Thread Starter
#1
The past:
My passion for speed started with 2 wheelers. The Yezdi, Road King, the lot... I wanted something different, so I searched all over the place and bought a used Yezdi Classic in the year 1985 from a friend’s friend. I have never had so much fun on any other bike until date, so many fond memories… Mr. Mohan Rao – Ex Engineer, Ideal Jawa Ltd, Mysore (Visweswpuram, Bangalore) should be credited for being patient with my precise needs of how the bike should deliver the power I wanted. First, we changed to Mikuni Carburetor. We have replaced cylinders & pistons, to get to this level… Modding a Yezdi in India is not easy which would result in performance that is very close to my Heart…. Anyway, I wanted something different. I have clocked 100+ on this many times during those days …. Remember the Bangalore Roads were highly notorious for cross roads everywhere, rash driving throwing caution to the winds, and little respect for Road Rules or other drivers on road, not to mention potholes aplenty.
Fast-forward 10 yrs. from then to 1995…
I decided to buy a car finally. My budget was 1.0 lakhs, the motor had to be free revving and punchy, and the car had to handle well. Nothing else fitted the bill other than an Ambassador. It looked awesome as well. Therefore, I picked up an Ambassador from Karnataka Police Auction – it was a Petrol Engine Car used by Deputy Commissioner of Bangalore, very well maintained, but sold due to Government policy to replace ageing cars periodically.
Within a year, got a Matador 301 (OM 616) Diesel Engine installed in Coimbatore, got heavy duty Clutch Plates, Tata 407 Break Fluid Pump, Premier Padmini Clutch Finger Kit so that the Clutch feels soft on the feet, complete upholstery makeover. Loved it.
In 1996, we drove down to Hassan, Belur & Halebedu and we touched 110kmph quite a few times (90~100kmph was regular). The car was running as good as new, its engine was butter smooth, always ran on Castrol Engine Oil/Gear Oil/Brake fluid/Coolant. I had some much fun in this car for 8.5 yrs., many memorable adventures; - sold the beloved Ambassador in 2004… and I miss it dearly.
The Second Car – after 2 Wheeler Accident
During those days, regular commute to work was by two Wheeler – Bajaj Chetak. However, I suffered a freak accident in 1998; a speeding fully loaded Matador Luggage Carrier rammed me from behind when I was waiting for Traffic Signal. Reason – break failure, which was true. The impact threw me out of my scooter, I landed on my back in the nearby Stone kerb (which was common in Bangalore those days) and the fall fractured my Coccyx, or Tailbone, the Coccyx functions to anchor several muscles of the pelvic region and acts as one of the bones that bear the body’s weight while sitting. Doctor advised me not to use two-wheeler, as Surgery could be risky.
On medical advice, we started to look out for a Car that was easy on the purse. I decided to buy a used Premier Padmini and soon converted it to run on LPG (as CNG was not available in Bangalore). My car would run 315~340 kms on 14.2 kg Gas cylinder. The running cost was only slightly higher than that of two-wheeler.
I sold both my cars in 2004, as I was moving to Gulf seeking Greener pastures in career.
The present - the search for the new car:
In the year 2013 around October, on my relocation from Gulf I thought of buying a new car. The search started. VW Vento, Hyundai Verna, Fiat Linea, Renault Scala, Suzuki SX4 and Skoda Rapid came into picture, which seem sufficient to cater my needs.
As days passed, we keep on searching internet forums to read thousands of pages all about all the cars considered by me and interviewed all my friends who own some of these. Might be one of the biggest search I made for something.
