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Old 7th September 2022, 18:42   #856
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Czech with a German heart and blood in its veins, my Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG

Aah...finally after a year long search for a car that touched my head and heart. Now the proud owner of a Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG in carbon steel grey. There will be three parts to this initial ownership thread:
  1. The decision
  2. Purchase experience
  3. Initial days
THE DECISION
I had two cars, a Ford Ecosport Ecoboost Titanium+ 2017 and a Maruti Baleno Zeta CVT 2018 and wanted to replace the Ecosport with a automatic SUV preferably from a segment above the main objective being to match the Ecosport in ingress/egress. Mind you, if the Ecosport was automatic I would not have replaced it and if Ford was still around and the Ecoboost was available in automatic, would have replaced my current car with that, eyes closed.
Moving on, this is how the search started with the Jeep Compass petrol AT and ended with the Skoda Slavia 1.5 DSG:
Jeep Compass petrol AT
Though I had checked out the Compass in April'19 just for the heck of it and did not test drive it at the time, it remained in my mind and heart with the thought "maybe someday". On paper and pictures, the facelift looked mighty impressive. So, fixed an appointment for a test drive for the petrol AT with Landmark Worli in July last year. Diesel did not fit my use case and the price difference was not justifiable.
Did a 7km test drive in the showroom locality and found that the interiors and build were impressive but the engine/gearbox combo was a slight let down though I felt I could get around it. Anyway, I called the car for a test drive again in May'22 at my residence and drove it on my normal test drive route which has a ghat like climb and it failed there. I slowed down at the start of the slope and tried to pick up and it struggled to get a move on. That and the intermittent price increases was the deal breaker and the Compass dropped off the list after checking the other options.
VW T Roc
Test drove the T Roc in Sep'21 at VW Downtown Mumbai and was impressed with the overall drive especially the engine/gearbox combo but felt that the value proposition was missing and the road tax on CBU imports made matters worse. Ruled it out immediately.
Skoda Kushaq Style 1.5 DSG
Test drove the car the same day as the T Roc and though engine/gearbox combo felt the same as the TROC, the rest of the feel was a big let down. The test drive car had completed around 1.8k but the car felt like it had done 20k without any maintenance. Felt it could be that way as it was a test drive car but dropped it immediately from the short list.
VW Taigun
Test drove this car thrice, twice at the dealer showrooms and one at my residence. The first time the car had completed around 4k in Dec'21 and felt almost as good to drive as the T Roc in every way. The same car came when I called it home in June'22 after having done 12k and this too drove well but didn't feel as solid as the first time though it did the ghat like climb with ease unlike the Compass. The third time was in July at another dealer showroom and the feeling was same. And apart from a little exchange bonus (10k), no other discounts, though they offered to match any outside insurance quote. And just out of coincidence, the Virtus comes into the picture.
VW Virtus
A sedan was not in the consideration set but when we went to the second dealer to check out the Taigun again, the Virtus cars in the showroom were literally mouth watering especially the GT. We asked for a test drive and were happily obliged. The test drive GT had done about 1.8k and felt really good and apart from ingress/egress, felt better than the Taigun in every way. The family was impressed. The dealer says no discounts at all as the car is new but they can match insurance and both dealers say 2-3 months waiting. Gave them the quote from my preferred insurer and no further sign of both dealers. Decided to wait for them to get back and check out the Slavia in the meantime which in essence is the same car mechanically but the Virtus GT was definitely top of the list now.
Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG
After test driving the Virtus, came back and immediately put a request for test drive of Slavia on the Skoda site. The same day, I get a call from Skoda for a confirmation. They tell me that dealer will call me and take it forward. A short while later, I get an SMS from Skoda saying that a Mr. Sandeep Bhosale from JMD Skoda will be my RM. The next day I get a call from him asking when I would like to come over for a test drive and since their showroom is 23 kms from my place, I told him I will get in touch when I can make the time. The same evening I get a call from the Navi Mumbai dealer as well whom too I told the hang on.The sales boffins at Skoda seemed to be working overtime. Sandeep from JMD kept calling almost every alternate day even offering to bring the car to my place despite the distance. Finally on 4th August he brought the car for a test drive. Took the car on my normal test drive route with the family in tow and though there was a small but noticeable difference in the ride and handling department with the Virtus, it was nowhere close to deal breaking and was a toss up between the Virtus and Slavia. Though the heart was with the Virtus, the mind said Slavia due to the overall sales experience and the push by Skoda in general and especially JMD Skoda. Also, we as a family felt that though the Virtus looked subjectively more enticing, the Slavia was elegant and had a more premium look that would grow on us in the long run. So it was the Slavia that got the vote finally. Colour, carbon steel grey.
PURCHASE EXPERIENCE
Before I finalised any deal, I had to sell off the Ecosport which I did on Spinny and got a good deal from them. They picked up the car on 7th August.
The negotiations with JMD Skoda went off well and overall I got a good deal which included corporate discount, free SMP and a good deal on insurance. Though the list price of the Slavia was higher than the Virtus by 47k++, it ended up being slightly lower which was my main objective. What surprised me most was the difference in the attitudes Skoda and VW despite being part of the same parent.
So, on 7th August I confirmed the deal with JMD assuring me that I would be delivered the car within 3 weeks and that delivery can be taken after I do a PDI. I paid the booking amount and waited. On 16th August I get a call fro Sandeep that VIN july'22 car is allotted and is on its way to the stockyard. Told him to get the car to the showroom for PDI. Did the PDI on 18th and told them to send the car for registration, paid the entire amount and took delivery on 27th with the normal fanfare. Odo was 80 kms on PDI day and 93 on delivery day. Took the standard accessories and extended warranty from them. The extended warranty and SMP are expected from Skoda one of these days. All in all a wonderful experience, the best I have had of all the cars I have bought till now. Kudos to JMD Skoda, 10/10. A couple of pics:

