[firstguri]

Originally Posted by robby0707

I have a different opinion about what you just said based on the 3 cars that I own. I have an S cross, Octavia and a Tucson, all with ACC. The only parameter that you can adjust in auto mode is the temperature and the recirculation in all 3 cars. In all the three cars, the moment you change the fan speed, the auto light goes off meaning that the system is no longer in auto mode. So it is not just the fan speed that goes to manual, but the whole climate control goes to manual mode. Similarly, If you change the the airflow direction( towards face/legs etc.), the auto light goes off.

Whenever you change any parameter that specifically goes into manual mode. The system so to speak goes into semi auto mode. If you change fan speed then that doesn't mean the system is now in manual mode. The adjustable swash plate AC compressor still works in auto mode adjusting capacity according to demand. The air flow direction still stays in auto and will change according to programmed logic. Of course the auto light will go off indicating that it's not in full auto mode. In my Abarth and also other Fiat's, climate control shows ‘full auto' when the auto button is pressed and shows ‘auto' if any setting is changed. Other cars you mentioned might not show semi auto but the fact is that untouched parameters continue to function in auto mode.

[Mach_1590]

I recently had an opportunity to experience the Slavia from the driver as well as from the passenger's perspective.

Few details to go with -

Variant - 1.0 TSi Ambition MT
Colour - Crystal Blue
ODO - 1300 km (at the start of the trip)
Total trip - 830 kms
Overall efficiency - 15.8 kmpl with 100% AC

So the ride was planned from Noida to Jaipur and nearby attractions on the long independence day weekend. We had 3 cars to choose from, for 4 Pax and light luggage, my diesel Ecosport would have sufficed but BIL insisted to pick the Slavia, poor Endeavour got no votes as everyone thought it would be an overkill for a weekend trip.

We got moving after the cavernous 600L boot gulped our small cabin sized bags. I was at the driver's seat, it was 3pm afternoon, traffic was moderate and took us an hour and half to steer away from NCR. Filled her up with premium fuel, set the AC temp to 24C and stretched her legs on abysmal Delhi-Jaipur highway. Its a 6 lane highway with 80 kmph limit but barely one can average 60 kmph thanks to poor quality surface, crazy intersections and heavy truck traffic.

My first impression of Slavia from driver's seat was pretty good, relating it to my daily driver the BS6 diesel Ecosport, what struck me was the refinement, tractability of turbo petrol, the supple and almost flat ride, the sharp steering which made dodging them trucks and trailers a piece of cake. There's no nervousness even at high speeds on less than perfect roads, although suspension isn't silent like the engine and road noise from goodyear tires is on higher side. The touch-type AC controls are very annoying to use. The car glides on small potholes but produces a loud thud on deeper ones, without losing composure that is. I didn't at any point feel like I am driving a 4.5M long sedan. Driving out of the toll gates, you get to cruising speeds in seconds without even pushing the engine. The lumbar support from the seat is non existent, I had mild pain in lower back in just 100 kms of driving it.

The cooling capacity of the AC has been discussed thoroughly across the threads and it is adequate as long as the car is not parked in open. Even in 33C, it took longer to cool the cabin than say an Ecosport parked in 40C. I sometimes have to switch off the AC in Ecosport to prevent overcooling, Slavia never provided me this opportunity. The fan noise at medium speeds in on the higher side. The interior fit and finish is horrible, the panel which houses ambient light strip is so poorly fitted that it has already started dropping and looks like it will have to be refitted in about an year. The power window switches, even 6 lac rupee cars has better quality window switches, the door rattles and squeaks intermittently pointing to poor plastic quality(?). Braking is satisfactory with 2 disc setup on Slavia and feels similar to Ecosport, latter has better feedback. Steering is very light, on highways its very precise and sharp but there isn't much resistance and feedback is artificial. Body roll isn't felt at all and it corners flat.

