Upon launch, Skoda Slavia will be locking horns with other mid-size sedans such as Maruti, Ciaz, Honda City, Hyundai Verna and its upcoming cousin Volkswagen Virtus
Skoda Slavia is one of the most highly anticipated cars for 2022. The sedan made its global debut in India last month and is now getting ready for launch. It has garnered a favourable first impression from most pundits who are hoping Slavia to revive popularity of the sedan body style in India.
Ahead of its official launch in a couple of weeks, Slavia has been spotted testing in Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune. The test mule caught in camera was seen wearing a partial camouflage restricted to the rear end of the car. Interestingly, the prototype was seen carrying an emission testing apparatus.
Skoda Slavia Spied Emission Testing
Going by the images, Slavia appears to be in its final stages of the testing phase. The test mule spied wears a silver paint scheme. The sedan will be the Czech carmaker’s second offering to be launched under the India 2.0 project, first being Kushaq.
Slavia will be underpinned by the same MQB A0 IN architecture that currently forms the base for Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun. Like Kushaq, Skoda claims that Slavia will also reach up to 95 percent of localisation which would help the carmaker to price it very competitively. Slavia will sit below the new generation Octavia and will replace the discontinued Rapid in Skoda’s India lineup.
Dimensions & Design
In terms of dimensions, Slavia is much bigger than the outgoing Rapid and in fact, it is even longer than the first-gen Octavia. 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. At 2,651mm, Slavia gets a wheelbase longer than both Hyundai Verna and Honda City and similar to Maruti Ciaz.
At first glance, Slavia looks like a smaller version of the current-gen Octavia as the design inspirations are clearly visible. Upfront, the sedan gets a familiar Skoda grille 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.
Powertrain Specs
Powering Slavia will be two turbocharged petrol engine options- a 1.0-litre TSI unit and a 1.5-litre TSI unit. The former kicks out 114 bhp and 178 Nm of peak torque whereas the latter is a 4-cylinder unit which pumps out 148 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties are carried out by a 6-speed manual as standard with the option of a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox in the 1.0-litre unit.
A 7-speed DCT automatic gearbox is available as an option with the 1.5-litre unit. Bookings of the Slavia have already commenced with its launch expected to take place in Q1 next year.
