Skoda Slavia: In this age of SUVs, a sedan might just stand out

I am not sure how good (or not so good) the Slavia—the soon-to-be-launched sedan by Skoda—looks like (because I drove a heavily camouflaged car), but it is definitely amazing to drive.

The Slavia will be launched in four mechanical configurations: 1.0-litre TSI manual and six-speed automatic transmission (115 PS), and 1.5-litre TSI manual and seven-speed DSG transmission (150 PS). It will compete with sedans such as Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.

First, even the 1.0-litre unit appears powerful enough for this sedan, and while driving it on the expressway I didn’t feel the car lacking power. The manual gearbox is slick, and even the automatic appears so good that one may confuse it for a DSG.

Second, the 1.5-litre unit is quite powerful, so much that, at times, the Slavia appears like a supercar—especially the DSG gearbox one.

In all four mechanical configurations, the Slavia kind of excels at ride and handling. In it, minimal tyre or engine noise enters the cabin, and even on sharp turns it doesn’t appear to lose its line. Seats have such a design that you may not feel uncomfortable even on long drives. And be it a broken stretch of road or loose gravel, the ride doesn’t turn rough. Also, because it’s a sedan, there is absolutely no body roll.

Like in the Kushaq, the 1.5-litre engine in the Slavia will be offered with active cylinder technology (ACT), which automatically shuts down two cylinders when the engine load is low, enhancing the fuel efficiency.

The Slavia is 4,541 mm long, 1,752 mm wide and has a height of 1,487 mm; the wheelbase measures 2,651 mm.