The rear seat is a good place and is comfortable but not Honda city comfortable. The armrest placement is too low and the grab handles again are made of very poor plastic. The rear AC vents have weak airflow and do little to cool the rear space. However, the good ride quality and seat comfort with decent under thigh support makes up for shortcomings. The rear doors are light and at times I mistakenly shut them heavily making a loud thunk.

On bad roads, Slavia did very well when we de-toured though a rural setting which offered us with deep tractor ruts and unscientific speed breakers. The sedan didn't scrape its bottom at all and everyone was mighty impressed as we cleared the patch and merged onto the main road.

To conclude, Skoda with its 2.0 is doing good, however Slavia 2.0 would be a proper car just like what Tata did Harrier. The sedan has a lot of potential to change the market, I would happily pay 1L premium to get that "regular" Skoda quality.

[neochanger]

After a lot of struggle and confusion, I finally booked a 1.0 Slavia MT Ambition variant in Tornado Red colour. As folks suggested here, I took the extended warranty and the 4 year service pack was already freely included.

Initially I had Virtus in my mind for its looks but once I began searching the details I came across poor ASS, reliability issues and everything that made it sensible to switch to Honda City instead even though design wise it did not appeal to me much.

A bit more of thought brought me to Skoda showroom and the experience there was very good from showcasing to TD and discounts/offers. I offered VW SA to match their offer but they said since Virtus is a new product and hasn’t compromised on screen size they can’t give equal discount. Overall, mid variant was costly by around 90k on road with Virtus. Honda City V still beat both of them economically and offered more peace of mind, no regrets kind of feelings.

Yet I finally booked Slavia instead of City because of one great line said by my wife while coming out of Honda showroom: “It takes guts to try out something new.” My brother already drives City 5G and is all-praise for its all round performance so I had to choose Slavia over City mostly for the sake of different looks, fresh product and a new experience (hopefully good).

Slavia definitely has some unique offerings for driving dynamics but it has its own set of quality issues and unreliable ASS track record. I hope the 2.0 version changes that perception for better and wish to see them do good, at least sustainable, in Indian market.

I am planning to get the car delivered before Diwali. I wish they sort out their AC issues and quality control by that time so that I get a car with minimum niggles and be all praise for it just as my brother is for his City. Whether this is just a wishful thinking or genuine expectation only Skoda’s top management knows. One of the deciding factors between Virtus and Slavia was that it felt like Zac Hollis is doing better than those at VW and Skoda as of now has more cars in portfolio than VW. Let’s hope what I felt is actually true and Skoda addresses the oh so annoying issues effectively.

Thanks to all members who helped me out with their views on this and the sedan comparison thread.

[neochanger]

Any idea about replacing headlamp unit in Ambition variant? I want to upgrade to OEM’s projector unit, the one in the Style variant. Is it a simple replacement or needs fixing/replacement of other related components as well? Anyone who has done it or knows about its process, costs etc please throw some light

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by neochanger

Any idea about replacing headlamp unit in Ambition variant? I want to upgrade to OEM’s projector unit, the one in the Style variant. Is it a simple replacement or needs fixing/replacement of other related components as well? Anyone who has done it or knows about its process, costs etc please throw some light

Not sure about the wiring part, but the headlight assembly costs around 43k for a pair. Beyond this you need to check if the wiring is completely different or not.

[neochanger]

Like always, I am once again confused between variants of Skoda Slavia 1.0 manual..
The Style variant costs 2 lakh more on road compared to Ambition, and the list of features upgrade is a long one which seems to justify the price difference. Some reviews even recommend top Style variant as the best recommended for a great overall ownership experience. But when I look closely, it seems the six airbags is the only must-upgrade and projector headlamps with L shaped DRL is the only “major external aesthetic” upgrade. If I turn more liberal, I can add ventilated seats as another useful upgrade but everything else seems more of feel-good-use-less kind of upgrade although feel/satisfaction does matter a little if not too much.

