Skoda India will fit the Skoda Rapid diesel with a 1.5-litre diesel engine and seven-speed DSG gearbox and launch it in October 2014.

A report states the Rapid will move closer to the Volkswagen Vento and offer a 1.2-litre petrol engine as well.

The sedan will not get a face-lift, retaining its old looks.

Changes will however be made to the interiors and more equipment will be offered as standard, the report says.

Besides the DSG gearbox, the Rapid diesel will also get a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The current Rapid is powered by a 1.6-litre engine and the move to a smaller unit will give excise benefits, allowing the Rapid to be priced more competitively.

While the Vento TSI is offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine and DSG gearbox, the diesel variant is still offered only with a manual gearbox.

The Rapid, Vento and Polo are built on the same platform, originally intended to underpin the Polo hatchback.

Competition from the wildly successful Honda City diesel has forced Skoda's hands, the report says, into both downsizing the diesel engine and offering an automatic.