Skoda Slavia 1.5 MT Long Term Review

Introduction

After first launching the sedan with a single 1.0-liter TSI engine, Skoda has now introduced the 1.5-liter TSI engine for the Slavia. The larger engine is only offered on the top-tier Style trim, with the manual model costing Rs 16.19 lakh. Aside from the engine, no other alterations have been made to the car, which was introduced in the country on February 28. Skoda continues to offer the sedan in three trim levels in India: Active, Ambition, and Style.

The Mumbai-Pune Expressway's speed limit of 100kph translates to a sluggish 2,000rpm in sixth gear in the long-legged 1.5 Slavia. The third gear, with a top speed of 160 kph, is useful for overtaking and sits comfortably in the 1.5 motor's powerband when traveling at highway speeds. The Slavia can accelerate quickly with just a slight stretch of the right foot, and this excess of power makes the 1.5 Slavia an excellent highway vehicle. It's much better when the route is winding.

Detailed Description

Features

The strong chassis of the 1.0 TSI Slavia rewards passionate driving with a light-footed sensation and superb poise and balance in turns. In contrast, given the 1.5's a similarly bigger engine, it seems more stable and we can detect a slight increase in weight over the front tires. The swift turn-in is helped by the additional grip at the front, where it works well for traction, but unlike the 1.0-liter model, it's in the middle of the bend that the tiny variations between the cars are most noticeable.

It requires a little more skill to use the brakes and manage the inevitable understeer of a front-wheel-driven automobile because it is slightly heavier and has more power. Nevertheless, the electronic differential, which aids in maintaining a precise, tight line through turns, extremely effectively manages understeer.

The 1.5-liter turbo-petrol engine revs harder and faster to its redline with the increased power and torque, and when paired with the DSG, it produces a speedy sedan that's also easy to drive in town. This Slavia settles into being a normal sedan that rides appropriately and is always ready to shift character with a stronger right foot when the enthusiasm is dialed back.

The Slavia 1.5, which is only offered in one grade with all the bells and whistles, is available with a 6-speed manual or the 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox that we get to drive. The DSG changes smoothly, and at slower speeds, the shifts are hardly noticeable. The gear ratios also assist the engine build revs rapidly, which is ideal for removing any possible turbo lag.

What's even more amazing is that Skoda equipped the Slavia with cylinder-deactivation technology, which, to put it simply, turns off two of the car's four cylinders when the driver doesn't need a lot of power or acceleration. Additionally, the vehicle has an engine start-stop feature that rapidly restarts the engine when we depress the clutch pedal to shift into first gear when the light turns green. This feature automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stationary.

In addition, performance is easier to access in any situation, whether it be closing traffic gaps or maintaining highway speeds, due to the additional ratio and the wider powerband. The Slavia 1.5 seems far less stressed when accelerating up to triple-digit speeds, giving the car's manners a level of clarity not found in its competitors in this class. And the DCT merely made this attribute stronger.

As usual, the gearbox is finely tuned to the engine's powerband and will respond promptly to any changes in input, but with the paddles, this is even more true. Shifts towards the top of the rpm range have a sharpness that makes wringing this engine to its limit even more tempting.

The six-speed manual gearbox is different from the one in the Slavia 1.0 but performs similarly. Although the clutch travel is a little long, it engages gradually, making shifting not too difficult. Even though it doesn't have the same tactility as a Honda shifter, the shift movement is still accurate enough.

The Slavia has an eight-inch touchscreen, cruise control, and automated climate control as standard features. Additionally, it receives a single-pane sunroof, an eight-inch digital driver's display, and ventilated front seats. The sedan's Anniversary design comes with a 10-inch touchscreen.

Engine and Performance

The 1.5 TSI motor is clearly in a league of its right away! Even though the 1.0 TSI is a fantastic engine, the 1.5 TSI, which is bigger and more potent, easily outperforms it. This 1.5-liter turbo-petrol engine works great! Additionally, it makes a stronger argument in a low-slung sedan than the Kushaq/Taigun team.

Skoda India claims a time of 8.8 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, which is almost 3 seconds faster than the 1.0 TSI. The refinement level is class-leading, and acceleration is much, much faster. Not to add, this engine has cylinder deactivation technology, which allows us to operate essentially with just two cylinders when the load is low.

The 1.5 TSI is more efficient than the 1.0 TSI, at least based on our experiences with its sister vehicles. The 1.5 TSI motor is a lot of pleasure to drive when paired with a quick six-speed manual transmission (MT), but the long clutch travel and larger gear ratios do take some of the fun away. However, it's not a deal-breaker in any manner

Thebigger engine variant has a meaty scream at idle and feels extremely refined. When weaccelerate, wecan hear the turbo stylishly spooling. When in driving mode, the Slavia advances in style. The sedan's size and the way its suspension is calibrated, along with its sheer size, contribute to how maturely it drives.

The Slavia 1.5L provides its passengers with a very luxurious experience and drives superbly in all situations. The main feature is how closely this vehicle follows curves at high speeds with minimal body roll for the backseat occupants.

The steering provides excellent input and feels dynamic at all speeds, giving the driver a sense of connection. The 6-speed manual gearbox moves precisely and without any lag or juddering. The Slavia 1.5L has a tonne of performance, and the gear ratios have been optimizedfor it.

