[GreenerPlanet]

First things first, Shreyas Karambelkar: what a stunning camo design! The car looks beautiful with the warm indian motifs and it really pays tribute to indian culture. You have a bright career ahead, best wishes!

Skoda seems to have pretty much found a good mix of all the right things in the Slavia - great looks, good dimensions, safety considerations and features like the sunroof (for some). Hope the glemlins in the auto gearbox is exorcised for good and they take the market head on by voluntarily getting tested for NCAP, and it performs as good as claimed.

A Slavia may be what the market needs to pull back the crowd to sedans - my personal favourite car type.

As mentioned by another poster, hope they also "robustly" test the car in regular indian conditions before it gets to the shop floors or "chacha" Zac will be busy :-)

[CircleOfLife]

Originally Posted by Maverick_4662

The PowerDrift video hints that car has the same sunroof as the Kushaq. I think the Octavia will soon be updated with a panoramic unit. Shave off a few Lakhs too?

This sunroof is not happening anytime soon. Sedan version of octavia doesn't get a sunroof in the European market. Unless there is a change in offering in Europe, Skoda wouldn't design anything specific to India. The numbers are just too low to justify any such investment.

Slavia looks like a mini Octavia which in turn look like a mini superb . This also means Octavia with 1.5 TSI engine & manual gear box might not be offered in near term or rather will never make it to the Indian market. I do hope Skoda does offer this combination as the entry point to Octavia brand gets lowered.

If Slavia was available today, then would have preferred 1.5 TSI + DSG over the Octavia 2.0 + DSG. It meets all basic requirements. This will be a 4 seater unless the design of seats are drastically changed to accommodate 5. I am assuming the middle hump is also drastically lower like Kushaq. Which is good sign as kids can occupy that space.

Will the 4 seat limitation that plague Kushaq also spoil sport here? Yes it will and would be interesting to see how the segment buyers reacts. What would be impact on Octavia sales? Though Octavia is selling in low 3 digits now , post Slavia launch will it be a single digit sales?

Interesting time ahead. Skoda should launch it early Q3 rather than end of Q3. Folks will loose interest in such long marketing campaigns. From management stand point long campaign has served them well initially for Kushaq but this one will be different ball game and hope they revise the template.

Only one ask with Skoda don't offer interior color combination with dull colors. I am hoping they will continue the winning formulae from Rapid.

Matt edition was ode to Rapid being phased out. Had recently checked one in showroom. Looked stunning. There was only 1 left in stock that too the display one. Lot of folks who came to see kushaq also checked Rapid only because of the matt color was on display. Rapid & Vento still has it's own fan base. Hope these new products build over that and offer value to Indian customers to keep them afloat in the market.

[vedant.singhvi]

The car indeed has the right proportions, and engines.
Just hoping that this does not carry forward the Kushaq niggles, and does not have as evident of cost cutting as in Kushaq.

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by CircleOfLife

If Slavia was available today, then would have preferred 1.5 TSI + DSG over the Octavia 2.0 + DSG. It meets all basic requirements.

I think you made the right decision of going for Octavia. I am sure there will be day and night differences between both as with current Octavia, Skoda were targeting entry level luxury sedans. And new Octavia reeks quality inside out.
In Slavia there will definitely be cost cutting - for starters as seen in the videos it doesn’t get frameless wipers, no discs at rear and surely the quality of materials will be of low grade compared to Octavia. Infact from one of the video the seat textures looked like Kushaq.
And then that 2 TSI is too good with a better gearbox. So those who can afford and willing to spend Octavia will be a better choice anyday

[shancz]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

- And seriously - No EPC errors this time please. Remove that warning lamp, if need be!
- Is squarely positioned against the Honda City in size, give or take a few mm.

- This was my first reaction, brilliantly put

- With this car Skoda have given what sedan lovers like me really wanted and a stiff competition to the City.
With those powertrains and the relatively solid build and feel as compared to the City, this might just be another nail in the coffin of City sales unless they come out with something out of the box.

After the EPC issue is resolved, I as an enthusiast would prefer the Slavia 1.5 over the City 1.5 NA anyday and see the 1.0 doing the same for the masses.
On reliability and fuss free factors the City definitely has an edge but most people looking for those factors have already moved to the SUVs/Crossovers which also pack in the extra GC and higher seating.