Requirements:
1. Diesel - 16v DOHC Common-rail with a Variable Geometry Turbo
2. Engine: 1.6 ~ 2.0 liter or higher, I was hoping for 1.4 TSI Twin charger VW Jetta
3. Horsepower: 120~160BHP or higher (I was targeting ~100 BHP / ton)
4. Torque: 25 kgm or higher
5. No turbo lag - little lag was acceptable if everything was brilliant in the car
6. Gearbox: 6 speed (or a brilliant 5 speed box was acceptable).
7. Length – 4400 mm, wheel base – 2550 mm, Height – 1500 mm, width – 1800 mm
8. Top speed: ~200 kmph ( I have clocked 200+ kmph in KSA on - Chevrolet Caprice, Chevrolet Lumina, Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla)
9. Mileage ~10 + kmpl in city
10. Brakes: All round discs
11. Wheels: 16 inch alloys, 205/55~60 tyres
12. Safety: ABS + EBD, 2 Airbags minimum
13. Handling: No body roll, shouldn’t wallop around during hard cornering
14. Steering feedback should be direct
15. Stiff Suspension for smooth ride
16. A/C climate control with rear vents
17. Audio system with USB
18. Steering mounted audio controls
19. Auto sense headlights and Rain Sense wiper
20. Rear Glass defogger
21. Real-time mileage indicator / distance to empty in the HUD
22. Electrically adjustable side view mirrors with Turn Indicators
23. Auto dimming inside mirror
24. Fog lights with LED DRL
25. Dual barrel Headlights with HID Projectors
26. Rear park sensors with Reverse Camera
27. Touch screen Music system with GPS Navigation
Yeah, I had the bar set very high, moreover, wanted a lot for very less, finally the Price: I froze on an extended budget of around 12 lakhs
Therefore, I set out to test drive the best cars. This was October-through-November’2013. I straight away dismissed *most* of the Petrol’s in the market as they did not have a Turbo, also dismissed all the Diesels under 100BHP (Renault Scala, Fiat Linea, Suzuki SX4, etc.) as they really did not feel enough for my taste.
Hyundai (fluidic) Verna SX 1.6 VGT: I love the way this baby looks. Love how refined the CRDI engine is, you can hardly hear it. Personally, the car does not feel like it has 126BHP under the hood. Too sluggish for my taste for city driving. Hate the gearbox. With a 6 speed box, do not understand how the 5th and the 4th gears should hit almost the same top speed…yes, I know there’s a marginal difference of about 10kmph. The tall ratios reflect in the in-gear acceleration times and makes the turbo lag quite pronounced in the city. 0-100 is good in 10.54s, but in-gear acceleration figures (20-80 in 3rd at 13s, and 30-100 in 4th at 15.1s) were ridiculous for a car with 126BHP and 6 gears. This thing has all round discs, but does not feel that way either. I hate the handling, lack of steering feedback, loathed the body roll and it scared the crap out of me when I experienced how unstable it was at high speeds. (A Friend crashed his Verna while driving at 120 kmph, the Airbags did not activate, the ABS did not work, etc.) Deleted it from my list of probable cars. I wish Hyundai would learn someday, no offence to those who love the new Verna, just expressing my point of view.
VW Vento 1.6 TDI Highline: Brilliant and punchy motor, revs quite freely for a diesel, amazing torque of 25kgm. Virtually no turbo lag, good 5 speed gearbox with excellent gear ratios, looks great, pricing is fine …Did not like the fact that the engine was a little noisy and that the handling /steering feedback was ok/acceptable (not great). The 0-100 (11.30s) figures do not do justice on paper as it feels faster than that, but the brilliant part is the in-gear acceleration. 20-80 in 3rd (9.24s), and 30-100 in 4th (10.5s) is unbelievable for a car in this class. Compare it to the Skoda Laura 1.8 TSI’s in-gear acceleration figures of 20-80 in 3rd (9.47s) and 30-100 in 4th (10.79s) – the Vento is actually quicker in-gear, the mileage is great too at 13.1kmpl in the city. Feature rich, and I also had the safety features I wanted. The Vento also just got Steering mounted audio controls Rear-parking sensors and USB input in the audio system as well. I was just wishing the diesel clatter (NVH) was slightly better, the handling could have been slightly better, and wishing it had 16” wheels with 195/60 or 205/55 tyres. I liked this car but wanted to explore other options before I decided.
