The upcoming Skoda Slavia facelift has been spotted testing on multiple occasions in the last few weeks. The Czech carmaker is prepping the updated iteration of its popular premium mid-size sedan for the Indian market. The competition in this segment is at an all-time high with products like the Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Slavia’s kin, the VW Virtus. Hence, to ensure that it doesn’t lag behind in this competition, Skoda is bringing the facelift of Slavia. It was first launched in India back in 2021. Ever since, there has not been a thorough facelift. Sure, a few changes here and there took place. But this will be the first official facelift of the sedan. Let us take a look at the details of 5 updates that the new Slavia will come with.
5 Updates on Upcoming Skoda Slavia Facelift
Diesel Engine Option
Perhaps the most exciting news about the new Skoda Slavia facelift has to be the possibility of a diesel engine. Skoda or VW enthusiasts would remember the iconic TDI engines which the vehicles from VW Group used to come with up until a few years ago. These were known for being extremely frugal and peppy enabling an impressive performance. Well, since February this year, there have been reports of the possibility of Skoda bringing back the TDI engine which would comply with the latest emission norms. While it was being contemplated for the Superb, the real demand and sales would be in the segment of Slavia. Therefore, if the Czech carmaker decides to bring back the diesel mill, it could even trickle down to the Slavia. However, there are no confirmations yet.
Styling Updates
This video comes from CarForce on YouTube. It captures the test mule plying on the Indian roads. While the sedan is wrapped under heavy camouflage, it still highlights the silhouette of what the facelift model could look like. As is the case with every facelift, there will be modifications and enhancements to the exterior profile. This includes things like tweaked headlights and taillamps, redesigned bumpers and a new set of alloy wheels. These are the minimum changes to almost every facelift model of any car. In addition, we also see sequential LED turn indicators in this video clip. The overall demeanour and appearance will largely remain identical to the existing model. These changes will set it apart from the current version.
ADAS
Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) is the new buzzword in the mass market automobile world lately. Initially reserved for premium cars, this technology, like many others, has trickled down to mass-market cars. In fact, we now even see ADAS on compact SUVs in India including the new Mahindra XUV3XO. In the mid-size sedan segment, the Hyundai Verna gets ADAS. Hence, it makes sense for Skoda to equip its Slavia with it as well. These ensure that the electronics of the car intervene if the driver, for some reason, is not able to react quickly enough during an emergency. The top functions of ADAS include Autonomous Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Monitoring, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Change Assist, Lane Departure Warning 360-degree Camera and more.
Other Additional Equipment
In addition to the aforementioned features, the Skoda Slavia facelift will also carry some new creature comforts to pamper the occupants. We know that modern car buyers want their vehicles with all the bells and whistles. In that sense, we can expect the addition of some amenities and new cabin elements to make the entire experience more premium for the car owners. Hence, we could see minor tweaks to the cabin layout, infotainment display or digital instrument cluster. In any case, these will be minor since the Slavia is already a feature-packed vehicle with tons of safety equipment as standard including 6 airbags.
Minimum Change to Interior
As mentioned previously, the changes to the interior will most likely be minor. That is often the case with facelift cars. They bear little alterations to the exterior styling and minor changes to the interior. I expect a similar trend to follow with the Skoda Slavia facelift as well. I must mention here that it is not a bad thing since it already comes with the latest amenities to take care of the comfort and convenience of the passengers.
Our View
With growing competition in just about every segment of our market, it becomes imperative to keep your product up-to-date. That is the only way to survive in this challenging environment. Unfortunately, the sedan segments have suffered the brunt of the onslaught from SUVs from adjacent segments. It is only a few sedans which have been able to stand tall amidst tough times for this market category. For Skoda, Slavia has been a monumental product in replenishing its disappearing market share under VW Group’s India 2.0 strategy. Hence, the facelift version of the Skoda Slavia will be crucial for the brand’s footprint in India going forward too.
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