Originally Posted by DicKy

2. It has a notchback and a huge boot.

This would be a killer, I can't forget that jaw dropping feeling when I opened the Octavia's boot for the the first time. Pics don't do justice to it.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Slavia is a notchback. - - This was already mentioned during the name unveil a few weeks ago

- One right answer - there is no replacement for displacement + turbo charging. 1.0 TSi or 1.5 NA < 1.5 TSi.

- Thanks this is going to be a big USP. Not a lot of people in the target segment have seen this for real and that first glimpse of the small room is going to move a lot of people to Skoda from others.

- The age old wisdom 2.0

[Sran]

On one side a turbo 1 litre 3 cylinder engine on the other the infamous DQ200 auto gearbox. I mean this is Skoda at its best, they never seem to fully satisfy any customer. The country needs sedan and it is good to see someone launching a new product.

The camo looks so good that I wouldn't mind buying it in same design.

[Pedalmasher_20]

Originally Posted by vedant.singhvi

The car indeed has the right proportions, and engines.
Just hoping that this does not carry forward the Kushaq niggles, and does not have as evident of cost cutting as in Kushaq.

I too am hoping the same but lets face the fact. Somehow or other, the issues that the Kushaq was plagued with will come in the Slavia as the Engine + Gearbox combo used as well as the material quality & platform used in the Slavia is the same as the Kushaq. We can only hope that the number of complaints registered will be less than Kushaq as Skoda might focus on refining some of the issues before the deliveries commence or the complaints might be solved quickly as the service technicians would have been familiar with the root cause to most of the problems. About the cost-cutting, I think it would be carried forward, else Skoda won’t be able to price the car aggressively and if Skoda is able to price it aggressively without the cost-cutting then the Slavia would become a serious threat to the Octavia’s sales figure and, to some extent, to the Kushaq as well.

[volkman10]

ŠKODA Slavia has been tested by Global NCAP. Expect results to be revealed by 18th Nov before its Global unveil. Expect it to ace the crash test.

But this shows the lack of confidence by ŠKODA, in not sending the Kushaq for crash test, upfront.

The Slavia has also been tested by Global NCAP, although we are awaiting the results of that as well.

Link

[shancz]

Originally Posted by lordrayden

Was Renuka cheekily trying to give Autocar viewers a glimpse of the interiors by doing that door-close test TWICE with that "serendipitous" camera angle?

Check out this video, the peep inside sort of confirms this to an extent but can't vouch for the video itself.
IMHO if the launched model represents 90% of what it shows(excluding the panoramic sunroof), its going to be good. Hopefully they have analog dials/buttons for audio and climate controls.
Credits To Providers :

Viktor Stepanov

Originally Posted by Vid6639

The photos show a conventional sedan boot and not a notch back like the Octavia / Laura.
Unless you mean notchback is the sedan notch boot type opening.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Watch this video from Karthik:
If it was a notchback then the glass would not go underneath the boot lid but join.
Also at 2:15s Karthik confirms that it is not a liftback but a regular sedan boot as it is lower cost.

Exactly, attaching a screen shot along with the pic from an Octavia.
Credits To Providers : ZigWheels


Comparing to an Octavia's notchback/liftback(from one of my trips) :

[armaan_singh]

I get a sense Skoda will keep the rapid alive in lower variants to try and grab a small chunk of Dzire/Amaze buyers while keeping the Slavia as direct competition to the City/Verna.

[travelwriter]

I recently bought the VW Vento 1.0 TSI AT. I have no regrets so far. I am fan of sedans and still haven't been able to understand the popularity the taller hatchbacks (aka SUV in India) in this market.

I was really in two minds whether to wait for a 1.5 TSI sedan or buy Vento and decided on the latter. After seeing this thread and the images, I feel I made the right decision. The looks are going to be disappointing, I am sure. And waiting for a VW Virtus or such would have meant at least another 18 months.

I certainly would have loved a DSG but I am quite happy with the TC AT in Vento. I feel Skoda and VW would benefit greatly if they were to talk about the benefits of sedans in general - stability, safety, speed and handling and boot space - which, in my opinion are always better than in hatchbacks.

And, of course, the pricing. They should take a penetration pricing strategy rather than a cost-plus. That ways, we can bring sensibility back into Indian car market.

[veedub89]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Global premier on Nov- 18th, with India launch likely in April 2022.


Attachment 2224748

Isn't the wheel gap too huge?
I hope Skoda gives bigger tyres with proper sidewalls. Or drops down the suspension a bit to lower the ride height. It looks extremely ungainly right now.