VW Jetta 2.0 TDI – Highline: What a package. Has pretty much everything anyone needs, Looks fantastic, handles well, punchy motor, the DSG is phenomenal as usual, you get 8 airbags, traction control, Electronic stability program, Electronic Differential Lock, etc. – so it’s as safe as safe can get, and very clever. Similar acceleration and fuel economy as the Laura (same engine and weight as the Laura, so obviously), and, you have one extra gizmo - the paddle shifts. The best fun I have had in my entire life. The best test drive of any car in India. If anyone has not yet driven the Jetta Highline DSG with paddles, take a test drive ASAP. You will not be disappointed. When I decide to buy an automatic, it had to be a diesel with DSG of course, but it had to have paddle shifts. Jetta was the new automatic of choice. What I did not like is that when you pay 20+L, you do not get USB input in the audio system, and you do not get climate control either. I think they will throw these into the next refresh, whenever it happens. I also wanted to test drive the Jetta manual, but they did not have one.
Skoda Rapid MT 1.6 TDI Elegance:
I read the Auto car preview, looked good. Then the Team-BHP review, and man – what a review. It was beautifully crafted, and as detailed as ever. After reading the review, I ran to the nearest Skoda showroom and took a hard look at the car. It was love at first sight. Then I drove it, thrice in 3 days – I began to appreciate the improved handling and NVH (as compared to the Vento). I was impressed, Skoda had apparently communicated (as per some websites) that the 0-100 is 10.8s for the TDI (as compared to the Vento’s measured 11.3s. Hmm… not sure, how far this is true, we will know when Auto car or somebody else measures it in more detail, but note that the Rapid is very slightly lighter. The engine felt very nice for sure, slightly better than the Vento for some reason, and equally punchy or better. The in-gear acceleration figures should be the same as the Vento. It certainly felt very quick, identical or better than the Vento. In addition, I get the TDI Elegance for 12L, which is 80k cheaper than the Vento Comfort line. Of course, you get Steering audio controls, USB input in the audio system and Rear park sensors, but after negotiating with the dealer, I managed Car Mats, Steel Scuff Plates, and High Security Number Plates as Complementary. The Rapid was looking like a very good deal; the best part was that I was highly impressed by the engine.
Now, I had to decide between the Skoda Rapid Elegance and VW Vento 1.6 TDI Highline. I slept on this for a few days. I could not decide for almost a week, Then, I just froze on the Rapid – it is extremely good value for money, its Diesel and very fuel efficient, so my running costs are very low. In addition, I will get a good resale value when I sell it.
I had countless arguments with myself, cause the Rapid did not meet some of the over-enthusiastic minimum requirements that I had set for myself:
Rapid’s Specifications:
1. Engine: 1.6L TDI CR,16V DOHC with VGT (variable geometry turbo)
2. Horsepower: 103BHP@4400 rpm
3. Power to Weight: 87BHP/Ton
4. Torque: 25 kgm or 250Nm@2500 No turbo lag -
5. Transmission: 5-speed fully synchronized
6. Length – 4386 mm, wheel base – 2552 mm, Height – 1466 mm, width – 1699 mm
7. Top speed: Rapid will hit a ‘true’ 186kmph. That is like 190/195kmph on the speedo. 200kmph on the speedo is good enough for me.
8. Mileage: Rapid gives 20.5* kmpl (Rule 115 of CMVR)
9. Braking system: Hydraulic dual-diagonal circuit braking system vacuum assisted
10. Brake Front: Disc brakes with inner cooling, with single/piston floating caliper
11. Brake Rear: Drum brakes
12. Wheels: 16 inch alloys, 185/60 R15 tyres
13. Safety: ABS + EBD, 2 Airbags
14. Security: Engine immobilizer with floating code system
15. Steering: Direct rack and pinion steering with electro mechanic power steering
16. Front Axle: McPherson suspension with lower triangular links torsion stabilizer
17. Rear Axle: Compound link crank-axle
18. A/C: Automatic with electronic regulation of cabin temperature
19. Audio system: ŠKODA 2-DIN audio player with large format display
20. ORVM: Electrically adjustable external mirrors
21. Multi-Function Display: Travelling time, distance travelled, average speed, immediate consumption. Average consumption, distance to refueling, service interval, outside temperature, clock, etc.
