Skoda Slavia 1.0 AT: My observations after 4 months of ownership

I had my apprehensions about "cruise" abilities of this three cylinder engine but I'm pleasantly surprised.

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Some of the points I noticed in my four months of ownership of Skoda Slavia 1.0 AT

• There is turbo lag:

This is especially felt when we have to completely come to a halt while dealing with traffic. Initially, I tried many options like putting it in Sports mode and using paddle shifters but the lag stayed.

The only way to deal with it is to keep it above the 2000k rpm. What I did was to press the throttle just enough to get to 2k+ rpm then release and then slowly accelerate thereafter. So when we get to 2k+ RPM it stays there for a fraction of a second (this is the case in my AT) even when you have released the peddle.

This method has worked for me to counter the Turbo lag.

• AC effectiveness:

Yes as many others have already pointed out AC could be better. It makes some hissing noise as well.

What has worked for me is to not put it in Auto mode. Fan speed at 2 and temperature set at 21, recirc on, and airflow to feet as well. I don't have to set this every time I start the car. That's good

Also, I have got the sun shades from Skoda for all four windows and rear and they definitely help.

• Wireless connectivity to infotainment system:

Apple carplay of my wife's iPhone connects seamlessly every time. I own an Android phone, and Android Auto connectivity is not as good. I prefer connecting through wire

• Brake noise:

Again as pointed out by many, there is this brake noise issue when we completely halt the car. I don't know the solution to this. Please let me know if I can get rid of this noise

• Interior Quality:

Enough is been said about this already. In my 4.5 months of ownership, I have not noticed any rattling. The bronze strip that runs across the dash looks great but when we touch it, there is some play and noise. Don't know why Skoda could not fix this properly also the AC vents again look great but there is some play when we press the plastics around the AC vent.

The rest of the interior is quite sturdy and doesn't feel flimsy.

• Can we seat 3 in the rear:

No, you can't, it's an excellent 4 seater, and seat contouring is on point. For the third passenger although there is some space but seat contouring won't allow it.

There is some workaround we can do. I ordered a couple of Fovera backrest support cushions from Amazon, these things make the bucket seats flat allowing the third passenger to sit that much more comfortably. The only caveat is we will lose some underthigh support.

I only use these cushions when we absolutely cannot avoid the third passenger

• Seat Ventilation effectiveness:

Seat Ventilators are my new favourite, trust me you don't know you need them until you use them.

In my Slavia I found ventilation working reasonably well, I always keep it at the first level (there are 2 fan speed options), and in the second level there is more noise than action

• 1.0 TSI is mile muncher

I had my apprehensions about the "cruise" abilities of this three-cylinder engine but I'm pleasantly surprised. It can cruise in triple digits all day long. And there is ample power to make quick overtakes as the turbo range is wide 1750 to 4500 RPM

• Ride quality is very good. It glides over the rough roads. 16-inch wheels and a stiff platform have allowed Skoda to tune the dampers more towards comfort.

• Driving Dynamics: Many have complained that the steering is too lite but I felt it is very good. Steering feedback is exceptional. Keep in mind that my previous car was a Grand i10

People coming from polo or eco sport etc may feel differently

• Engine Noise?

The engine note is well-contained. VAG group has done a great job in containing the noise. There are no vibrations or harshness inside the cabin. Yes, the engine is quite audible from the outside.

The only time I feel there is engine noise is when coming off from a highway toll booth and quickly trying to get to triple digits.

Crack up the music and you won't hear anything.

Thank you

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