Initial days
Have completed around 400 kms till date. Observations till now on key parameters:
Ride and handling- Very similar to the Vento I had earlier except that the steering feels lighter at low speeds and does weigh up well as speeds increase. Typical twist beam axle ride at the rear. Good for handling but does get slightly unsettled if you hit a mid corner bump or a wide dip or bump at an angle. The Octavia and Compass with their multi link independent setups at the rear are better at handling this. On a scale of 10, I would rate it 8.
Engine and gearbox - A 10 on 10. Despite there being no bonnet insulation it sounded and felt quieter than both the Ecosport and the Baleno. The engine and gearbox are really well matched.
Comfort and others - Seating comfort is good and I being the one driving the car, my daily one way drive of 33 kms is a breeze despite bad roads in certain places and traffic. AC is not a con as it is adequate but could have been better. The 8 inch infotainment system is pretty intuitive and decent sounding. Digital instrument cluster gives more than adequate information. Overall an 8 on 10 I would say'
Mileage - Am still on my first tankfull of XP95 so mileage info is from the infotainment system. My daily commute consists of a 60:40 mix of city and highway driving and with this I am getting 12.4 kmpl so far, about the same as the Baleno CVT and way better than the Ecosport. This is with a balanced driving still, not sedate and not aggressive. Currently driving at varying engine speeds and not crossing 90 kmph to ensure proper engine run-in. On a couple of occassions used the manual mode other wise D only. Will start using S mode when odo crosses 800 kms.

Apologies for this long post. Trust this would be of help to some of you. Will add as the miles add up. Thank you for your patience.
Attached Thumbnails
Skoda Slavia Review-img20220827wa0003.jpg  

Skoda Slavia Review-img20220828wa0015.jpg  

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Old 7th September 2022, 22:32   #857
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Re: Skoda Slavia Review

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Originally Posted by catchdoon View Post
Honestly, my experience w.r.t FE hasn't been great w/ earlier Petrol Cars so I no longer spend those extra bucks. However, will give 1 Full Tank method to test all aspects.
It's not about your experience or fuel economy as much as it is about engineering design! The engine has been designed for 95 octane and the manual clearly states that 91 octane can be used in emergency and will result in slightly reduced power and FE.

Although the engine has knock sensors and will retard ignition on 91 octane, but the engine is being forced to do something that it isn't designed for and will not be running in it's ideal state of tune. Also the performance of the engine will degrade to an extent over a period of time if only 91 octane is used.

My advice is to do what the maker says and maker says 95 octane.
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Old 8th September 2022, 12:35   #858
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Re: Skoda Slavia Review

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Originally Posted by volkman10 View Post
Honda City will rule this segment and seems the z
Honda e-HEV sales are very minimal as i know from close sources. Honda could not ramp up the volumes due to many parts shortage. I could myself witness in the Deccan Honda Pimpri showroom that there is no e-HEV on display or TD, nor any information on when it will be available.

