Dare To Think Beyond SUVs

Once upon a time, not very long ago, a hatchback was for the masses and a sedan for someone who had ‘arrived in life’. “Owning a sedan such as Honda City or Hyundai Verna was considered a mark of success just a decade ago,” a car dealer recently told me.

Then SUVs arrived and played spoilsport (especially after Hyundai Creta was launched in 2015). From FY15 to FY21, while sales of sedans dropped from 24.2% to 11%, those of SUVs went up from 14% to 32% (data by carmakers). Skoda India, however, believes that as more new sedans get launched, customer interest in this body shape will return. It has readied the Slavia, and we drive it.

What is the Slavia?

A replacement for the Rapid, the Slavia competes against sedans such as the City, Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, as well as SUVs such as the Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun.

What defines its design?

It looks a lot like the more expensive Octavia. Vertical slats on the front grille give it a ‘tall’ appearance and horizontal design lines on both sides make it look longer than its 4.5-metre length.

How is the cabin?

It’s typical Skoda—great-to-hold steering wheel, horizontal lines to enhance its width, and overall feels well built. Cabin space is very good, thanks to its 2,651-mm wheelbase.

How does it drive?

1.0-litre TSI petrol: This engine is smaller in capacity than competition (which is usually 1.5-litre), but because it’s turbocharged the power it produces is more or less equal.

1.5-litre TSI petrol: It’s an enthusiast’s car—accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 8.8 seconds. It gets the Active Cylinder Technology—the engine automatically shuts down two cylinders during coasting or when going downhill—to reduce fuel consumption (claimed figure is 18.72 km/litre).It drives well, and especially the steering feedback—the mechanical signals the front tyres send to the steering wheel—is accurate and you feel every bump and dip in the road via the steering wheel.

Is it better than SUVs?

Space: The Slavia offers more ‘usable space’ than most SUVs in its price range. While SUVs may have more cabin volume, most of it is ‘over the top’, i.e. headroom. Also, the Slavia has boot space of 521 litres (Creta and Seltos have 433 litres, and Kushaq and Taigun have 385 litres), which is again more usable because most of it is horizontal, not vertical.

Ground clearance: At 179 mm, it is more than that of the City (165 mm) and less than that of the Creta (190 mm), but good enough to ride over tall speed breakers and occasional off the road drive (like while overtaking on narrow roads where the verge may be tall).

Ride quality: Unlike most SUVs in which you will experience body-roll (because SUVs are tall), the Slavia rides ‘hugging the road’, and therefore feels more grounded.

Should you buy it?

The 1.0-litre Slavia is priced from Rs 10.69 lakh to Rs 15.39 lakh (the entry-level variant is priced more than the entry-level 4th Gen City and Creta). While the Slavia may attract a decent number of SUV buyers (most SUVs have a long waiting period), if it was priced a lakh rupee lower it would have been an amazing buy.

Skoda, however, is offering a four-year maintenance package with the Slavia for Rs 24,999, under which its cost of ownership will be just 0.46 paise per km (includes cost of spare parts, engine oil and labour).The 1.5-litre Slavia is expensive (Rs 16.19 lakh to Rs 17.79 lakh) but unique.

There is no 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol sedan in this class (the Verna has the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit), and it competes against the turbocharged petrol models of the Creta and Seltos (both 1.4-litre), and Kushaq and Taigun (both 1.5-litre).

Competitors

Sedans: Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Hyundai VernaSUVs: Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, VW Taigun