The big update on a practical sedan

The Skoda Slavia has always been the go-to for those looking for a well-built sedan with performance to match. Though there is no change in overall dimensions, the front gets a restyled grille with chrome, and the LED headlights get a new DRL. The bumper shape changes, and it gains new fog lamps and a slightly redesigned air dam. The rear also has sequential turn indicators. The 16-inch alloys have a new design and contribute to the ground clearance of 179mm, which is almost like that of an SUV. It’s a very understated European look; nothing flashy.

We drove the Prestige trim and the Montecarlo trims, the top-of-the-line models. The Prestige trim comes with beige and black interiors with copper-coloured inserts; the Montecarlo is all black with contrasting red stitching on the seats and a red trim line on the dashboard. The rear seats have plenty of space, thanks to the 2,651 mm wheelbase, and now they are the only ones in the segment to have a massage function, which is a boon if you are being driven and on the rear seat. The front seats in the top models have ventilation. You get the advantage of a full-size spare at the back, and the rear boot is quite spacious at 521 litres. The 10.25-inch screen has a great interface and has wireless CarPlay and AndroidAuto. A new 360-degree camera is included (the previous model only had a rear-view one), and one was impressed with its clarity.

The main difference lies in the powertrain for the 1.0-litre model. Although the engine remains the same 999cc triple-pot with 114 bhp of power and 178 Nm of torque, it gains a new Aisin AQ300 8-speed torque converter automatic, which replaces the earlier AQ250 6-speed unit, and the difference is remarkable. Shifts are even more seamless, and the car always finds the right gear for the speed you are in. Kickdowns are also pretty quick, and the performance almost makes the 1.5-litre look unimportant. The standard 6-speed manual will continue to be offered. The 1.5-litre with its creamy DSG ‘box continues as before with no changes. A manual transmission option on this engine is irrelevant.

Safety has not been ignored, and all variants get 6 airbags. Naturally, a full suite of safety features like ESC is available, and the body got a 5-star rating in the GlobalNCAP. However, conspicuous by their absence are ADAS features, which even cars a segment below are offering. This seems to be a major miss by the company.

Overall, the new Slavia is a commendable effort by the company. The new features and improvements made, like the new air-con compressor, have done wonders. The only thing missing is ADAS, but we are sure they will be updated subsequently. This is one of the more sensible and practical updates we have seen on a mid-life facelift.

Prices start at ₹10 lakh, ex-showroom.