22. Storage: 460 liters luggage compartment space
Therefore, the Rapid TDI Elegance it was, and I do not regret it at all.
Again, this decision would not have been possible if not for the awesome and timely Team-BHP review. You guys rock. Thank you very much. Anyway, thought I would share all this as this might help somebody else looking for a car in this segment (or the next segment).
On 13th December 2013, paid booking advance of INR 25,000. Moreover, the wait began. Finally got a call on 17th December 2013, informing that the car is billed from the factory and can be sent for registration by the end of next week. The car reached stockyard on 16th December 2013. Made payment on 19th of December 2013, and finally got delivery on 20th of December 2013, one of the luckiest day in my life after a long wait.
Delivery Experience with Skoda customer care/dealers:
Meter was showing around 18 kms at the time of delivery, my observations are
1. Solid tank like build quality.
2. Exceptional paint, fit, finish and interiors.
3. Superb steering wheel, effortless driving and a premium feel inside.
4. No problems with rear view as reported by some people.
5. Smooth engine performance, no cabin noise once you close windows.
6. Tilt and telescopic steering is a boon.
7. No problems with front view as seat height adjustment, compensates to it.
8. Effective AC.
9. Superb ride quality, absorbs bumps, no rattle sounds.
10. Super smooth gearshift adds to joy of driving, my next will be an automatic.
11. High speed stability.
12. The rear seat is comfortable and spacious, enough legroom.
13. Got parking sensor from dealer. Both performing good.
14. My car is an eye candy to everybody.
Disclaimer: All performance and fuel efficiency figures quoted are courtesy Auto car India Magazine, but of course, it does not take a genius to understand they are accurate when you drive the cars.
My passion for speed started with 2 wheelers. The Yezdi, Road King, the lot... I wanted something different, so I searched all over the place and bought a used Yezdi Classic in the year 1985 from a friend’s friend. I have never had so much fun on any other bike until date, so many fond memories… Mr. Mohan Rao – Ex Engineer, Ideal Jawa Ltd, Mysore (Visweswpuram, Bangalore) should be credited for being patient with my precise needs of how the bike should deliver the power I wanted. First, we changed to Mikuni Carburetor. We have replaced cylinders & pistons, to get to this level… Modding a Yezdi in India is not easy which would result in performance that is very close to my Heart…. Anyway, I wanted something different. I have clocked 100+ on this many times during those days …. Remember the Bangalore Roads were highly notorious for cross roads everywhere, rash driving throwing caution to the winds, and little respect for Road Rules or other drivers on road, not to mention potholes aplenty.
Fast-forward 10 yrs. from then to 1995…
I decided to buy a car finally. My budget was 1.0 lakhs, the motor had to be free revving and punchy, and the car had to handle well. Nothing else fitted the bill other than an Ambassador. It looked awesome as well. Therefore, I picked up an Ambassador from Karnataka Police Auction – it was a Petrol Engine Car used by Deputy Commissioner of Bangalore, very well maintained, but sold due to Government policy to replace ageing cars periodically.
Within a year, got a Matador 301 (OM 616) Diesel Engine installed in Coimbatore, got heavy duty Clutch Plates, Tata 407 Break Fluid Pump, Premier Padmini Clutch Finger Kit so that the Clutch feels soft on the feet, complete upholstery makeover. Loved it.
In 1996, we drove down to Hassan, Belur & Halebedu and we touched 110kmph quite a few times (90~100kmph was regular). The car was running as good as new, its engine was butter smooth, always ran on Castrol Engine Oil/Gear Oil/Brake fluid/Coolant. I had some much fun in this car for 8.5 yrs., many memorable adventures; - sold the beloved Ambassador in 2004… and I miss it dearly.
