2022 Skoda Slavia review, road test

What’s nice about the 1.0 TSI engine is that it is quite a hushed unit, only revealing its identity with a typical three-cylinder thrum once it spins past 4,000rpm; but never does it sound coarse or clattery. Interestingly, to prevent the engine from stalling, and also to curtail vibrations inside the cabin, Skoda has kept the idling RPM at 900-1,000rpm, which is higher than the usual 700-800rpm. Despite this, you can still feel periodic engine vibrations at idle, as the three-cylinder unit rocks about on its mounts.

In a segment where rival midsizers are powered by larger capacity (1.5-litre), four-cylinder, naturally aspirated engines, Skoda’s 999cc turbocharged unit is the smallest in terms of outright capacity. Those graduating from bigger engines will need to adapt their driving style to work around this unit’s dull off-boost performance, which is probably its biggest downside. But get past that initial lag, and once the turbos begin to sing, you’ll soon know why this globally acclaimed engine has countless awards and accolades to its name. The 1.0-litre TSI feels zippy, rev-happy and delivers a class-best 178Nm of torque in a relentless, healthy serving. It makes the Slavia feel light on its feet, and so long as it is on-boost, it’ll tackle both city and highway driving scenarios very competently.

Outright performance is strong too and the Slavia takes merely 10.80sec to dispatch the 0-100kph sprint. Now, while the Honda City still remains the quicker one to sprint to 100kph, reporting 10.20sec, the Slavia annihilates it and all its rivals in rolling acceleration, from 20-80kph in third gear and 40-100kph in fourth gear. Incidentally, the Slavia’s times are much quicker than the Kushaq with a similar configuration, due to the revised final drive ratios.The MQ200 6-speed gearbox has a positive shift action with well-defined gates, but it isn’t as butter-smooth as its Japanese or Korean rivals. It has a light clutch to speak of, but the pedal travel is very long, which can get a bit cumbersome in stop-go traffic.

Performing duties in its automatic iteration is an all-new fourth-gen Aisin-sourced 6-speed torque converter (AQ250), which made its global debut in the Kushaq and features a similar character here. Due to its high-idling RPM, the initial creep function feels a bit sudden, hence it commands careful brake modulation. Another typical characteristic of this transmission is that it upshifts to the highest possible ratio at the earliest. While this has been done to aid fuel efficiency, it amplifies the engine’s dull zone below 1,800rpm, especially at city speeds. As a result, closing gaps in traffic doesn’t feel brisk and effortless. Shifting to Sport mode or tugging the left paddle and taking manual control over the gearbox solves this sluggish behavior to an extent, but a crisper power delivery and a cleverer gearbox shift logic would have certainly enhanced the urban drive experience. Downshifts aren’t the smoothest and the transition from third to second, and second to first, particularly in Sport mode, are quite jerky.

While the 1.0-litre TSI will quench the performance thirst of most buyers, driving enthusiasts will gravitate towards the 150hp, 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit. In comparison, it feels much freer getting off the mark, and while there is a hint of lag below 2,000rpm, it doesn’t feel as prominent as the 1.0-litre TSI’s. The healthier serving of 250Nm of torque from 1,600-3,500rpm also plays a significant role in enhancing its drivability. As a result, you can easily potter around in higher gears at lower engine speeds, without the need to downshift often. It isn’t just in city confines, but also out on the open roads where the 1.5 TSI proves its mettle. The Slavia rockets past traffic in a way no other midsizer can and, without even prodding hard, you’ll be doing silly speeds in no time. Get its launch right and the Slavia will decimate cars twice its price in a sprint to 100kph – which takes an incredibly quick 8.63sec – and it’ll keep pulling till it reaches the double ton mark. The MQ281 6-speed manual occasionally requires a firm shove to slot into gates, and even its clutch feels a tad springier than the 1.0 TSI’s, with the pedal travel being just as long; thus, the 1.5-litre warrants a bit more effort to drive.

The automatic in the 1.5 Slavia is the newest iteration of the DQ200 7-speed, dry dual-clutch transmission that’s renowned for its lightning quick shifts and sporty character. Being shorter geared than the manual avatar, the automatic feels even livelier, and with an intuitive shift logic and negligible turbo lag when off-boost, this combination feels nicest within city confines. Overtaking manoeuvres on the highway are effortless to execute and there are paddle shifters too for a sportier, more engaging drive experience. This DSG iteration is quick and dispatches the 0-100kph sprint in 8.96sec, maxing out at 198kph.