Skoda Slavia

The Skoda Slavia is one of the few compact sedans on offer in the Indian market and for a while it felt outdated due to its lack of equipment To fix that, Skoda has decided to give the sedan a much needed facelift, but the focus of this update is not towards the cosmetics, but more towards how the experience of owning one becomes better.

It still competes with the Hyundai Verna, Honda City, and its twin Volkswagen Virtus, and I recently spent time driving both its engine options. Here is what I think:

The Skoda Slavia is arguably the most sophisticated looking sedan in its segment. It carries this sense of European elegance that doesn’t need to go over the top to garner attention, and that’s the reason the design has seen small changes with this update. You can check out the changes in the new Slavia compared to the old one in this article.

Upfront, you still get sleek LED headlights with L-shaped DRLs, but the DRL element is now split into four different pieces. Both DRLs also merge with the grille that has a dotted chrome strip, which makes the setup look like connected LED DRLs.

The grille also has chrome vertical slats and a black surround. Below the grille, the bumper design has been revised to look slimmer, and you now get LED fog lamps as well.

On the side, the only thing that has changed is the design of the 16-inch alloy wheels.

Rest of it, including the silhouette, the chrome garnish on the door handles, the ORVMs, and the window line remains the same. 

The rear end gets slightly revised LED tail lamps with three distinct elements, and the rear turn indicators now have a sequential function. Behind the Skoda badge you now get a black strip, and just like the front, the rear bumper has also been redesigned. 

For a more detailed look, you can check out our image gallery of the new Skoda Slavia.

You now get a revised colour palette, as the facelifted Slavia is available in 10 different shades: Arctic Silver, Lava Blue, Candy White, Brilliant Silver, Carbon Steel, Steel Grey, Shimla Green, Cappuccino Beige, Cherry Red, and Deep Black.

The Monte Carlo edition has also been introduced alongside the standard version, and apart from the badgings, the special edition also gets a boot lip spoiler, blacked-out alloy wheels, red brake calipers, and two vertical red strips on the grille.

Inside, the design and the colour scheme remains nearly identical to the outgoing version, and there are just two visible changes. First is the slim plastic strip on the dashboard, which is now grey instead of golden, and the seats now finished in beige leatherette upholstery rather than the dual-tone ones you got in the pre-facelift version.

With an airy cabin theme and a layered dashboard design, the Slavia's cabin still looks as elegant as it used to be. But from an update, which is coming after 5 years, we expected more changes to be done to the interiors, which isn't the case here. 

And the same can be said for the cabin quality because nothing really has changed. You get soft-touch padding on most touch points, the plastics inside the cabin feel smooth, and all the buttons and knobs have a very sturdy feeling. What hasn't changed are the outward AC vents and the slim strip on the dashboard because both of them still feel flimsy and can squeak very easily. 

While the overall cabin quality is acceptable, and won't give you any reason to complain, some elements like the aforementioned plastics do not feel like they live up to the standards of a Skoda and in general, what other cars are offering at the price point.

Front Seats

Getting inside the Skoda Slavia does require you to duck down a bit due to its low roofline, which can be an additional effort for the elderly in the family. But once inside, it won’t give you much to complain about from a comfort and space standpoint. 

The seats feel comfortable and accommodating for all shapes and sizes and offer good side and underthigh support. Adjustability is on point with tilt and telescopic movement for the steering wheel and height adjustable driver seat. Enthusiasts will appreciate the sporty driving position as you can set the seat really low. 

Visibility is good all around and even new drivers will get comfortable here easily. 

Rear Seats

The rear seats of the Skoda Slavia, just like the front seats, offer comfortable cushioning for long journeys and good support, but that’s only applicable for two people. Three people will be a squeeze, and despite having a central headrest, the middle passenger won’t really be happy owing to the limited cabin width and the aggressive seat contours, which feel intrusive. The seat contours are designed for maximising comfort for two people only, and that they do well enough.

In terms of space, you can seat two six footers back to back, and even tall people won’t find any dearth of headroom and footroom. Moreover, the seat’s base is slightly lifted, which helps offer really good underthigh support as well.

Rear passengers get dedicated AC vents and a central armrest with two cupholders for a more relaxed position.

Also with the new Slavia, you get a rear seat massage function, which works really well, and helps unwind after a long day. The one thing which I found to be missing were rear sunshades, which Skoda should have added with this update. 

Storage and Practicality

The Skoda Slavia is hard to fault when it comes to the in-car storage options. You’ll find 1-litre bottle pockets on all four doors alongside two cup holders in the central console. Behind the gear lever is a small little open storage, likely for the key, and ahead of the gear lever is the pad for the wireless charger.

That gets a rubber floor, so your keys and loose items won’t move around. Other cubby spaces can be found beneath the central armrest, alongside the steering wheel and the cooled glove box size is decent as well. There’s also a clip on the windshield, which can be used to hold loose receipts or parking tickets.