The Second Car – after 2 Wheeler Accident
During those days, regular commute to work was by two Wheeler – Bajaj Chetak. However, I suffered a freak accident in 1998; a speeding fully loaded Matador Luggage Carrier rammed me from behind when I was waiting for Traffic Signal. Reason – break failure, which was true. The impact threw me out of my scooter, I landed on my back in the nearby Stone kerb (which was common in Bangalore those days) and the fall fractured my Coccyx, or Tailbone, the Coccyx functions to anchor several muscles of the pelvic region and acts as one of the bones that bear the body’s weight while sitting. Doctor advised me not to use two-wheeler, as Surgery could be risky.
On medical advice, we started to look out for a Car that was easy on the purse. I decided to buy a used Premier Padmini and soon converted it to run on LPG (as CNG was not available in Bangalore). My car would run 315~340 kms on 14.2 kg Gas cylinder. The running cost was only slightly higher than that of two-wheeler.
I sold both my cars in 2004, as I was moving to Gulf seeking Greener pastures in career.
The present - the search for the new car:
In the year 2013 around October, on my relocation from Gulf I thought of buying a new car. The search started. VW Vento, Hyundai Verna, Fiat Linea, Renault Scala, Suzuki SX4 and Skoda Rapid came into picture, which seem sufficient to cater my needs.
As days passed, we keep on searching internet forums to read thousands of pages all about all the cars considered by me and interviewed all my friends who own some of these. Might be one of the biggest search I made for something.
Requirements:
1. Diesel - 16v DOHC Common-rail with a Variable Geometry Turbo
2. Engine: 1.6 ~ 2.0 liter or higher, I was hoping for 1.4 TSI Twin charger VW Jetta
3. Horsepower: 120~160BHP or higher (I was targeting ~100 BHP / ton)
4. Torque: 25 kgm or higher
5. No turbo lag - little lag was acceptable if everything was brilliant in the car
6. Gearbox: 6 speed (or a brilliant 5 speed box was acceptable).
7. Length – 4400 mm, wheel base – 2550 mm, Height – 1500 mm, width – 1800 mm
8. Top speed: ~200 kmph ( I have clocked 200+ kmph in KSA on - Chevrolet Caprice, Chevrolet Lumina, Honda Accord, Toyota Corolla)
9. Mileage ~10 + kmpl in city
10. Brakes: All round discs
11. Wheels: 16 inch alloys, 205/55~60 tyres
12. Safety: ABS + EBD, 2 Airbags minimum
13. Handling: No body roll, shouldn’t wallop around during hard cornering
14. Steering feedback should be direct
15. Stiff Suspension for smooth ride
16. A/C climate control with rear vents
17. Audio system with USB
18. Steering mounted audio controls
19. Auto sense headlights and Rain Sense wiper
20. Rear Glass defogger
21. Real-time mileage indicator / distance to empty in the HUD
22. Electrically adjustable side view mirrors with Turn Indicators
23. Auto dimming inside mirror
24. Fog lights with LED DRL
25. Dual barrel Headlights with HID Projectors
26. Rear park sensors with Reverse Camera
27. Touch screen Music system with GPS Navigation
Yeah, I had the bar set very high, moreover, wanted a lot for very less, finally the Price: I froze on an extended budget of around 12 lakhs
Therefore, I set out to test drive the best cars. This was October-through-November’2013. I straight away dismissed *most* of the Petrol’s in the market as they did not have a Turbo, also dismissed all the Diesels under 100BHP (Renault Scala, Fiat Linea, Suzuki SX4, etc.) as they really did not feel enough for my taste.
