After a bit of a slowdown because of the pandemic, Skoda is picking up the pace once again. First off the blocks was the new Octavia, followed by the Kushaq, which was showcased in February 2020 as a made for India car. And next it will be the Slavia in about a couple of weeks from now. Meanwhile, pictures of the camouflaged vehicle have been teased and it seems to sport the family look and proportions that are a lot like the Octavia.
This is going to be the last sedan in the Skoda lineup, at least for the moment. Being billed as a mid-size premium sedan it will come with two TSI petrol engines. Also it will have comprehensive active and passive safety features that could include up to six airbags.
The car will slot in between the Rapid and Octavia sedans for the moment, plugging this substantial gap in the sedan lineup. It is based on the India-specific MQB-A0-IN platform after the Kushaq. Eventually, it is likely to replace the Rapid at the lower end since that is based on an ageing platform and the new platform on which the Slavia will be built will be the standard underpinning for the Indian market.
According to information released by Skoda, the Slavia would be 4,541mm long, 1,752mm wide and 1,487mm high and have a wheelbase of 2,651mm. That would pitch it into battle with the likes of Maruti Suzuki’s Ciaz and the Hyundai Verna.
There is a choice of two TSI petrol engines for the Slavia. There will be the entry-level 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder TSI that delivers 85kW (115ps) from its three cylinders, while the four-cylinder 1.5-litre TSI has an output of 110kW (150ps). The second is already available in the Kushaq.
Both engines transfer their power to the front wheels. The 1.5-litre engine is offered with active cylinder technology (ACT). What this does is automatically shuts down two cylinders when the engine load is low, increasing the fuel efficiency. The Slavia comes with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. A six-speed automatic transmission is optional for the 1.0-litre TSI while the 1.5-litre TSI can also be paired with a seven-speed DSG.
Scheduled for an unveiling on November 18, we are expecting prices to start near the top end of the Rapid and go up to about Rs 17 lakh or thereabouts at the showroom. This is part of the Volkswagen group’s plan to let Skoda lead the India operations rather than the Volkswagen brand.
Meanwhile, Skoda said last month the Kushaq SUV has been picking up bookings well. The Slavia may be rolled out early next year or so. It remains to be seen how buyers will take to it since it will be in a segment that’s still doing quite well.
