The sedan market is back in the spotlight! Initially, the Slavia rekindled our love for sedans with its affordable pricing. As I pen this update a bit late, the landscape has shifted. The Superb and Octavia, which exited in 2022, are making their return as CBUs! Competing sedans from brands like Honda are ready with a big change. Meanwhile, Maruti has moved on from the Ciaz, and Hyundai’s Verna is still overshadowed by the Slavia, City, and Virtus. What makes the Slavia so special that it captivates sedan enthusiasts who are currently leaning towards SUVs? We took the 1.5L out for an extended test drive and are excited to share our insights with you!
The sleek black grille immediately catches the eye, giving the car a commanding presence that perfectly complements the striking red of our test vehicle. Up front, the LED daytime running lights and the stylish C-shaped LED tail-lamps enhance its unmistakably Skoda sedan vibe that resonates globally. From the side, it exudes that quintessential European sedan appeal—clean lines and a sharp yet understated profile. With the longest wheelbase and overall length in its class, this car stands out with an unmatched stance, setting a benchmark against both current competitors and those from the past. The headlamps also deliver impressive illumination and coverage, which we thoroughly appreciate.
On the inside, the build and quality are good and so is the expansive feature list we have seen expanded over the years of initial launch. Right from automatic lights and wipers to reversing cameras, single ambient light, projector lamps and more. The car is devoid of the large panoramic sunroof and front parking sensors. However, it gets Wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto that work flawlessly along with a normal sunroof. Power seats are now welcome. The entire digital instrument cluster area has all fuel economy indicators and other bits can be seen with a touch of the toggle button on the right side of the steering buttons. A fantastic sound system by Skoda themselves is on offer makes the experience top-class. The main screen is slick, quick and works quite well. There were some bugs with Android phones when it comes to playing music on our test car which have been fixed since late 2023 itself.
VW Connect system includes a host of GPS-related features such as GEO and time fencing and much more. We like the illumination and spread from the headlamps as they were more than required. The fog lamps are halogen but LED lights and DRL add to the aesthetic appeal as well.
Space is more than most of its rivals with adequate shoulder room, but the knee room you expect is here in a very good margin. Leg and headroom continue to be in good supply but as always it is more of a four-seater than a five-seater. The boot space is good enough at 500 liters and so is the overall practicality of the interior. Road and wind noise inside the cabin is also well-controlled thanks to good insulation all around. Like any other Skoda, it is still a pleasant place to be thanks to things like Aircare with multi-level filtration. Safety kit continues to be high with the inclusion of active safety features such as electronic stability control and six airbags on the top-end variant, Hill Hold Assist, ABS and EBD, and more come as standard. The passive safety feature list, as we know, is far larger.
Volkswagen TSi group engines are smooth, free-revving, and low on NVH and the one on the Slavia fall in line. Be it in any part of the rev range. Low and mid-range are good on the 1.5 turbocharged petrol motor that makes a 150 PS and 250 Nm of torque going through the fantastic, smooth, seamless, and quick-shifting 7-speed DSG automatic. The engine is linear flexible and powerful at the same time. The 1.5 is a bit crude at higher RPMS as vibrations and sound can creep in the cabin but that is only apparent at race pace. Speaking of race pace, the DSG does lack the urgency when launched over the, let’s say, 1.0 TSi equipped with 6-speed torque converter. 1.5 delivers spectacular fuel economy of 22 km/l in Mumbai-Pune run. Dealing with traffic of both cities and a slightly spirited highway run too. All thanks to 7 speeds and cylinder deactivation.
The manual gearbox is quite smooth on the 1.5 TSi. Clutch is light, long travel, and has a typical bite point just like another VW group of cars. The 1.5 TSi is for the enthusiast with ‘no compromise’ on their mind. The seriously quick acceleration and speed blows you away. It can feel raw and unrefined at the very limit but most of the time it is a spectacular all-rounder. It can be the car that can do highway runs to other cities and states and everyday city runner with DSG and manual, both. The 1.5 TSi screams and linearly develops power.
Earlier, the only potential drawback to considering the Slavia is its seemingly higher price tag. However, with the new variants, price cut from GST and available discounts till January 2026, the Slavia falls into a tempting category. A stylish European sedan that looks stunning in any color, excellent driving dynamics, top-notch practicality, and spaciousness that rivals and out guns the Hyundai Verna easily. The Honda City is a tough competitor, but we know Slavia plays its turbo petrol engines card close to its chest. Overall, Slavia, for budget-conscious car enthusiasts who need a family vehicle that’s both fun to drive and offers the best of both worlds.
