2014 Skoda Rapid 1.5L DSG

The Skoda Rapid DSG has been launched in India at a price of between Rs. 10.34 - 10.97 Lakhs (ex-Delhi).

What you'll like:

• Smooth & convenient 7-Speed DSG Automatic. Lightning fast upshifts
• Competent 1.5L diesel engine. Good driveability & performance
• Safety kit: ESC (electronic stability control), hill-hold function, ABS & dual airbags
• An automatic that provides excellent fuel economy too
• European build quality is more solid than most competitors
• Mature suspension. Balanced ride & handling package
• Features such as projector headlamps, rake & reach steering, cruise control, adjustable driver armrest, rear air-con etc. 

What you won't:

• Long-term reliability concerns over the DQ200 DSG transmission
• 1.5L TDI is loud & gruffy at high rpm. Not as explosive as the outgoing 1.6L TDI either
• Tall rear floor hump makes the Rapid more suited as a 4 seater, than 5
• This model is now among the oldest from the C2 sedan segment. Fresher alternatives are available
• No styling changes. It's the last car to retain Skoda's earlier design language
• Rapid doesn't get the 1.2L TSI engine from the Vento. Lacklustre 1.6L MPI continues
• Skoda’s ill-famed after sales service & dealer network

The big news with the 2014 Rapid isn't the 1.5L diesel as much as the DSG automatic gearbox is. The transmission on offer is the familiar DQ200 7-speed DSG, and not the 6-speed DQ250 used with bigger diesels like the Octavia, Jetta & Superb. This dry-clutch type DQ200 is mated with smaller engines that develop up to 250 Nm torque...the exact torque rating of the Rapid (the wet-type 6-speed DQ250 can handle more torque). Since this is the max torque that the DQ200 is friendly with, we advise Rapid / Vento DSG owners to avoid aftermarket performance remaps. 

VW & Skoda have previously used the DQ200 only for their petrol cars. The advantage of this transmission is the additional gear ratio which brings better fuel economy, especially on the highway. Consider the ARAI fuel efficiency figures - the Rapid DSG's rating of 21.66 kpl is higher than even the Rapid MT's 21.14 kpl. As an owner of a Laura DSG, I can assure you that the fuel economy difference will be more in heavy traffic conditions where frequent gear shifting is required. Unlike an MT which requires a lot of skill to get high kpl figures, the DSG only needs light accelerator input to deliver jaw-dropping fuel efficiency. It shifts up really quickly with a sedate driver behind the wheel. 

The single downside - and a big one - to this brilliant gearbox is its long term reliability (or lack of). Several owners of DSG cars have found themselves stranded by the roadside due to a malfunctioning transmission. The problems aren't specific to India either. The issue got so big internationally that VW was forced to conduct a recall in China (related discussion (Skoda Superb DSG 7 Speed DQ200 failures- China gets official reaction, why not India?)). Potential owners of the Rapid / Vento DSG won't be happy to know that the 7-speed DQ200 has proven more troublesome than the 6-speed DQ250. Not that the DQ250 hasn't suffered its share of breakdowns, but it's definitely more robust than the DQ200. Skoda & VW claim that they've fixed the reliability issues by switching from synthetic to mineral oil, software updates & some component changes. Well, we still have our concerns. Until Team-BHP has ownership reports of the 2013-2014 DSG cars covering 75,000 - 100,000 kms without breakdowns, we remain cautious and reserve our judgement. The VAG-Group offers a 10 year warranty on the DSG in some countries. Sadly, it's not the case in India!! WHY? Skoda is giving a 2 year unlimited kms warranty on the Rapid. We'd highly recommend the optional 'Skoda Shield' package that covers you up to 4 years / 100,000 kms. From time to time, the company does offer 5 year packages, so keep an eye out for those (related thread (Skoda launches "5X5 Experience" for the Rapid sedan)).

The DSG is offered in two trim levels, the Ambition Plus & Elegance. Both variants get ESC (electronic stability control), hill hold functionality, ABS, dual airbags, cruise control & rear parking sensors. Among other additions, the Elegance variant gets projector headlamps, alloy wheels, climate control & a nifty lever to adjust the front passenger seat from the rear. The ex-showroom price difference between the DSG & manual gearbox is about Rs. 1.1 lakh. That said, let's not forget that the Rapid MT has seen dealer discounts of Rs. 50,000 - 100,000 (depending on the variant). Thus, the actual premium is higher, at least until the DSG also comes under the discount umbrella. 

In what is a refreshing differentiator for the segment, the Rapid Elegance is being offered in a 'black edition'. Rs. 13,000 gets you blackened headlamps, foglamp surrounds, radiator grille + lip, ORVMs & alloy wheels. If you wish, a black roof & door strips can be added at the dealer level. The 'black edition' is only available with the white & silver body colours. We feel it would look fabulous on black as well (all-black, something like this?). It'll be made available on the 'champagne beige' in December. Other than the black edition, Skoda is also rolling out a new shade called 'toffee brown'. 

Despite the all-rounded competent sedans that the Rapid & Vento are, they've been slow sellers for a while. Sales have remained merely in the 3-digits for most of 2014. It's been 4 years since the Vento was launched and the two are getting hammered by fresher competition (City, Verna, Ciaz etc.). The VAG-Group's after sales reputation is poor; this is especially true for Skoda. The inevitable cannibalisation between the two also affects their individual sales. VW launched the Vento Diesel DSG just a day earlier than the Rapid DSG. They are now priced at the same level, unlike earlier times when the Rapid was positioned lower. Other than the front-end looks, there are minor feature differences between the two.

