Something interesting has been going around about Skoda Slavia. A few pictures of what appeared to be the Slavia facelift have come to light on the Internet. These photos are of the car without any camouflage, but there is a little catch – they are from the official page of Skoda Nepal, not Skoda India.
That got people talking immediately. Many wondered whether Nepal would receive the updated model before India, although the car is made here. Let’s break down what is really going on.
The Slavia has been a big part of Skoda’s India lineup under its India 2.0 strategy. It uses the MQB-A0-IN platform, which has also been exported to other countries, such as Vietnam and Nepal. A facelift was already anticipated with test cars being spotted a couple of times in India. But until now, we never got a good clear look at the whole car.
Now, these so-called “official” images show a few design changes. There appears to be a new door shape, which is not something you would normally see in a simple facelift. The tail lights appear more sharp with a new LED signature and maybe even LED indicators. The rear bumper appears to be new as well, and the chrome strip that connects the reflectors appears to be missing. There’s also a faux twin exhaust design at the rear, and a new set of alloy wheels, which may even conceal rear disc brakes this time.
Inside, updates are likely to include new features such as a larger touchscreen, ADAS Level 2 and possibly even a 360-degree camera. These will make it more modern and closer to its rivals in the sedan segment.
But here’s the twist – the image that started all this might not be real at all. Many online users pointed out the fact that it’s actually an AI-generated picture. When you zoom in, the badging looks distorted and the body lines don’t match the actual car. Most mid-life facelifts don’t change body panels completely, but this one shows big differences, which hints it’s an AI render, not a photo.
Still, the real Slavia facelift is definitely on the way. Test cars covered in camouflage have already been seen several times in India. These test units demonstrated changes to the LED headlights, taillights, and front and rear bumpers.
The engine options will remain the same – the 1.0-litre TSI and 1.5-litre TSI EVO petrol units. The smaller one produces 114 bhp and the bigger one puts out 148 bhp. Both have manual and automatic options including a 7-speed DSG for the 1.5.
There’s also word that the Kushaq facelift is also being developed in parallel. That model will probably have the same updates such as new lights, bumpers, bigger screen, ADA and panoramic sunroof.
In short, the Slavia facelift is real, but the image from Skoda Nepal is not. It’s probably an AI render, used as a teaser or by mistake. The real car will be out in due time, maybe next year. It’s safe to say that Skoda is prepping for an important update, one which could help both the Slavia and Kushaq to stay strong in their segments.