After endless rounds of spotting the test mules and a prototype drive where we drove the car under wraps, the Skoda Slavia has finally been revealed in the flesh. The Slavia is Skoda’s second product as part of the India 2.0 ambitions and will also be replacing the ageing Rapid. Will the entry of the Slavia manage to revive competition in the sedan segment – one that is now overshadowed by SUVs? Time to find out
Dynamic – that’s the first impression you get when you look at the design of the Skoda Slavia. Of course looks are subjective, but the Slavia features a nicely done three-box silhouette, aided by the smart shoulder line. The front of the Slavia actually bears a little resemblance to the Skoda Kushaq, mainly down to the shape of the grille and the LED headlamps.
You also get a Crystal blue colour option, exclusive to the Slavia, which makes the Slavia appear rather nice, especially in a segment that does not lack for new metal. The stance is nice too, with 16-inch alloy wheels present on the top-spec variant. An interesting fact is that the Slavia is longer than the first-gen Octavia that came to India, and that should translate for a really positive experience on the inside.
Step inside and the interiors bear familiarity to, you guessed it, the Kushaq. The basic architecture of the interior is similar, however unlike the SUV which gets all-black interiors, the Slavia features a dual-tone colour scheme featuring black and beige interiors. As with all the newer Skodas, you get a two-spoke steering wheel which looks really refreshing and gets paddle shifters behind the wheel for the DSG variants.The air-con vents for the passenger and the driver’s side now feature a circular design, as opposed to a more conventional layout in Skoda’s other models.
A 10-inch touchscreen for infotainment is also present, with all the usual connectivity options including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Offered in three trims, the Slavia gets similar levels of equipment as the Kushaq, but what sets the Slavia apart is the 8-inch digital cluster which has been executed really well.
The Slavia will be offered with two petrol engine options – a 1-litre TSI and the 1.5-litre TSI. The 1-litre TSI produces 114bhp of power and 175Nm of torque. This engine will be available with a six-speed manual and a torque converter automatic. What will probably enthuse the enthusiasts is the larger 1.5 TSI Evo motor that produces 147bhp of power and 250Nm of torque. This engine can be had with a manual gearbox as well as the quick shifting DSG ‘box. The 1.5 TSI is also equipped with active cylinder deactivation tech, which reduces fuel consumption.
Skoda hasn’t revealed the pricing of the Slavia yet but you can expect it to be priced in the Rs. 8 to 10 lakh bracket, rivalling the segment-favourite Honda City, the Hyundai Verna, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, along with its sibling from Volkswagen that might possibly be India-bound, the Virtus sedan.