Rs. 13,000 extra gets you this sweet looking 'Black Edition'. The projector headlamps, radiator grille + lip and foglamp surrounds are blackened:

To my ears, the new 1.5L TDI felt slightly quieter inside the cabin than the old 1.6L TDI. However, on the outside, they sound exactly the same (including that clattery idle)! In terms of overall refinement, the Verna and Fiesta are noticeably better. Revv the 1.5L TDI hard and that trademark crudeness becomes evident. Yes, the Rapid is quite loud at high rpms and it's not as revv-happy / explosive as the earlier 1.6L either. 

The DSG's gearshift action felt smoother, quicker & more seamless than my Laura's DSG (DQ250 6-speed). With 'D' mode selected and light accelerator input, the DSG quickly moves up the first few gears. It upshifts quickly to maximise fuel economy. The DSG manages to do this with a level of precision & speed that no MT driver can match. The only way to make out the upshifts is a change in the engine note; passengers won't even notice them happening. Because the DSG doesn't multiply torque (like a conventional torque converter automatic), you feel a slight lag / weakness initially (lower side of 1400 rpm). Drive past it in 1st gear and the DSG ensures that you don't fall back into the lag zone. The 1.5 TDI's power delivery is more linear than the 1.6, while the gearshift quality is butter-smooth in D mode; these two factors greatly elevate comfort levels for passengers. Because it upshifts early, engine noise levels are also controlled if there is a sedate driver behind the wheel. The TDI's inherent torque ensures that the DSG doesn't downshift as much as some other automatics do. All of this makes it an incredibly relaxed driving experience within the city. Further, fuel-economy will be a strong point of the TDI + DSG combination...easily to a level that petrol automatics can only dream about. 

The Rapid DSG has sufficient performance on tap for the open road. This dual-clutch tranny can upshift quicker than a manual transmission with Lewis Hamilton's hand on it! What's more, the Rapid DSG has no weight disadvantage to the manual (as traditional torque converter ATs do). In fact, it's 18 kilos lighter! The sedan is quick in a straight line and never feels underpowered. 'D' mode and being right in the middle of the revv-range is where the TDI + DSG combo shines. When overtaking in kickdown mode, the gearbox makes the engine run to the redline, with blazing fast upshifts too. The Rapid can be an excellent long-distance tourer. Its 7th gear ensures that the engine is ticking over lazily at cruising speeds. The oodles of torque available and well-chosen gear ratios offer an unmatched combination of performance & fuel economy. 

As competent as the DSG is, downshifts can get slow at times. It simply can't drop gears anywhere as quickly as it can upshift. That 0.5 second lag is an annoying reality about any dual-clutch transmission. You'll definitely feel it when driving hard on your favourite stretch of tarmac. 

Shift the DSG into 'S' mode and upshifts will take place at higher rpms. Here, the Rapid holds on to a gear for longer, is more eager to downshift and keeps the engine on the boil. Not only do the shifts happen faster, the gearbox even responds to the slightest throttle input. Good thing is, in S mode, the DSG doesn't blindly hold gears till the redline. It'll upshift in the mid-rpm range when not driven too aggressively, going to the redline only when you've pinned the accelerator to the floor. However, the 1.5L TDI doesn't feel as revv happy as the earlier 1.6. It also gets loud at higher rpms. 'S' mode is definitely not as enjoyable with diesels as it is with petrols. For most driving conditions, you'll definitely prefer the regular 'D' mode instead ('S' mode is too aggressive for your daily commute to work). That said, when you require engine braking (e.g. driving downhill), "S" mode is a superior choice. 

The DSG gear lever has a standard Tiptronic layout. Simply move the lever to the left to activate 'manual' mode. Pushing the lever forward triggers an upshift, while pulling it back makes the DSG downshift. In Tiptronic mode, you can take the revvs beyond 5,000 rpm, after which it upshifts. Conversely, if the rpm drops too low in any gear, the gearbox automatically downshifts to avoid engine stalling. Manual mode can be fun, although most of you will prefer letting the gearbox do its work automatically. Let me warn you, this mode isn't anywhere as engaging / involving as a proper manual transmission. It does feel disconnected...like in a video game. No, the Rapid DSG doesn't get paddle-shifters behind the steering wheel. Even the twice-as-expensive Octavia doesn't. 

I took a spin in the Rapid MT too. Other than the different engine characteristics discussed above, there's not much that has changed. It's the same gearbox, the same clutch and the same vibrations felt on the pedal. Apart from the slightly more gradual power delivery in the mid-range, the engine feels similar to the old 1.6 TDI. Once past the 3000 rpm mark, the motor keeps pulling well all the way till 4,200 rpm, where it starts losing its punch. Past 3000 rpm, it gets loud and clattery too. The choice of gear ratios is apt and gives the Rapid a good mix of driveability and outright performance. Still, I personally find the TDI + DSG combination to be superior, as it harnesses the narrow power band of the diesel motor better. 

I'm extremely surprised that the Polo / Vento 1.2L TSI motor hasn't been introduced in the updated Rapid. The petrol variant continues with the same lacklustre 1.6L MPI engine. It's nowhere as impressive as the 1.2L TSI, or the 1.5L TDI.