2022 Skoda Slavia review, road test

One of the Slavia’s highlights is its 179mm ground clearance, which lends it the high-riding practicality of an SUV. Despite its raised ride height, the Slavia instils ample confidence in the driver to tackle corners with verve. Sure, there’s a bit of body roll, but the turn-in is sharp and the body feel taut, and it changes directions in a manner that’s far more willing and eager than any other midsizer on sale. The 1.0-litre versions, with a lighter load on the front axle (due to the lighter engine), feel more agile and nicer around corners, while the 1.5-litres feels a bit front-heavy in comparison.

Even the steering feel of the 1.0 TSI is a tad lighter, although the difference can only be felt while driving both these back-to-back. That said, the steering on the whole is light and quite direct, and it weighs up consistently with an increase in speed. Ride comfort is another one of the Slavia’s strengths and it absorbs road shocks in a mature manner. Body movements are well in check and even road shocks don’t tend to unsettle passengers in the cabin. Stability at expressway speeds remains rock-solid, like any other Skoda, and this sedan masks speeds incredibly well. Despite lacking rear disc brakes, the Slavia sheds speed at a respectable rate, coming to a halt from 80kph in around 25m, which is almost a metre-and-a-half shorter than the lighter Honda City.