Upon its launch in India, Skoda Slavia will rival the likes of Honda City, Hyundai Verna and the upcoming Volkswagen Virtus
After multiple teasers and spy shots, Skoda has finally taken the wraps off its upcoming premium mid-size sedan named Slavia. The car would eventually replace the ageing Rapid and would sit below Octavia in the carmaker’s India lineup. It would be a locally developed and manufactured product for the Indian market as well as overseas.
Slavia will be the second major model from the Czech brand and third overall to be launched under the India 2.0 project initiated by the Skoda-Volkswagen India Group. Like Kushaq, Slavia will also be underpinned by a heavily localised MQB A0 IN architecture which would lead up to 95 percent of localisation in the upcoming sedan.
Skoda Slavia – Exterior Design & Dimensions
The production-spec Slavia stays true to the design sketches released by Skoda last month. It features familiar styling cues with a trademark Skoda grille upfront which is flanked by sleek LED headlamps with integrated L-shaped LED DRLs on both sides. Slavia gets a sloping roofline giving it a coupe-like silhouette which Skoda calls a fastback design.
At the side profile, the upcoming sedan features sharp character lines as seen in other Skoda models. The 17-inch alloy wheels add to the car’s premium appeal. Moving towards the rear, Slavia gets a faux spoiler-like lip on the boot lid thanks to the fastback design. Additionally, the boot lid will feature chrome-finished Skoda lettering.
Other exterior highlights will include C-shaped LED taillights and body-coloured ORVMs with integrated turn signals. Compared to the outgoing model, the new Slavia is 128mm longer, 53mm wider and 21mm taller. It also offers a 99mm longer wheelbase than Rapid which translates to much better space inside the cabin. In fact, at 2,651mm, its wheelbase is longer than both Hyundai Verna and Honda City and similar to Maruti Ciaz.
Interior & Features
Inside the cabin, the layout is similar to Kushaq with a multi-layer dashboard which houses a 10.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display. This infotainment system is enabled with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity along with Skoda’s in-built connected car tech. Other highlights include circular air-con vents, a two-spoke multifunction steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof and a digital instrument cluster.
Engine, Transmission Options
Slavia will be powered by a familiar set of engine options which include a 1.0-litre TSI 3-cylinder turbo petrol unit and a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder TSI turbo petrol unit. The former kicks out 114 bhp and 178 Nm of peak torque while the latter pumps out 148 bhp and 250 Nm of torque.
A six-speed manual gearbox will be offered as standard across the lineup with the option of a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox in the 1.0-litre unit and a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission in the 1.5-litre unit. Slavia is expected to launch in India in the first quarter of CY2022. Bookings have opened from today. Deliveries will start from Q1 2022.