So should I spend 2 lakh more breaching the psychological 15 lakh mark by a good margin of 1.5 lakh? Or else, I should hold my temptation and be strictly practical and save the precious money. This is going to be my first car and will be there for a long duration and will be driven intensively for first 2-3 years. Would I regret not buying the top model for just 15% more of the money I am anyway spending? Or would I regret spending too much on fancy things? Is there any algorithm to resolve such kind of dilemma?

PS: Some guys revealed here that sunroof of Slavia is not that perfectly insulated and lets some warm air inside. Is this going to be a problem, more specifically, an annoyance?

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by neochanger

So should I spend 2 lakh more breaching the psychological 15 lakh mark by a good margin of 1.5 lakh? Or else, I should hold my temptation and be strictly practical and save the precious money. This is going to be my first car and will be there for a long duration and will be driven intensively for first 2-3 years. Would I regret not buying the top model for just 15% more of the money I am anyway spending? Or would I regret spending too much on fancy things? Is there any algorithm to resolve such kind of dilemma?

PS: Some guys revealed here that sunroof of Slavia is not that perfectly insulated and lets some warm air inside. Is this going to be a problem, more specifically, an annoyance?

Please check out both the variants if possible.

The Style has a bronze insert while the Ambition has a silver insert in the dashboard. Both of it gives a different vibe.

If you feel 6 airbags is the only miss, you might as well wait till October when 6 airbags becomes compulsory ( I assume the rule is still present) but you'll never know if there will be a price increase making the Ambition as expensive as the current Style(although unlikely).

[neochanger]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

Please check out both the variants if possible.

If you feel 6 airbags is the only miss, you might as well wait till October when 6 airbags becomes compulsory ( I assume the rule is still present) but you'll never know if there will be a price increase making the Ambition as expensive as the current Style(although unlikely).

6 airbags from October 1, 2022 seems very unlikely as govt will have to give some time for adaptations, testings etc especially for budget cars. So even if a notification comes out in October, it is unlikely to be implemented before new year. I am planning the car to get delivered before Diwali.

Also, if 6 airbags’ cost takes more than 50k, which might be the excuse to extract more from the consumer than actual cost (the usual case), then it might be more tempting upgrading to style. There seems to be a lot of ifs and buts which makes the decision making difficult.

[ajayc123]

Originally Posted by neochanger

Also, if 6 airbags’ cost takes more than 50k, which might be the excuse to extract more from the consumer than actual cost (the usual case), then it might be more tempting upgrading to style. There seems to be a lot of ifs and buts which makes the decision making difficult.

See what honourable minister has said in this matter in the Temple of Democracy.

Nitin Gadkari, while addressing Rajya Sabha, said each additional airbag will only cost Rs 800, which is bearable for customers who can afford cars and will increase vehicle safety.

Link

[motonomad]

Originally Posted by neochanger

So should I spend 2 lakh more breaching the psychological 15 lakh mark by a good margin of 1.5 lakh? Or else, I should hold my temptation and be strictly practical and save the precious money.

I was in the same boat, browsing for first car and arrived on Ambition AT. A strong preference was to not having a sunroof for a whole bunch of reasons. Also I was pretty clear that if I am gonna extend budget till 1.0 Style AT, I will get the Style 1.5 MT instead.

There are certainly a few things from the Style variant that I would have liked
- LED Headlamps - Though the halogens are good enough, might look at upgrading the high beam in future. The Style headlamps look visually nicer though
- Auto dimming IRVM - Really missed on night drives
- Subwoofer - At best a nice to have thing, quite happy with the stock setup too, irrelevant anyway because subwoofer isn't available on any variant anymore
- 6 Airbags would have brought a bit more peace of mind

I was indifferent about the leather ventilated seats and wireless charging, disliked the LCD speedo console, disliked the additional chrome bits and didn't want the sunroof. So the choice was fairly straightforward for me. The money saved would probably go towards more roadtrips.

Also have you considered Virtus too? I didn't check the variants in detail but maybe your requirements are fulfilled better there?