The Slavia in this edition is fully outfitted for driving enjoyment and is designed for performance. All power ranges and driving situations are handled with finesse by the Slavia 1.5L TSI, which offers unsurpassed drivability.

Safety

Up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child-seat anchors, a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), a hill-hold assist, and a rear parking camera are included in the safety features.

Colors Available for the Skoda Slavia-

The exterior coloroptions for the Slavia include the following 5 hues-White, Red, Grey, Silver, and Blue.

Interior and Exterior

The 1.5L Slavia's interior is identical to that of the 1.0L model inside; the sedan has a triple-layered dashboardcoated in black, faux gold anodized, and beige with glossy black accents. The 10-inch touch-screen infotainment system, which is the same AVN device found on the Kushaq but is mounted in a floating fashion on the dash, is the main focus.

It has all the connection functions. The steering wheel is a dual-spoke wheel with glossy black accents, MFD controls, and height/reach adjustment, just like the Skoda Kushaq.

The 8-inch, entirely digital instrument cluster that comes with the Slavia 1.5L TSI looks upscale and high-end. On both sides of the enclosure for the computerizedcockpit are Skoda decals. A single zone unit with touch and slide controls once again controls the climate. Additionally, Slavia's interior package includes ambient lighting.

A dual-tone, upscale-looking concept is used inthe cabin. Rear AC vents, wireless charging, a digital cockpit, and other innovations are among the highlights. The Slavia has ventilated front seats for passengers. On the top-end model, the seats have dual-tone faux leather upholstery and the driver's seat is modified for height.

When it comes to comfort, high-end materials, size, and style, the roomy cabin is strongly reminiscent of the older brother Octavia. The Slavia has wireless mobile charging up front, two USB C ports in the front and two in the back. There are two USB C-type charge connectors, a folding arm rear, three adjustable headrests, and rear AC vents at the back.

The rear seat of the Slavia is incredibly comfortable and has enough room for the passenger to spread his feet. The under-thigh and back cushioning on seats provide good under-thigh support and comfort. Its primary distinguishing feature for the back seating is best-in-class headroom, shoulder room, knee room, and leg room.

Competitive Analysis

The Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Hyundai Verna, and its impending cousin, the Volkswagen Virtus, are just a few of the vehicles the Skoda Slavia competes with. It's important to note that Volkswagen will shortly reveal the Virtus, which will share many Slavia underpinnings with the Vento. The Slavia 1.5L is, the only vehicle in its class to have a Dual Clutch Automatic gearbox option, andis the most potent sedan in its class, easily outperforming its rivals.

Pros

Perfect Sizes and Ground Clearance

The Slavia has the longest wheelbase (2651mm), making it the widest sedan in its class. The Slavia also has a 521-liter boot, the largest in its group. In addition to its huge dimensions, the Slavia has a ground clearance of 179mm, which is both the highest in its segment and comparable to several currently available sub-compact SUVs.

Performance-Oriented 1.5L Petrol Turbo Engine

The 1.5L turbocharged petrol engine in the Slavia is also available with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It generates 250Nm of torque between 1500 and 3500 rpm and 150PS of power at 5000 rpm. It claims to have superior fuel efficiency than the Slavia 1.0L automatic.

Cons

The baseModelis Missing Features

The Slavia's base model is excessively plain and is deficient in severaldesirable amenities, including cruise control, alloy wheels, projector or LED headlamps, rear AC vents, front and rear armrests, and automatic air conditioning. For comparison, all versions of the Baleno come standard with auto AC and projector headlamps.

1.5L Turbo Petrol Expensive

The Slavia's 1.5L turbo-petrol engine costs significantly more than the 1.0L turbo-petrol engine. Additionally, the hot temperature of India has not yet allowed the dual-clutch automatic gearbox to become established.The dual-clutch automatic gearbox comes with a price that is higher than the industry average and amounts to about Rs. 1.60 lacks.

Personal Review

No more dieselfrom the Audi Group, as anticipated. This means that only petrol engines are used to power all Volkswagen and Skoda products for the Indian market. However, the Hyundai Verna and the Honda City also have diesel engines. The back camera's screen resolution is the next turn-off.

The Slavia, however, provides you with a premium, family-safe product that seems well-packaged and that also gives you an enjoyable driving experience. The 1.5 motors' punch and performance simply cannot be disregarded; this is perhaps the fastest car around Rs 20 lakh.

After that, a 4-year warranty is typical and can be increased to a 6-year warranty. The average cost of routine maintenance has now decreased to 46 pence per kilometer. Additionally, parts are less expensive because ofthe 95% localizationin place. So, if the current crop of mid-size SUVs isn't to your taste and you're looking for a car between Rs 12 and Rs 16 lakh, give this one a close examination. You won't be let down.

Conclusion

The SkodaSlavia appears to be a costly option. However, given the type of performance and excitement it provides,there is no doubt that it is a suitable driver's sedan. And maybe more significantly, it is unique. Although the Slavia isn't an explicit corner carver, it wouldn't be improper to describe it as the original Octavia's spiritual descendant given its foundation and performance capabilities. And the Slavia 1.5 should get a lot of buyersfor this reason.