I agree that Honda city rules (& will continue to rule) the segment:

1. A niche respect it attach to the name 'Honda-city'
2. Still an aspiration of middle class to own this vehicle
3. Big sales comes from NCR and big cities as this car is quite city friendly. I guess that's why its called a city
4. Reliability, design, practicality, low ownership cost, Powertrain and reasonable price are the strong points of the product

Apart from this 3000 odd numbers, City get exported to many countries from Tapukara plant, that's how i guess Honda plant is continue its run in India.
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Old 8th September 2022, 13:48   #859
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Re: Skoda Slavia Review

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Originally Posted by firstguri View Post
It's not about your experience or fuel economy as much as it is about engineering design! The engine has been designed for 95 octane and the manual clearly states that 91 octane can be used in emergency and will result in slightly reduced power and FE.

Although the engine has knock sensors and will retard ignition on 91 octane, but the engine is being forced to do something that it isn't designed for and will not be running in it's ideal state of tune. Also the performance of the engine will degrade to an extent over a period of time if only 91 octane is used.

My advice is to do what the maker says and maker says 95 octane.
Curious to know where does one get 95 Octane fuel? Do i need to specify that at each petrol pump? Are there brands (such as Shell) which only give 95 octane fuel and are thus safer?
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Old 8th September 2022, 13:51   #860
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Re: Czech with a German heart and blood in its veins, my Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG

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Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza View Post
Currently driving at varying engine speeds and not crossing 90 kmph to ensure proper engine run-in. On a couple of occassions used the manual mode other wise D only. Will start using S mode when odo crosses 800 kms.
Hey, thanks for this post. I'm in a similar boat comparing between Compass and Slavia and others. I was surprised to note as well that the Slavia drive felt smoother and more comfortable than the Compass. Btw, my SA told me there is no run-in period for the Slavia. So i'm curious why you are doing this and on what basis did you set the cut off at 800 km?
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Old 8th September 2022, 14:30   #861
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Re: Skoda Slavia Review

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Originally Posted by volkman10 View Post
Skoda Slavia just can't keep up with the Honda City in terms of volumes. Honda City will rule this segment and seems the Hybrid variant is doing wonders for them.


Attachment 2355973

Source: Auto Punditz
Does the City figures include both 4th and 5th gens?
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Old 8th September 2022, 14:40   #862
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Re: Skoda Slavia Review

Quote:
Originally Posted by ulag62442 View Post
Curious to know where does one get 95 Octane fuel? Do i need to specify that at each petrol pump? Are there brands (such as Shell) which only give 95 octane fuel and are thus safer?
Indian Oil has XP95 which is 95 octane petrol available for about Rs. 6 per litre more. Often you will find it mentioned along with petrol and diesel on the tall display board at the entry of Indian Oil Petrol stations and the nozzles would show XP95. Also prominent pink-ish branding (though not very sure if that is exclusive to pumps selling 95 or just random).


Shell as far as I know is the usual 91 octane only, for both normal and V-Power like is the case with so called premium petrol of most oil marketing companies.
BPCL has Speed 97, not sure about the price difference.

I was running 91 for the first 2-2.5K kms but switched to 95 since. Of course there was no reference point till I made the switch but post that I can say the car felt more lively on 95. I put down the improved feeling to placebo / external factors at first but then had to fuel up with 91 twice in between since and it almost felt sluggish on it after getting used to 95.
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Old 8th September 2022, 15:27   #863
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Re: Czech with a German heart and blood in its veins, my Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG

Quote:
Originally Posted by ulag62442 View Post
Hey, thanks for this post. I'm in a similar boat comparing between Compass and Slavia and others. I was surprised to note as well that the Slavia drive felt smoother and more comfortable than the Compass. Btw, my SA told me there is no run-in period for the Slavia. So i'm curious why you are doing this and on what basis did you set the cut off at 800 km?
Slavia felt smoother in most part because of the engine and gearbox combo in the 1.5 DSG. Comfort is relative. I would say the Compass has a really sorted ride, especially the rear suspension being a multi link independent one and I would rate it slightly better than the Slavia in ride quality though the difference is not that much and would depend on the road conditions. The Slavia is more spacious than the Compass.
If you check the manual, this is what it says:
"New vehicle – running in the engine

The driving style during the first 1,500 km determines the quality of the engine run-in process.

For the first 1,000 km load the engine to maximum 3/4 of the highest permissible engine speed and avoid using a trailer.

Over the next 500 km the engine speed can be slowly increased."