[Hatari]

Originally Posted by neochanger

L
So should I spend 2 lakh more breaching the psychological 15 lakh mark by a good margin of 1.5 lakh? Or else, I should hold my temptation and be strictly practical and save the precious money. This is going to be my first car and will be there for a long duration and will be driven intensively for first 2-3 years. Would I regret not buying the top model for just 15% more of the money I am anyway spending? Or would I regret spending too much on fancy things? Is there any algorithm to resolve such kind of dilemma?
?

The quintessential dilemma! We have all asked ourselves this.
Ultimately is comes down to you alone and your priorities.
There are other thread on Team-bhp that address this "How much should I spend on a new car"

Personally, for my next car curtain airbags are a must as a safety measure due to my highway driving.

Consider delaying buying a new car, if are not comfortable spending the additional 1.5 lakhs, the Slavia needs to sort out quite a few niggles anyway, maybe the 2023 version will be relatively problem free.

[dmplog]

Originally Posted by audioholic

In other news, I was annoyed with the wheel nut caps falling off when going over potholes at high speeds. Also, the nut caps would hold water in the edges which would cause hard water spots. The solution? Thank god for VW and part sharing. Got the caps from the VW sibilings which completely cover the wheel nut wells.

Thanks for sharing your experience on AC Tweaks.
But wheel nuts update is even better news! Do you want to share how you got them and its cost? My Kushaq lost few of them and I thought someone must have stolen them - but didn't occur to me why would anyone steal only 2-3 of them

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by dmplog

But wheel nuts update is even better news! Do you want to share how you got them and its cost?

Ordered them from Boodmo. Part number is 1K0601173 and costs 39 rupees each. If you just want to replace the Skoda caps then they are cheaper, coming at 500 for a set of 20 on Amazon. Had got them but now decided to switch to the VW ones.

[neochanger]

I wish to know about this Octane95 fuel issue with Slavia:

1. Do I need to always go for Oct95 fuel, because many posts/reviews suggest it is highly recommended for engine’s life and fuel efficiency.
2. How much impact would be there if use 91octane petrol on a regular basis? Would FE come down by ~2-3 kmpl and is it going to be great problem with engine in the long run, say after 5 years?
3. Is it just like every other car (where it is recommended to use high octane though few people actually care about it) or high octane recommendation is a must kind of thing with Slavia? (Just wish to know to what extent using lower octane fuel would impact engine, FE and maintenance part)

This issue is taking away my mental peace. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by neochanger

1. Do I need to always go for Oct95 fuel, because many posts/reviews suggest it is highly recommended for engine’s life and fuel efficiency.
2. How much impact would be there if use 91octane petrol on a regular basis? Would FE come down by ~2-3 kmpl and is it going to be great problem with engine in the long run, say after 5 years?
3. Is it just like every other car (where it is recommended to use high octane though few people actually care about it) or high octane recommendation is a must kind of thing with Slavia?
!

There are a few people who I know with the TSI engines(1.0 and 1.5) who have been using regular petrol but from a reputed bunk and their cars are running fine. So it is not a must to use, but it is preferred. RON 91 petrol dampens the performance to a noticeable level at least for me.

Based on my experience there is not a major impact on FE, but you need to go harder on the throttle compared to RON95 using which the 1.5 at least launches off with least throttle inputs.

The requirement for higher octane petrol applies for any other direct injected engine like the Hyundai GDI, etc since these cars have fuel injection systems running at high pressures and inject petrol directly into the combustion chamber. However like I mentioned before it would not cause serious effects at least in the short term.

And I dont think its something to worry about especially when you have warranty for six years. If use of regular octane petrol really has a catastrophic effect on the vehicle, then I dont expect a failure to happen after six years. It would happen much earlier.

That said, I have always used RON95 on my car except for two instances of filling up regular petrol and getting disappointed with the performance especially on the highway. The 3-4 rupee price difference is something I can ignore.

Just to give an example, we have a test car at work which has a far more complicated engine and with higher power output which requires RON95 with a min RON91 sticker. This has been directly brought from Germany with no robustness improvements to suit India. We have been using regular fuel in it and has been pushed to the limits all the time. So far it's been running fine.