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Skoda India has finally launched its much-awaited Slavia sedan in India. The Slavia, which will rival the likes of the Honda City, the Hyundai Verna and the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz will be available with two engine options, and Skoda has revealed the pricing for the 1-litre TSI engine, starting from Rs 10.69 lakhs, ex-showroom. But apart from the competitive pricing, does the Slavia have what it takes to hassle the competition?
Take a look at the Skoda Slavia and it is hard not to take a liking to it. The Slavia celebrates the classic three-box sedan silhouette with a handsome design. Up front, the hexagonal grille is identical to the one you’d see in the Kushaq SUV, but that said, it has been neatly integrated, flanked by the LED headlamps on the top-spec trims. Move to the sides and you notice the Slavia’s muscular shoulder lines, along with the 16-inch alloy wheels. While 17-inchers would have filled out the wheel arches better, we suspect this has been done to improve the ride quality of the Slavia. The Slavia also gets 179mm of ground clearance, which means that you will be able to tackle speed breakers without a problem. The swooping roofline is similar to that of a coupe, and the Slavia gets a traditional bootlid with the Skoda lettering emblazoned across it, unlike the notchback which we expected. Overall, the Slavia does look like a smaller version of the Octavia, which is no bad thing considering its handsome design.
On the inside, the Slavia gets a cabin which is identical to that of the Kushaq, but with a few crucial differentiators. The air-con vents on the sides are circular in shape on the Slavia, and it also gets a bronze-coloured trim on the dashboard. The Slavia also gets ambient lighting, along with the same 10-inch infotainment screen as the Kushaq featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with an 8-inch digital cluster on the top-spec variants. The Slavia also gets ventilated seats up front, along with dual-tone interiors. Also on offer is a regular-sized sunroof.
Powering the Slavia are the same engine-gearbox options which are available in the Kushaq. You can choose between a 1-litre TSI petrol and a 1.5-litre TSI petrol. Our opinions on the 1.5 TSI petrol engine are embargoed, but our review of the 1-litre TSI engine is live and you can check it out here.
The 1-litre TSI produces 113bhp of power and 178Nm of torque, and it can be mated to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic. Meanwhile The 1.5 TSI can be had with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG.
Prices for the Skoda Slavia start from Rs 10.69 lakh for the base Active trim with the manual gearbox going up to Rs 13.99 lakh for the top-spec Style trim with the manual gearbox. The Slavia with the automatic transmission can be had from the mid-spec Ambition variant onwards, commanding a premium of Rs 1.2 lakh over the manual variant. Interestingly, the Style variant of the Slavia without a sunroof cost the same as the mid-spec Ambition automatic variant. The top-spec Style variant with the sunroof costs Rs 40,000 more at Rs 13.99 lakh, and the premium between the manual and the automatic widens up to Rs 1.4 lakh, with the Style AT costing Rs 15.39 lakh, ex-showroom. In its base trim, the Slavia undercuts the Honda City by Rs 50,000, but the Slavia is dearer than its competition when it comes to the top-spec trims. Skoda will reveal prices of the Slavia 1.5 on March 3, and it seems like competition in the sedan segment might just be revived amidst our market's preference for SUVs.