I make sure I follow this strictly for all the new cars I buy for at least 800 kms and then open her up gradually post this. I found this works well in the long term. During this period, I also vary engine speeds as much as I can but limiting max revs to between 4-5k rpm. At the time of delivery, I also ask them to give me a 1L can of the approved engine oil for top-up as engine oil consumption is higher in the initial 1000 kms. Always go by the manual if you have any doubts.
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Old 8th September 2022, 15:28   #864
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Re: Skoda Slavia Review

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Originally Posted by audioholic View Post
Realised that we can code the instrument display to any colour. Initially I thought we could only choose between the Blue and Red of VW and Yellow of the Slavia.
Hello, I have a Virtus myself and I enquired about unlocking a few features and changing the colour of the instrument cluster and the infotainment system from “drcodemyvg”. While they told me they can unlock 12+ features and change the colour too, I wanted to know if I will require their assistance to change the colour or like I can do it on my own whenever I would like to? Also, how do you think it impacts our warranty?
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Old 8th September 2022, 15:48   #865
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Re: Skoda Slavia Review

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Originally Posted by firstguri View Post
It's not about your experience or fuel economy as much as it is about engineering design! The engine has been designed for 95....
My advice is to do what the maker says and maker says 95 octane.
Amen to that. I will use 95 going fwd & share the experience of the same.
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Old 8th September 2022, 15:57   #866
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Re: Czech with a German heart and blood in its veins, my Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG

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Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza View Post
Aah...finally after a year long search for a car that touched my head and heart. Now the proud owner of a Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG in carbon steel grey.
Wonderful reading your experience. Congratulations on buying the slavia. I too wish to upgrade to an SUV so that ingress and egress would be easy. So can you please tell if that has been compromised or is it manageable with slavia. I too am thinking of a sedan now, either virtus or slavia but not sure if ingress and egress is going to trouble me. Thank you.

Last edited by Aditya : 8th September 2022 at 22:27. Reason: Quoted text trimmed
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Old 8th September 2022, 15:58   #867
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Re: Skoda Slavia Review

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Originally Posted by Venkygupta View Post
Hello, I have a Virtus myself and I enquired about unlocking a few features and changing the colour of the instrument cluster and the infotainment system from “drcodemyvg”. While they told me they can unlock 12+ features and change the colour too, I wanted to know if I will require their assistance to change the colour or like I can do it on my own whenever I would like to? Also, how do you think it impacts our warranty?
You cannot do the changes on your own and every change needs you to have the cable and software with you. Warranty wise it's going to be a problem if something related to that part but in my case I can always roll the changes back to stock without any permanent change hence it shouldn't cause issues. But if you get it done from someone else other than yourself you need to consider this aspect.
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Old 8th September 2022, 17:35   #868
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Re: Czech with a German heart and blood in its veins, my Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG

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Originally Posted by Chinni View Post
Wonderful reading your experience. Congratulations on buying the slavia. I too wish to upgrade to an SUV so that ingress and egress would be easy. So can you please tell if that has been compromised or is it manageable with slavia. I too am thinking of a sedan now, either virtus or slavia but not sure if ingress and egress is going to trouble me. Thank you.
Ingress and egress though not as easy as the Ecosport is very manageable. The Taigun/Kushaq twins are better than the Slavia/Virtus in this regard but not as good as the Ecosport. The Compass and Ecosport were almost the same in ease of ingress/egress.
My wife and myself are in our late 50s and therefore a point to consider.
We were convinced that the Slavia/Virtus made the cut as an overall package. They have all the features you would want and were much cheaper than the equivalently equipped Compass by 9L and even cheaper than the Taigun/Kushaq.
My advice would be to test drive all the cars in your consideration set with your family and then decide.
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Old 8th September 2022, 18:29   #869
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Re: Czech with a German heart and blood in its veins, my Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG

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Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza View Post
My advice would be to test drive all the cars in your consideration set with your family and then decide.
Thanks again, me too 52yrs now with potential back pain due to a disc. Planning to switch to an EV after 4 to 5years .Not sure if my 2011 etios will last that long. Mine is currently a small family of two , having lost my parents recently .My son will be staying in the hostel for another 5 years atleast . I am looking forward to Toyota launching the brezza counterpart urban cruiser although there is no news about it. Wishing you happy time with slavia. I will be waiting till December this year to decide upon , thank you once again.
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Old 8th September 2022, 18:58   #870
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Re: Czech with a German heart and blood in its veins, my Skoda Slavia Style 1.5 DSG

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Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza View Post
My wife and myself are in our late 50s and therefore a point to consider.
for your new car. DSG 1.5 TSI in this age bracket is quite a choice. Wishing you an enjoyable ownership.
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