Apart from that the proportions look pretty good. Typical Skoda design and so so close to the Octavia's silhouette.

[akshye]

Is Zac suggesting this car will be placed above Kushaq? Note: he says there is a big gap between Kushaq and Octavia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJLStUjFe_s

[RoadMonkey]

A lot has been said about the 1.0L TSI in this thread. Given that I drive that engine (mated to AT) on a daily basis, I feel qualified to respond to some of the doubts raised. I think people judging it on the basis of "1.0" are being extremely unfair, without even having driven the car! And I honestly do not understand the complaints against this engine, it's not like it's the only engine Skoda is providing. There's that juicy 1.5L TSI available too.

The apprehension based strictly on the displacement reminded me of this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXrjpWZFpiQ

The power figures of the engines have already been mentioned in this thread, but I'd like to state them again. 110HP and 175NM

Originally Posted by neeraj0272

DSG is a big No. Similarly 1.0 Turbo is a No for a car of this size. So Skoda must provide either TC or CVT with 1.5 NA engine.

"must"? I don't think so. You really should watch the video linked above in my post. And, if possible, go TD a 1.0 TSI car from the VW stable. Prepare your mind on the 1.0 to be changed, once you drive it. It's more than adequate and a better performer than the 1.5 VTec.

Originally Posted by neeraj0272

I will accept that I dont have much knowledge about car mechanical & engines. But a 1 L even though Turbo seems under-powered compared to 1.5 NA.

Also can a 1L Turbo car fully loaded with passengers & luggage compete with 1.5L NA engine car fully loaded with passengers & luggage assuming everything else is same?

Why does it seem under powered? It has 10 less bhp and 30NM more torque. MORE. TORQUE. Torque = the pulling power. A 1.0 L TSI engine will do a much better job of pulling a fully loaded car than 1.5NA engine will, esp at mid range RPMs. I drive the TSI in AT avatar, it keeps the engine RPMs above 1400-1500RPMs and the turbo kicks in at 1750. You don't notice *any* turbo lag whatsoever. With all due respect, you really need to drive a car with the 1.0 TSI before making up your mind on the engine simply by looking at the displacement.

Originally Posted by Sran

On one side a turbo 1 litre 3 cylinder engine on the other the infamous DQ200 auto gearbox. I mean this is Skoda at its best, they never seem to fully satisfy any customer. The country needs sedan and it is good to see someone launching a new product.

The camo looks so good that I wouldn't mind buying it in same design.

Have you driven the 1.0 TSI? If not, please don't make up your mind simply based on "1 litre 3 cyl". I used to drive a Baleno 1.2 before the Polo 1.0. Trust me, the NVH isn't as big a deal at saner RPMs.

Originally Posted by hiren.sharma

b) Better gearbox: I do not want the infamous DQ200 on 1.5l

Now addressing the gearbox queries. I'll admit, I only know as much about the gearbox as is readily available on T-Bhp. I've read plenty of members mention that the gearbox got an "update" in 2014 or around that time, where VW corrected some problems with it. But I cannot find that post, anywho. This was addressed in the Powerdrift video on the Slavia.

https://youtu.be/mGZub57Avvs?t=290

(timestamp @4:50)

Skoda does say that the new DQ200 is more durable than before. Presumably they've learned from their earlier failures and made some engineering changes. Whether what they claim is true or not will eventually be found out - BUT - it is not the same gearbox that has historically failed in Indian cars. The chances of it succeeding or failing are similar that of any new DCT gearbox (like Hyundai's!). Do not let the reputation from previous DQ200 failures weigh you down when evaluating the current iteration of 1.5L + DQ200. Judge it like you'd judge a new DCT gearbox. If DCTs in general are beyond your risk appetite, you should seriously considering TDing the 1.0+AT variants of any of the Rapid/Kushaq/Slavia before making up your mind and concluding the engine to be inadequate.

[rajshenoy]

IT will be interesting to see this 1.0 TSI take the fight to the sweet 1.5 N/A Honda city.
I wish Honda mgmt showed some interest towards indian market. Otherwise a great package if one is keen on a sedan.

I am skeptical about 1.5L purely because of that DSG box.

Personally, I fee l Sedans will do better once people realise that Crossovers + Petrol combo will pinch them hard. Sedans are generally more fuel efficient and handle better compared to the crossovers.