Volkswagen Vento diesel auto vs Skoda Rapid Diesel auto comparison

    Picking a winner is difficult when you are comparing essentially the same cars. We help you choose.

    Published On Nov 17, 2014 03:11:00 PM

    5,97,817 Views

    Volkswagen Vento diesel auto vs Skoda Rapid Diesel auto comparison

    We are being asked with increasing frequency about the Volkswagen Vento and Skoda Rapid and which of them is the better buy. Indian customers have grown wise to these badge-engineered cars and know that the cars themselves are not really all that different, and that their choice, as a result, is 90 percent subjective. But what about that 10 percent? Because consumers have wisened up, Skoda and VW have had to make sure their cars stand out from each other. So while the mechanicals may be the same, there are a number of subtle differences which, well, could make the difference when it’s time to sign that cheque. Today we’re going to see what those differences are, and what better time to revisit this pair than now – each has been given a light update as well as a new diesel engine paired to a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. 
     
    In the showroom
     
    First, here’s a quick timeline of what’s changed with these cars recently. Skoda updated the Rapid last year with a new steering wheel, new badging, new bootlid and the addition of projector headlamps. As a result, the only changes to this year’s car are the new engine and gearbox, and a bit more equipment. There’s also the ‘Black Pack’ equipped on our test car that paints the headlamp and fog lamp enclosures, grille and wing mirrors black, and gets new black alloy wheels too. The Vento is a little more complicated, as this is actually its second facelift since launch. The last one brought blackened headlamps, new alloy wheels and the brilliant 1.2 TSI variant. This time around, things are more comprehensive. Aside from the new diesel engine, there’s new trim colours, steering wheel, headlamps, trip computer and alloy wheels. 
     
    If you were able to wrap your head around all of that, let’s see how it all actually comes together on the cars. While the Rapid (especially in red paint with the Black Pack) looks sportier, it’s the Vento’s new look that is more upmarket. The new alloy wheels and headlamps are classy, the subtle use of chrome works really well and in this shade of brown especially, it looks more like a mini-Jetta, and that’s a good thing. 
     
     
    It’s more of the same when you step inside, and VW has managed to give its interior the more premium look. In here, the design of almost every single element is almost exactly the same, but it’s the subtle differences in colour and materials that set one apart from the other. For instance, Skoda has given the Rapid chrome door handles and surrounds for the air-con vents, whereas in the Vento, they’re a softer brushed aluminium. Both cars get a dual-tone, brown and beige dash; but while the VW gets a neat matte-silver finish for its centre console, the Skoda sticks with dull grey plastic. Then there are the steering wheels – the Rapid’s new, three-spoke wheel feels chunky and great to hold, but VW’s new flat-bottomed wheel, with its dull chrome and black plastic, just feels that little bit nicer. We even prefer the Vento’s metal-clad gearlever to the Rapid’s rather plain plastic one. All this is strictly up to your preferences, though. What’s more objective, however, is the equipment lists on these top-spec cars, which also have subtle differences. Skoda has one-upped VW by offering cruise control on the Rapid, which can be handy out on the expressway and the projector beam headlamps are a nice premium touch too. However, the ticket holder on the dashboard isn’t as good to use as it looks and seems a bit of a gimmick. 
     
     
    In comparison, buying the top Vento gets you leather upholstery, which fits with its more premium image; the Rapid is fabric-upholstered only. Interestingly, Skoda seems to have done away with the lever on the front passenger seat that allows rear passengers to free up more legroom, while the Vento still has it. Staying on the subject of seats, they are, of course, the same in both cars, but Skoda’s fabric-only seats seem to be just slightly more softly cushioned than the Volkswagen’s.
    The seats themselves are very generous and supportive with good legroom all round, but can’t match the Honda City, which is the current benchmark for seat comfort. 

