Jekyll and Hyde

Who would look at the Skoda Rapid TSI and think that this sedate looking car is in fact capable of unleashing such exhilarating fun and that too with what seems like a feeble engine, at least on paper. So very Jeckyll and Hyde.  Boy, was I in for a delightful surprise! On the outside, not much has changed for the Rapid which was introduced back in 2011 and consequently updated in 2017 and in 2019 to keep up with competition. (Think Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, Toyota Yaris and the Honda City.) All of Skoda’s characteristic design elements remain, whether it is the ageless design, or the family resemblance, best seen through their quintessential grille with vertical slats. There’s no mistaking this car from the Skoda family even from a distance. The new Monte Carlo edition that I drove in Monte Carlo Red came with the Monte Carlo badge on the car’s B-Pillars. Besides, the car also had glossy black ORVMs, a resplendent black tailgate spoiler, a black painted roof (not a sunroof), and 16-inch, dual tone Clubber alloys – all of which distinguished this edition from the other five variants on offer. The Rapid’s quartz cut projector headlamps also blend well with the car’s distinct look. Inside the