Rear occupants get pockets in the seats that have a dedicated small pocket for their phone, and one bigger pocket, which can be used for magazines or tablets. The rear central armrest also has two cup holders in it.

Charging Options

For charging, there are two Type C ports front and rear, alongside a 12V socket in the central tunnel. Front passengers also get a wireless phone charger, which has a decent charging speed, but it does not heat the phone so much.

Boot Space

Skoda claims a boot space figure of 521-litres with the Slavia. Not only is this figure huge on paper, but it also translates into a good boot space in real life. You can easily store a full suitcase set (1x large, 1x medium and 1x small), and a couple of duffle and laptop bags. Thanks to a wide space, you can also store loose packets on the sides.

The rear seats also have a 60:40 split, so you can fold them down and store additional or longer items if needed. However, unlike SUVs, you won’t get an unobstructed space to store tall luggage.

With this update changes have been made to the feature list as well. Apart from the rear seat massage function, a few additions have also been made, and for your daily usage you get all the basic equipment you could need.

On the infotainment front, the touchscreen size remains the same at 10.1-inches, but Skoda has tweaked the user interface. It now runs even more smoothly, you get all the information on your home screen, including your trip details, and you don’t have to navigate through multiple screens to access features. 

Skoda has also added Google integration into the touchscreen, which means the in-car assistant now works with Google Assistant, so speaking to the AI now feels more natural. However, the AI does feel a little biased towards Skoda. Google integration also allows you to use the App store and download apps like Amazon Music and Spotify.

Lastly, this screen still supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, both of which work seamlessly. It is also paired with an 8 speaker sound system which offers a decent sound experience.

The next addition to the feature list is a 10.25-inch digital driver's display, which replaces the older 8-inch unit. This screen offers similar crisp graphics and while you do not have the option to change the themes, you can still choose between different views, and all the data is presented in a neat and clean manner. 

Other features include front seat ventilation, single-pane sunroof, 6-way powered driver and co-driver seats, automatic climate control with rear AC vents, and cruise control. All of these features work as intended.

Just like in the previous version, most of the Skoda Slavia’s safety kit is available right from its base variant.

Features like hill hold control, rain sensing wipers and fog lamps are offered in the higher variants. With this update Skoda has also added a 360-degree camera to its safety kit. The camera quality is decent enough that you won’t have any issues during day commutes, but in low-light conditions and in harsh light conditions, the feed becomes slightly grainy, so you have to pay more attention to see what's around you. 

Also, while there is no dedicated blind spot feed linked to your indicators, you can use the 360-degree camera to select which camera’s feed you want on the screen. All-wheel disc brakes are limited to the bigger engine.

The Slavia has a full five star Global NCAP safety ratings for both adult and child occupant protection. Even with this update, Level 2 ADAS features have not been added to its safety kit.

The boot space of the Skoda Slavia remains unchanged at 521-litres. The rear seats also have a 60:40 split.

The last change that comes from this facelift has been made in the powertrain section. You still get the same engine options: a 1-liter turbo petrol and a 1.5-liter turbo petrol, but now with the smaller engine you get an 8-speed automatic transmission instead of the older 6-speed one. 

Check out which variant of the new Skoda Slavia gets what powertrain options.

1-litre turbo-petrol 

This three-cylinder engine might not be as refined as the bigger 4-cylinder engine, but it offers you good performance. Even compared to the 1.5-litre NA engines of rivals, this engine delivers better performance. The noise and vibrations are also just noticeable, and not a dealbreaker by any means.

City Performance

This engine has more than enough performance for all city commutes. It picks up speed from low RPMs with ease, so keeping up with the traffic doesn’t require a downshift. Once you start building the RPM, it has good performance for all city overtakes, and you won’t ever feel like it is underpowered.

The manual transmission is fairly easy to use. The weight of the clutch is heavier than you’d expect, but it won’t tire your leg in heavy traffic. The gears slot in easily too. 

As for the new 8-speed torque converter automatic, it will be the better choice if you find yourself in heavy traffic more often than open roads. The gear shifts here are as smooth as they can be, and sometimes you won’t even notice them. It shuffles between gears quickly and also lets you downshift a few gears aggressively if you want. Skoda also claims that this new transmission improves fuel efficiency, but we’ll have to drive it more to give you an exact figure.

From our experience with the pre-facelift version, you can expect this engine to return around 10kmpl in the city.

Highway Performance

This engine might be a three-cylinder unit, but its turbo charged nature makes sure you have enough performance for highway usage. It doesn't take a lot of time to hit triple digit speeds and can cruise comfortably at speeds of 100-120kmph. Even beyond those speeds, the engine has enough oomph to accelerate and help you make an overtake if need be.

In gear acceleration is good too, as long as you are above the 2000rpm mark, so overtaking on the highway doesn’t require much planning. You’ll enjoy using the manual because of its slick nature, but the automatic also gets the job done. With the automatic, you also get paddle shifters if you want some manual control.

