Revealing its production-spec Slavia, Skoda has thrown the gauntlet in the mid-size sedan category of the Indian automobile industry. The car is slated for launch early next year and will come as a replacement for the Rapid which is not able to put up a good show in terms of sales numbers. Skoda will start deliveries of Slavia in Q1 2022 and here’s how this upcoming Skoda compares against its established rivals:
Size and Dimensions
Slavia is quite generous in terms of its footprints and as compared to the outgoing Rapid, it’s substantially longer, wider, and taller in its appearance. In fact, on the parameter of wheelbase, Slavia is 99mm longer than outgoing Rapid. Slavia shares its 2651mm wheelbase with Kushaq as both models are based on the MQB-A0-IN platform.
Honda City comes across as the longest car in this comparison but Slavia is not far behind with the difference between the two is only 8mm. The generous 521-litre capacity boot of Slavia is the biggest in the lot and can prove instrumental in creating its appeal among prospective buyers. All cars in this comparison ride on 16-inch alloy wheels in their top-spec models.
Engines and Transmission
Skoda Slavia will be offered as the only petrol engine model with two TSI turbocharged motors to choose from – 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre. The base 1.0-litre engine (115bhp/150hp) has been carried forward from the Rapid and although the torque remains the same, there has been a power bump of 5bhp in the output of the motor.
It is important to note that Honda City and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz offer naturally aspirated petrol engines, unlike the Skoda Slavia which comes with turbocharged technology for greater output and torquey drive. The bigger 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine of Slavia comes with class-leading performance, i.e., 150hp and 250Nm on tap. These numbers are certainly generous and can be easily considered as the segment benchmark for other cars to follow. Compared to Honda City which is the second most powerful car in this comparison, Slavia holds the advantage of 29hp and 105 Nm of torque which is quite substantial. Maruti Ciaz is the least powerful car in this comparison although it is the only car to feature the mild-hybrid system for achieving maximum fuel efficiency.
Except for Maruti Ciaz which comes with a 5-speed gearbox, all other sedans here feature a 6-speed manual transmission as a standard option. In addition, Skoda Slavia comes with a 6-speed torque converter and 7-speed DSG, thereby offering a wide choice to customers. Honda City also offers an option of a 7-step CVT while the Hyundai Verna comes with the 8-step CVT and 7-speed DCT technology. Maruti feels old-school here as it offers a 4-speed torque converter compared to the 6-, 7-, and 8-speed converters offered by its rivals.
Slavia seems right on paper. It has everything, be it size, road presence, stance, design and powerful engines and Skoda’s passive giveaways always are safety and dynamics which should dethrone the Honda City after years of reign in this segment. While Verna may be formidable, it lacks far behind when it comes to everything except for a slightly more rich feature list. The Slavia then, if it only had a diesel, victory was assured, but then again, the petrol shift is already happening in the market. Slavia does seem like a winner now, doesn’t it?
