TSI, which puts out 122PS (120hp). Besides, it too can be had in ‘Green tec’ trim, meaning that the car can be customized in a variety of ways, depending on the buyer’s needs/concerns. This is not customization like the one you get on a Fiat 500 or Renault Captur, but it definitely is a deeper experience, because the options you choose don’t just involve the swapping of plastic panels and covers.
Speaking of plastic panels, the refreshed Rapid also benefits from multiple interior improvements, like a new sportier-looking three-prong steering wheel, different trim materials and new seat covers. That pretty much concludes the list of improvements brought to the car, sales of which commence in Europe on August 5.
By Andrei Nedelea
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