Hyundai (fluidic) Verna SX 1.6 VGT: I love the way this baby looks. Love how refined the CRDI engine is, you can hardly hear it. Personally, the car does not feel like it has 126BHP under the hood. Too sluggish for my taste for city driving. Hate the gearbox. With a 6 speed box, do not understand how the 5th and the 4th gears should hit almost the same top speed…yes, I know there’s a marginal difference of about 10kmph. The tall ratios reflect in the in-gear acceleration times and makes the turbo lag quite pronounced in the city. 0-100 is good in 10.54s, but in-gear acceleration figures (20-80 in 3rd at 13s, and 30-100 in 4th at 15.1s) were ridiculous for a car with 126BHP and 6 gears. This thing has all round discs, but does not feel that way either. I hate the handling, lack of steering feedback, loathed the body roll and it scared the crap out of me when I experienced how unstable it was at high speeds. (A Friend crashed his Verna while driving at 120 kmph, the Airbags did not activate, the ABS did not work, etc.) Deleted it from my list of probable cars. I wish Hyundai would learn someday, no offence to those who love the new Verna, just expressing my point of view.
VW Vento 1.6 TDI Highline: Brilliant and punchy motor, revs quite freely for a diesel, amazing torque of 25kgm. Virtually no turbo lag, good 5 speed gearbox with excellent gear ratios, looks great, pricing is fine …Did not like the fact that the engine was a little noisy and that the handling /steering feedback was ok/acceptable (not great). The 0-100 (11.30s) figures do not do justice on paper as it feels faster than that, but the brilliant part is the in-gear acceleration. 20-80 in 3rd (9.24s), and 30-100 in 4th (10.5s) is unbelievable for a car in this class. Compare it to the Skoda Laura 1.8 TSI’s in-gear acceleration figures of 20-80 in 3rd (9.47s) and 30-100 in 4th (10.79s) – the Vento is actually quicker in-gear, the mileage is great too at 13.1kmpl in the city. Feature rich, and I also had the safety features I wanted. The Vento also just got Steering mounted audio controls Rear-parking sensors and USB input in the audio system as well. I was just wishing the diesel clatter (NVH) was slightly better, the handling could have been slightly better, and wishing it had 16” wheels with 195/60 or 205/55 tyres. I liked this car but wanted to explore other options before I decided.
VW Jetta 2.0 TDI – Highline: What a package. Has pretty much everything anyone needs, Looks fantastic, handles well, punchy motor, the DSG is phenomenal as usual, you get 8 airbags, traction control, Electronic stability program, Electronic Differential Lock, etc. – so it’s as safe as safe can get, and very clever. Similar acceleration and fuel economy as the Laura (same engine and weight as the Laura, so obviously), and, you have one extra gizmo - the paddle shifts. The best fun I have had in my entire life. The best test drive of any car in India. If anyone has not yet driven the Jetta Highline DSG with paddles, take a test drive ASAP. You will not be disappointed. When I decide to buy an automatic, it had to be a diesel with DSG of course, but it had to have paddle shifts. Jetta was the new automatic of choice. What I did not like is that when you pay 20+L, you do not get USB input in the audio system, and you do not get climate control either. I think they will throw these into the next refresh, whenever it happens. I also wanted to test drive the Jetta manual, but they did not have one.
Skoda Rapid MT 1.6 TDI Elegance:
I read the Auto car preview, looked good. Then the Team-BHP review, and man – what a review. It was beautifully crafted, and as detailed as ever. After reading the review, I ran to the nearest Skoda showroom and took a hard look at the car. It was love at first sight. Then I drove it, thrice in 3 days – I began to appreciate the improved handling and NVH (as compared to the Vento). I was impressed, Skoda had apparently communicated (as per some websites) that the 0-100 is 10.8s for the TDI (as compared to the Vento’s measured 11.3s. Hmm… not sure, how far this is true, we will know when Auto car or somebody else measures it in more detail, but note that the Rapid is very slightly lighter. The engine felt very nice for sure, slightly better than the Vento for some reason, and equally punchy or better. The in-gear acceleration figures should be the same as the Vento. It certainly felt very quick, identical or better than the Vento. In addition, I get the TDI Elegance for 12L, which is 80k cheaper than the Vento Comfort line. Of course, you get Steering audio controls, USB input in the audio system and Rear park sensors, but after negotiating with the dealer, I managed Car Mats, Steel Scuff Plates, and High Security Number Plates as Complementary. The Rapid was looking like a very good deal; the best part was that I was highly impressed by the engine.
