Skoda India has introduced a new variant in the Rapid sedan lineup. Called the Rapid Rider Plus, this new variant sits between the base-spec Rider and the mid-spec Ambition trims. It is priced at Rs. 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
Skoda had introduced the entry-level Rapid rider variant a few months back. Priced at Rs. 7.49 lakh, the new Rider trim gained tremendous response from the market. This forced Skoda to temporarily halt accepting bookings for the Rapid Rider in order to bridge the gap between the demand and supply.
With the Rapid Rider Plus, Skoda is trying to split some demand from its popular Rider variant. The Rider Plus is priced at a premium of over Rs. 50,000 over the Rapid Rider. For this premium, the new trim comes with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system that has Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink smartphone connectivity. This is a major upgrade over the Rapid Rider’s 2DIN infotainment system, and is something that most customers were looking for.
Another point that kept a few customers away from the base-spec Rapid Rider trim was the fact that it came with only two colour options – Candy White and Carbon Steel. However, with the Rider Plus, Skoda is offering two additional colours – Brilliant Silver and Toffee Brown. Additionally, the Rider Plus gets chrome beading on the window line. Other than these, the Skoda Rapid Rider Plus variant is similar to the Rider trim. It gets automatic climate control, halogen headlamps, remote locking, rear AC vents, rear parking sensors, dual airbags and ABS.
Powering the Skoda Rapid Rider Plus trim is a 1.0-litre TSI engine that is capable of putting out 110 PS when mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Skoda is also expected to launch an automatic version of the Rapid Rider Plus trim. It will come with a 6-speed automatic gearbox.
Image Credits: Autocar India