The Skoda Slavia has carved out a firm niche for itself in the Indian mid-size sedan market. It looks sharp, drives well and feels solid in everyday use. However, with the recent unveil of the Kushaq facelift, the focus has now moved to the Slavia facelift. Skoda has already guaranteed that the sedan would also be updated, and it is expected to arrive by the end of 2026.
The Slavia has been an important car for Skoda under the India 2.0 strategy. Since its launch in 2022, it has been one of the best sellers in its category and keeps on giving a run to its rivals such as Volkswagen Virtus, Hyundai Verna and Honda City. A refresh is only natural at this stage.
The Slavia facelift will not be a ground up change. Instead, Skoda appears to be concentrating on design novelty, improved features and a better quality feel, while not compromising the basic strengths.
Exterior changes likely
At the front, the Slavia is supposed to receive a revised grille with a more upright and sharper design. The headlamps will probably be narrower and will still use LED technology with built-in LED DRLs. The bumper will be reworked for a cleaner and more modern look, with redesigned fog lamp housings.
On the side, the general shape will not change. The major update here is likely to be a new set of alloy wheels, which should make the car look fresher without changing its identity.
At the back, Skoda may update the tail lamp internals and make a slight tweak to the bumper design. The idea appears to be making the Slavia look closer to a smaller Octavia or Superb, similar to how the new Kushaq is inspired by the Kodiaq.
Image Souce – Acko Drive
Cabin updates and features
The dashboard design will be the same inside. Nevertheless, new colour themes and materials will be introduced to make the cabin feel more upmarket.
One of the major additions that is anticipated is a panoramic sunroof. This would be a segment-first in a sedan of this category. The regular single pane sunroof will probably offered from the base variant itself.
Other features expected include –
- 10.1 inch touchscreen infotainment system.
- Revised digital instrument cluster.
- Electrically adjustable front seats
- Seat ventilation
- Leatherette upholstery
- Automatic climate control
- Rear AC vents
- Rear seat massage function on higher variants
Safety and powertrain
On the safety front, Skoda is expected to offer six airbags as standard, ABS, electronic stability control, parking sensors and much more.
The engine options will likely remain the same. The 1.0 litre TSI petrol will stay with 115 PS and 178 Nm with a manual gearbox and possibly a new 8 speed automatic. The 1.5 litre turbo petrol will remain with 150PS and 250Nm, with a 7 speed DSG.
Final word
With the Kushaq facelift setting the tone, expectations from the Slavia update are high. If Skoda manages to combine fresh styling, a feature rich cabin and the same strong driving experience, the Slavia facelift could strengthen its position further in the sedan segment.