Now, I had to decide between the Skoda Rapid Elegance and VW Vento 1.6 TDI Highline. I slept on this for a few days. I could not decide for almost a week, Then, I just froze on the Rapid – it is extremely good value for money, its Diesel and very fuel efficient, so my running costs are very low. In addition, I will get a good resale value when I sell it.
I had countless arguments with myself, cause the Rapid did not meet some of the over-enthusiastic minimum requirements that I had set for myself:
Rapid’s Specifications:
1. Engine: 1.6L TDI CR,16V DOHC with VGT (variable geometry turbo)
2. Horsepower: 103BHP@4400 rpm
3. Power to Weight: 87BHP/Ton
4. Torque: 25 kgm or 250Nm@2500 No turbo lag -
5. Transmission: 5-speed fully synchronized
6. Length – 4386 mm, wheel base – 2552 mm, Height – 1466 mm, width – 1699 mm
7. Top speed: Rapid will hit a ‘true’ 186kmph. That is like 190/195kmph on the speedo. 200kmph on the speedo is good enough for me.
8. Mileage: Rapid gives 20.5* kmpl (Rule 115 of CMVR)
9. Braking system: Hydraulic dual-diagonal circuit braking system vacuum assisted
10. Brake Front: Disc brakes with inner cooling, with single/piston floating caliper
11. Brake Rear: Drum brakes
12. Wheels: 16 inch alloys, 185/60 R15 tyres
13. Safety: ABS + EBD, 2 Airbags
14. Security: Engine immobilizer with floating code system
15. Steering: Direct rack and pinion steering with electro mechanic power steering
16. Front Axle: McPherson suspension with lower triangular links torsion stabilizer
17. Rear Axle: Compound link crank-axle
18. A/C: Automatic with electronic regulation of cabin temperature
19. Audio system: ŠKODA 2-DIN audio player with large format display
20. ORVM: Electrically adjustable external mirrors
21. Multi-Function Display: Travelling time, distance travelled, average speed, immediate consumption. Average consumption, distance to refueling, service interval, outside temperature, clock, etc.
22. Storage: 460 liters luggage compartment space
Therefore, the Rapid TDI Elegance it was, and I do not regret it at all.
Again, this decision would not have been possible if not for the awesome and timely Team-BHP review. You guys rock. Thank you very much. Anyway, thought I would share all this as this might help somebody else looking for a car in this segment (or the next segment).
On 13th December 2013, paid booking advance of INR 25,000. Moreover, the wait began. Finally got a call on 17th December 2013, informing that the car is billed from the factory and can be sent for registration by the end of next week. The car reached stockyard on 16th December 2013. Made payment on 19th of December 2013, and finally got delivery on 20th of December 2013, one of the luckiest day in my life after a long wait.
Delivery Experience with Skoda customer care/dealers:
Meter was showing around 18 kms at the time of delivery, my observations are
1. Solid tank like build quality.
2. Exceptional paint, fit, finish and interiors.
3. Superb steering wheel, effortless driving and a premium feel inside.
4. No problems with rear view as reported by some people.
5. Smooth engine performance, no cabin noise once you close windows.
6. Tilt and telescopic steering is a boon.
7. No problems with front view as seat height adjustment, compensates to it.
8. Effective AC.
9. Superb ride quality, absorbs bumps, no rattle sounds.
10. Super smooth gearshift adds to joy of driving, my next will be an automatic.
11. High speed stability.
12. The rear seat is comfortable and spacious, enough legroom.
13. Got parking sensor from dealer. Both performing good.
14. My car is an eye candy to everybody.
Disclaimer: All performance and fuel efficiency figures quoted are courtesy Auto car India Magazine, but of course, it does not take a genius to understand they are accurate when you drive the cars.
![[thumbsup]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Thumbs%20Up.png "Thumbs Up [thumbsup]")
Nice review and this definitely looks grand in black. Happy riding and keep updating on the experience.
![[cheers]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Cheers.gif "Cheers [cheers]")
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