Škoda Slavia Facelift First Drive Review: The Driver’s Delight Gets Better

Just when you thought that sedans were dead, Škoda proved that there is a market for fun sedans with the introduction of the Slavia. It filled the void left by the erstwhile Rapid, and has built quite the reputation of being a true driver’s car on a budget. Competing in a small but hotly contested space, the Slavia holds a 30 per cent market in the compact sedan segment. With the facelift, Škoda Auto India is bringing key improvements to the Slavia, a few of them inside the cabin and a big one under the bonnet.

Škoda Slavia Facelift Review: Design Changes

Most styling changes are at the front. New LED headlamps, DRLs, and LED fog lamps. The refreshed grille gets chrome highlights and the bumper has been reworked too. Changes are fewer at the rear. New LED taillights come with sequential turn indicators, and the bumper has been tweaked. The facelift also introduces new 16-inch alloy wheels, while the top-of-the-line Monte Carlo edition adds sporty red accents on the grille, red brake calipers and exclusive badging. 

There aren’t any distinctive badges of styling choices to differentiate between the 1.0 and 1.5 TSI variants. You do get the 1.5 TSI badge on the latter, while the more powerful version also sports twin exhaust tips and rear disc brakes.

Škoda Slavia Facelift Review: Revamped Cabin 

The dashboard layout remains familiar but there are improvements where it matters. The 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system is the same size and gets faster processing. It’s also equipped with an AI assistant powered by Google Cloud. This isn’t as complex as the ones you see on the Kia Sorento or even other cars, but will comprehend basic voice commands such as increasing or decreasing the temperature, blower speed, or telling you about the weather. 
The instrument console has been upgraded to a 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit, which makes the driver’s POV more tech-friendly. The new console comes with turn-by-turn navigation, which shows turn indicators, instead of a full map. This honestly feels like an afterthought rather than an advancement. 

Perhaps, my most favourite upgrade on the new Slavia is the 360-degree view camera. This is an all-new camera assembly compared to the Kushaq facelift, and the quality has seen a massive improvement. The new 1.5 megapixel camera offers better visibility not just in the day but at night as well. There’s no grainy footage anymore when reversing at night, which makes the lot more wholesome to use. Škoda tells us that while the Slavia is the first offering to get the new 360-view camera assembly, the Kushaq is likely to be next. We reckon the Volkswagen Taigun and Virtus will follow suit. 

But the biggest party piece is at the back with the rear massage function. For the sheer novelty of it, I do like it.. These are a segment-first feature and quite effective too. You can feel massagers do the work. It’s a fairly simple function with a single mode.The on/off button has been integrated around the rear AC vents console. The quality of the buttons itself could be better. From a chauffeur-driven experience, this is a great addition. But will it impact your buying decision? I do think that the Slavia buyers opt for this for the driving experience, and that’s where the feature should’ve been given. But that’s not the case at the moment. 

Škoda Slavia Facelift Review: New 8-Speed Automatic Transmission

The biggest upgrade on the Škoda Slavia is the addition of the new 8-speed automatic transmission on the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol. Power and torque figures remain the same at 114 bhp and 178 Nm, while the 6-speed manual gearbox has been carried over as well. The new 8-speed torque converter replaces the 6-speed TC and the difference is apparent right from the start. In bumper-to-bumper traffic, this one jerks very little. The transmission shifts are smooth, and overall, it is a very seamless gearbox.

The upgrade not only makes in-city driving more seamless, but is also aimed to improve efficiency and meet future emissions. The two additional gears allow the engine to run at a relaxed pace at high speeds, helping achieve a higher fuel efficiency. You can now see just above 2,000 rpm in the eighth gear at 100 kmph. There’s still turbo lag under 2,000 rpm, but the torque converter masks it well. Cruising at triple-digit speeds is now a lot more effortless.

Škoda Slavia Facelift Review: 1.5 TSI Still The Enthu Cutlet

While the 1.0 TSI is the choice for the head, the 1.5 TSI is what the heart wants. In a sense, the Slavia 1.5 is the purebred and Škoda hasn’t tinkered with a formula it perfected right at the start. It’s still the same engine and gearbox with 148 bhp and 250 Nm of peak torque, paired with a 7-speed DSG automatic. There is no manual on offer anymore, as it has been the case since the pre-facelift iteration. The mid-range is fantastic. You can easily hold on to 120-130 kmph, and this will go on all day. And just when you thought this is chugging in fuel, you have cylinder deactivation as well to ensure that the fuel efficiency numbers are sane. It’ll still offer single-digit efficiency numbers in the city, so don’t be delusional about the mileage. I do believe this is one the most entertaining cars south of the ₹20 lakh mark.

Škoda Slavia Facelift Review: Ride Quality, Handling & Braking

The Slavia handles bad roads with ease - be the 1.0 or the 1.5. The ride is on a firmer side but has a planted feel at high speeds. At highway speeds, the cabin will simply feel cocooned  The steering is direct and has a nice heft, making it feel more connected.

The engine and the chassis are fantastically put together. It is communicative, it handles extremely well, and you always feel confident behind the wheel. So yes, SUVs may be the popular choice for most buyers, but a powerful sedan just feels different. Braking is confident and the sedan stops with surety. The 1.0-litre gets drum brakes at the rear compared to the 1.5-litre variant, but at no point does it feel under-equipped.

Škoda Slavia Facelift Review: Safety 

On the safety front, the Slavia facelift continues to offer six airbags, electronic stability control and tyre pressure monitoring as standard across the range. There is no ADAS on the car, like  the Honda City or Hyundai Verna in the segment either. A blind-view monitor would’ve been a nice addition with the arrival of 360-degree camera view to help with the long footprint. 

Škoda Slavia Facelift Review: Verdict

The Škoda Slavia facelift elevates everything that was great about the car and addresses its shortcomings. The 8-speed automatic and 360-degree camera are fantastic additions. Yes, it could be better in so many ways, but the driving experience is so strong that it manages to overpower everything else. The Slavia is a reminder that sedans aren’t going anywhere, and the facelifted version is ready to take the charge in a small but sought-after segment.