    Out on the road
     
    Both cars are the happy recipients of the VW Group’s new made-for-India, 103bhp, 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, and in both cars, this engine can be had with either a five-speed manual or this seven-speed DSG gearbox we’re testing now. The diesel sounds a bit gruff, sure, but the way it delivers power is just spot on. It’s not particularly free revving, and it lacks some of the top end of the old 1.6-litre diesel, but it is relentless and extremely potent in its wide mid-range. On top of that, it’s complemented superbly by the DSG auto. The sheer number of ratios means it can have shorter lower gears, and this means it handles the turbo lag a lot better than you’d be able to manage in a manual car. The downside is a little stutter from the cogs if you’re inconsistent with your pedal inputs at low speeds, but you soon learn to drive around it. Neither car gets gearshift paddles, though both get a Sport mode and tip-tronic shifts via the gearlever, which actually works quite well. 
     
     
    As expected, the two cars delivered almost identical acceleration times, tested under the same conditions, the Rapid (12.18sec) being a scant 0.07sec quicker to 100kph than the Vento (12.25sec). Conversely, the VW proved quicker at kickdown acceleration, but only just, managing 40-100kph 0.56sec quicker and doing 20-80kph just 0.22sec quicker. The only other diesel automatic mid-sizer in the market is the Hyundai Verna, and it’s just slightly quicker than both these cars, both in flat-out acceleration and in-gear acceleration. The thing is, however, thanks to the DSG gearboxes and the punchy mid-range, these cars feel much quicker than they actually are, and that’s really what most owners will appreciate.
     
    With the same chassis and suspension components, the ride qualities of these cars are very closely matched too. However, going by our test cars, the Vento seemed just a tad more softly sprung than the Rapid. As a result, while we could feel fewer small irregularities in the VW cabin at lower speeds, there was just a bit more pitching over speed bumps. However, it’s so close that neither setup is to the detriment of comfort, and both have superb rides by class standards. 

    The ownership proposition
     
    The diesel DSG versions we’re testing come in two trims each and the Rapid is the less expensive of the two. The Vento TDI DSG comes in Comfortline (Rs 10.70 lakh) and Highline (Rs 11.16 lakh) trims, while the Rapid diesel automatic is available in Ambition Plus (Rs 10.49 lakh) and Elegance (Rs 10.84 lakh), with the Black Pack costing Rs 13,000 over the Elegance (all prices are ex-showroom, Delhi). They have the same standard warranty (two years/unlimited km) and the same, rather good service interval of one year or 15,000km. However, each standard service for the Rapid is a little cheaper, at Rs 8,000-8,500 versus the Vento’s Rs 10,000-11,000, while when it comes to spare parts prices, they’re pretty closely matched. As for the quality of the aftersales, Skoda is trying to shake off its poor reputation for service and the company claims that a major effort is already underway to rejig the system. Volkswagen aftersales has also had its fair share of customer dissatisfaction, but not as much as Skoda. Still, on paper, the Rapid is cheaper to buy and to own. 
     
    Sibling rivalry
     
    As predicted, choosing between these two is not as simple as choosing between one of them and any other car. They’re, unsurprisingly, almost identical to drive and it’s tricky when it comes to ownership too, because while the Rapid is slightly cheaper to buy and service, it won’t mean much until Skoda fixes its bad aftersales reputation. When you look at the way the cars are equipped and appointed, the Vento seems geared more towards luxury and the Rapid towards sportiness. And when it comes to sheer brand clout, VW has positioned itself as the more premium member of the family, but then, Skoda’s solid image laid down by the original Octavia precedes it. Overall, however, we’d recommend the Volkswagen. While the Rapid is slightly better value, at the expensive end of top-spec TDI DSG models, it’s not a big enough advantage. The Vento, meanwhile, for just a little more money, delivers a noticeably more upmarket feel. The mature design, smart alloys, richer interior trim and equipment give it the edge over the Rapid. When cars are so similar, it’s finally the feel-good factor that makes the difference, and that’s why the Vento wins, but only just.

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