2022 Skoda Slavia first look: Interior and styling impressions

Tuhin Guha Updated: November 22, 2021, 10:43 AM IST

Skoda India has gone back to its roots in more ways than one with the Skoda Slavia, its second offering in the India 2.0 initiative after the Kushaq. The Slavia is a replacement for the Rapid and is the latest in the long line of sedans that have become synonymous with the brand in India. The Slavia name is a homage to the bicycle brand that Skoda's original founders, Václav Laurin and Václav Klement, started their enterprise with in 1895.

2022 Skoda Slavia dimensions and styling

Speaking of Skoda's sedan heritage, the Skoda Slavia is larger than the first-gen Octavia the brand debuted in India with over 20 years ago. This makes it significantly larger than the Rapid it replaces. The Slavia is 4,541 mm long, 1,752 mm wide and 1,487 mm tall with a 2,651 mm wheelbase, making it the widest car in its segment and with a wheelbase longer than the current City.

As for the way the Slavia looks, the sedan follows the theme set by Skoda's other smaller models available internationally. The new widened Skoda grille still hold centre-stage while the LED headlamps taper in in a manner very similar to the latest Fabia. The full-width airdam is a striking detail, broken up by the C-shaped blades in the bumper.

The bodywork also sees the typical Skoda theme of simple lines but crisp surfaces. The bonnet is quite similar to the latest Octavia with the central ridge and the sculpted edges. This familiar theme follows through to the side profile where the sloping roofline is again an expected Skoda trait. This envelopes a large but taut glasshouse while the bodywork is again crisp with clean lines. Top-spec cars get 16-inch alloys which seem a tad small for the size of the car, especially combined with the slightly raked stance. The Slavia isn't a notchback but Skoda has still managed to eke out a segment-best 531 litre of bootspace. A Superb-like two-part taillamps here with LED lighting and the crimped bootlid again make for a cohesive, refined look here. The wide airdam motif from the front is repeated here. Together, the Slavia manages to largely meet its brief of looking the part of a premium C-segment sedan . It conveys a sense of sophistication with its looks with just the right degree of flair.

The Slavia will be available in five colours - Candy White, Carbon Steel, Reflex Silver, Tornado Red, and unique only to the Skoda, the Crystal Blue seen here.

2022 Skoda Slavia interiors, features

A crisp, modern aesthetic also makes the interiors of the Skoda Slavia one of the nicer ones in this segment. Like in the Kushaq, most panels are hard plastic but a similarly intelligent use of colours and textures create a rich feeling space. The basic layout with the free-standing screen and layered dashboard is quite similarl again to the international-market Fabia. This is seen with the bronzed highlight running through the middle and the large gloss black bow across the dash. These elements merge quite cleanly into the round airvents at the edges. Expectedly, most panels seem well fitted and the general solid feeling of a Skoda cabin is carried over here.

A big addition over the Kushaq is that of the new 8-inch digital instrument cluster with its many displays but much of the rest of the cabin has been carried over. The two-spoke steering wheel, 10.1-inch touchscreen and capacitive climate controls being the more noticeable ones. There is a single-pane sunroof but the large glasshouse makes for a bright cabin, helped along by ambient lighting.

Front passengers get ventilated seats which are again supportive and comfortable. In a big improvement from the Rapid it replaces, the Slavia offers masses of rear-seat legroom. The long wheelbase and intelligent space management makes us think this could be the most spacious car in this segment. The seats here recline too and offer good back support with their contoured surfaces, although we would have liked a bit more under-thigh comfort. The flat floor and wide cabin should fit three in a squeeze too.

The Skoda Slavia will be available in three variants at launch: Active, Ambition and Style.

2022 Skoda Slavia engines, specifications, safety

The Skoda Slavia is mechanically very similar to the Kushaq, based on the heavily localized MQB-A0-IN architecture. Consequently, the familiar 1.0-litre turbo-petrol with 115PS and 175 Nm is the base engine option aspiring with a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic. The 1.5-litre TSI with cylinder deactivation will also be available with a six-speed manual and seven-speed DCT.

Adding to the standard ESC, the Slavia will also get tyre-pressure monitoring on all variants. Another new addition is that of a hill-hold function on higher-spec versions. Up to six airbags, electronic differential lock, multi-collision braking, auto headlamps and wipers and rear parking cameras will be other safety highlights.