Nissan Sunny diesel vs. Skoda Rapid diesel

The two newly launched sedans the Skoda Rapid diesel and the Nissan Sunny diesel have widened the under Rs. 10 lakh diesel sedans lineup in India. The Rapid is a rebadged Volkswagen Vento and shares the same engines but priced is slightly lower than the Vento. The Sunny is built on the versatile V-platform on which the Nissan Micra is built. While the Rapid boasts the European solidity, the Sunny highlights Japanese frugality. We compare the two cars to find out which car delivers on what front!

Driving and handling

The Rapid has an edge over the Sunny diesel as its 1.6-litre motor in it puts out 104 bhp of power and 250 Nm of torque while the Sunny diesel’s 1.5-litre motor generates only 85 bhp of power and 200 Nm of torque. In fact, the power to weight ratio of the Sunny diesel is 77.8 bhp/ton while that of Rapid diesel is 87.1 bhp/ton clearly highlighting the Rapid’s superior performance.

The Rapid’s steering wheel is precise and offers confidence inspiring feedback even at high speeds. Straight line stability is great in both the cars. However, the Sunny does have noticeable vertical movements when making quick lane changes and cornering at high speeds. Overall, the Rapid with its performance and sporty handling characteristics has an edge over the Sunny.

Winner: Skoda Rapid

Space and comfort

The Sunny with its wide wheelbase (2,600 mm) offers more space especially for the rear occupants than the Rapid which has a wheelbase of 2552 mm. Further, the Sunny has a flat floor at the rear offering maximum legroom even for a third passenger. The Rapid offers good levels of comfort in both front and rear as well but doesn’t come with as much legroom as the Sunny.

Winner: Nissan Sunny

Looks

The Rapid and the Sunny are classic examples of European and Japanese designs respectively. The Rapid has a typical Skoda grille with vertical bars. The Fabia-like headlamps, sculpted bonnet and unique shaped fog lamps give a sporty flair to the Rapid. The side profile is like the Vento sedan, while the rear looks like a blend of the Skoda Laura and Vento’s rear. The interior of the Rapid looks similar to the Vento as it shares many interior parts with the latter.

The Sunny is nothing like the Micra though both the cars share the same V-platform, hence will please buyers who look for exclusivity. The coupe-like rear styling makes the Sunny look unique and on the inside it is a familiar place if you are used to the Micra’s interiors as both of them share similar design cues.

Summing up, we feel the Rapid with its sporty looks will appeal to most buyers while the styling of the Sunny may take some getting used to.

Winner: Skoda Rapid

Features

The Sunny diesel and Rapid diesel have common features like an electric power steering, power windows, central locking, AC with heater, rear AC vents, adjustable headrests (front & rear) and a music system with speakers.

The base variant of the Sunny (the XL) gets comfort features like automatic climate control, electric mirrors, driver and passenger airbag, ABS, EBD and BA (Brake Assist). These features are not available on the Rapid Active variant. The top-end variant, Sunny XV comes with electric folding mirrors and an intelligent key with push button ignition which are not available on the Rapid Elegance though it has an ergo-lever to adjust rear passenger legroom. Overall, feature wise the Sunny is ahead of the Rapid.

Winner: Nissan Sunny

Price mileage and VFM

The Rapid diesel is priced in the range of Rs. 7.95 lakh – 9.19 lakh while the Sunny diesel is priced in the range of Rs. 7.98 lakh – 8.78 lakh. With regard to mileage, the Rapid diesel has a claimed mileage of 20 kmpl while the Sunny diesel has a claimed mileage of 21.6 kmpl. Hence the Sunny diesel has an edge over the Rapid and in the long run, can help you save a significant amount on fuel.

When comparing the base variants, the Sunny XL (Rs. 7.95 lakh) has more safety features than the Rapid Active (Rs. 7.98 lakh). The middle variant, Rapid Ambition (Rs.8.29 lakh) has no equivalent variant in the Nissan Sunny’s variant line up. However, when comparing the top-end variants, the Rapid Elegance (Rs. 9.19 lakh) and the Sunny XV (Rs. 8.78 lakh) the Sunny diesel despite the lower price has creature comforts such as push button start and electric folding mirrors that are not offered on the Rapid Elegance.

Overall, the Sunny diesel is slightly more fuel efficient and packs in more features at a lower price, making it a better ‘value for money’ proposition than the Rapid.

Winner: Nissan Sunny

Pros and Cons

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Whats our verdict

The Nissan Sunny and Skoda Rapid are radically different cars. Hence, it all comes down to what a buyer expects from his car. If sporty looks, outright performance and great handling characteristics are top priorities, the Skoda Rapid will fit. If low price, space, comfort, features and fuel economy are preferred, the Nissan Sunny will do!