1.5-litre turbo-petrol

This engine offers a refined experience, while also delivering great performance for all use cases.This is a four-cylinder unit and the difference in refinement and smoothness compared to the smaller engine is almost immediately apparent. 

City Performance

This engine feels relaxed and effortless in the city. Be it low speed, low RPM cruising, or dropping down a gear and making a quick overtake, everything feels easy with this powertrain combination. In fact, you actually don’t always need to drop a gear to make an overtake, because it doesn’t take a lot of time to build speeds from low RPMs, even in third gear.

The transmission works silently and smoothly in the background when commuting regularly and it would’ve been flawless if not for the rare slight jerk that it makes while it goes down a gear at low speeds, but that’s not a dealbreaker at all.

In our fuel efficiency run, the pre-facelift Slavia impressed with a 14kmpl figure in the city. However, if you drive in peak bumper-to-bumper traffic, don’t be surprised to see single digit fuel efficiency numbers. 

Highway performance

The Skoda Slavia is a properly fun to drive car with this engine. Once you get to stretch its legs, this engine offers strong and punchy performance. Reaching 100kmph is easy work, and it keeps pulling with intent beyond speeds of 120kmph as well.

As you’d imagine, it is happy to cruise at triple digit speeds all day long. The DSG feels smooth in the city and quick on the highway, and while enthusiasts might’ve wanted a manual transmission with the Slavia, the dual clutch gearbox is still great as it doesn’t compromise on performance and still delivers on convenience. Moreover, you also get paddle shifters, which are fun to use and the gearbox gets a dedicated sports mode. One flick of the gear lever, and the transmission will hold the gear, even at higher RPMs. This makes overtaking that much easier. 

The Slavia offers great fuel efficiency on the highway, thanks to its cylinder deactivation technology, which as the name suggests, shuts two of the four cylinders while cruising or under low load to improve fuel efficiency. In our test run with the old Slavia, we managed a figure of 20kmpl on the highway, which is praise worthy for an engine that packs this much performance.

Overall, both the engines of the Slavia offer usable performance. The smaller engine, despite its less number of cylinders, offers adequate performance for both the city and highway. But it is the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine that really puts a smile on your face, and is the one to pick if you're a petrolhead.

Ride and Handling

Ride Comfort

Slavia’s suspension setup compliments its fun to drive experience, and still manages to keep its occupants comfortable. You’ll rarely ever have a complaint from its ride quality, because it absorbs most potholes and speed breakers rather well, and doesn’t translate any jerks inside the cabin. However, since it is one the stiffer side, you feel every crack and imperfection inside the cabin.

Most potholes and unusually large speed breakers don’t make the Slavia sweat, thanks to the 179mm ground clearance. But given that it still isn’t an SUV, you will just have to be mindful of the road surface ahead of you. 

It feels stable on highways, and despite any sudden undulation or potholes, it maintains its composure and keeps the movement inside the cabin to a minimum.

Handling

Driving the Slavia is easy in the city with a balanced steering weight. But when the road surface is smooth and you’re covering distance at speed, you’ll feel confident behind the wheel. High-speed lane changes are done with great stability. It maintains its line with controlled body roll around a corner, and the weight of the steering wheel gives you confidence as well. 

Overall, the Slavia manages to strike a good balance between comfort and dynamic ability, and it is a car that you will enjoy driving, irrespective of where you are.

The facelifted Skoda Slavia is available in 6 variants: Classic, Classic +, Signature, Sportline, Prestige, and Monte Carlo.

The Skoda Slavia has always been a car which prioritizes the driver first with its punchy and fun-to-drive performance, and confident inspiring mannerism around corners. You would not be wrong if you pick this car if you’re a petrolhead and want more excitement in your daily drives.

But with this update, not only has Skoda improved upon the design and features, but with the rear seat massage function and a smoother transmission, the Slavia now feels slightly more family friendly and better equipped for relaxed driving. 

It has managed to strike a good balance between enthusiast-oriented and family-oriented, and the only two things I’d want Skoda to work on would be the cabin design and the cabin quality.

Other Cars To Consider Instead Of Skoda Slavia

Honda City

Reasons to consider

• Cabin layout and theme is more family friendly

• Top-spec non-hybrid variants are significantly more affordable

• Hybrid variant is super fuel efficient

Reasons to ignore

• Performance isn’t as punchy

Hyundai Verna

Reasons to consider

• Option of a naturally aspirated petrol engine 

• Cabin feels more premium

• More features like ADAS and dual zone climate control

Reasons to ignore

• Polarising looks

• No wireless support for Android Auto/Apple CarPlay

• NA petrol isn’t as powerful as the Slavia’s smaller turbo-petrol

Volkswagen Virtus

Reasons to consider

• More dynamic with slightly better handling

• Exterior and interior feel more sporty

Reasons to ignore

• Doesn’t feel as family friendly

• Slightly less comfortable ride quality