First of all, let’s see what the Skoda Rapid has to offer over and above the Volkswagen Vento. Rather than offering more than the Vento on the features front, the Rapid actually misses steering mounted audio controls, a feature than the Vento has. But will the loss of this one feature be a deal breaker for the Rapid? We don’t think so. Apart from fresher looks, (the Vento has been around for over a year now), all the variants of the Rapid are cheaper than the Vento by a few tens of thousands each.
Also, the Skoda Rapid offers more choice with a larger variant line up although Volkswagen has made some amends by introducing the “Breeze” special editions for the petrol model as a ploy to increase the number of Vento variants, and as a consequence, the number of choices. Even so, Skoda has pulled off a fast one over Volkswagen y offering the Rapid petrol automatic in two variants, thus tilting scales in favor of the Rapid again by offering more choice to the C-segment automatic car buyer.
Volkswagen Vento C-segment Sedan
The rest of the specifications of the Rapid are bog similar to the Vento including the engine options even as the top end diesel Vento did get a few more features like a music system on the top end Highline variant to be positioned as a car with much more features than the Rapid. Even so, the Indian car buyer, being highly value conscious might still buy the car that seems to offer more value in this tough economic climate and quite frankly, buck to buck, the Rapid seems more value-for-money than the Vento.
The Rapid’s critics may point to better build quality on few of the Vento’s components, but this is India and we’ve seen car buyers favor value more often than the likes of build quality. All said, there are a few pitfalls that the Rapid might have to face, most of them Skoda’s own creations. Skoda’s dealership reach and after sales outlet numbers do not measure up to that of Volkswagen despite the latter’s later entry into the country. Also, Skoda’s after sales service has had a constant cloud over it even though Volkswagen isn’t exactly known for having a stellar after sales service reputation.
So, if Skoda manages to shore up it’s after sales service network, it does have a car that can be a genuine alternative to the Vento, that is if car buyers don’t feel that it isn’t one already. Going forward, only the coming months’ sales numbers can paint the real picture of the Rapid cannibalizing the Vento’s sales or as a positive, going on to expand the Indian C-segment market, which is a tough ask in these tough times. Whatever may be the case, we’ll keep you posted. Meanwhile, here is a head to head comparo of the Rapid and Vento only in terms of pricing as the features on offer remains very similar in both the cars.
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