After a long wait, Skoda has launched the new facelift model of its sedan, the Skoda Slavia, in the Indian market. This new Slavia presents a better option for customers during the festive season. The starting price of this new Slavia Facelift has been set at ₹10 lakh. It is noteworthy that this is the first major mid-life update the Slavia has received since its launch in 2022.
The new model features some design changes and a partially upgraded cabin, along with an expanded list of features. The company has also introduced a new automatic gearbox with a 1.0-liter engine. In the market, this car will face competition from vehicles like the Volkswagen Virtus, Honda City, and Hyundai Verna.
The main highlight of this facelift launch is that despite providing major updates, the company has not made any significant changes to its pricing; the starting price of the base variant remains ₹10 lakh, just like the old model. However, the top variant is ₹64,000 more expensive than the previous model, as the company has included several new features and design improvements along with the price hike.
The overall design and body shape of the new Slavia retains its original look, but due to minor modifications, the car now appears faster and sportier than before. The front features a redesigned LED headlight setup, which includes segmented Daytime Running Lights (DRLs). A segmented chrome strip is placed on the grille, and it also comes with new LED fog lamps and a sporty new bumper.
The side profile features a new design for the 16-inch alloy wheels, and the sharp body lines on both sides of the car give it a premium look. There is a chrome finish on the window line. At the rear, there are new LED taillights with sequential turn indicators. Skoda's branding has also been updated, and the rear bumper has a new look.
The new Slavia Facelift is offered with new color options such as Arctic Silver and Cappuccino Beige. The Monte Carlo edition comes with blacked-out exterior elements, black badges, and alloy wheels to give it a sportier look. This special edition also features a red accent on the grille, a distinctive Monte Carlo badge, and dual-tone color options.
The Skoda Slavia is equipped with a 1.0-liter turbo-petrol engine producing 115hp power and 178Nm torque, similar to the previous version. The other option is a 1.5-liter direct-injection turbo-petrol engine with 150hp and 250Nm. The 1.0-liter engine comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox, while the 1.5-liter engine is offered with a 7-speed DCT gearbox.
The most significant change is in the automatic version of the 1.0-liter engine; it now features a new 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox instead of the old 6-speed automatic.
The interior of the Slavia Facelift has been kept similar to the old model. The standard version features a beige and black theme with copper inserts, while the Monte Carlo edition has an all-black cabin with red inserts and special red graphics on the screen. The leatherette seats in the standard model now have a mono-tone finish, which differs from the dual-tone finish of the old model.
The Monte Carlo edition features black leatherette seats with red contrast stitching. The car retains older design elements such as a two-spoke steering wheel, recessed space on the dashboard, circular air vents, and touch-based HVAC controls.
Skoda has upgraded several features in the new Slavia. The car now has a large 10.1-inch infotainment system with Google AI Assistant. Additionally, a new 10.25-inch digital driver display is provided, which users can set up with various screen configurations according to their needs.
The new Slavia also includes a segment-first rear seat massage function. A 360-degree camera is another major new feature. It is equipped with a new variable-geometry compressor to improve AC performance.
Features like a single-pane sunroof, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless phone charger, powered and ventilated front seats, and an 8-speaker audio system remain available as before.
In summary, the Skoda Slavia Facelift has focused on aspects that will make a difference to customers in daily use rather than major design changes. The new look, enhanced features, improved AC, and the new 8-speed automatic gearbox make it a strong package. However, the absence of ADAS might put it slightly behind competitors like the Volkswagen Virtus, Honda City, and Hyundai Verna.