Skoda Auto pulled the covers off its newest product Slavia, which is set to debut in the April-June quarter of 2022. Being a sedan, Slavia will become a stand-out model in the industry which has moved heavily in favour of SUVs.
This will be the second all-new product by the Czech car brand after it debuted the Kushaq SUV in June 2021. Bookings for the Slavia has opened. The sedan will be positioned below the Octavia but above the now phased out Rapid sedan.
Powering the Slavia will be two petrol engine options – 110ps and 150ps – also seen on the Kushaq. Slavia and the Kushaq are built on a common platform named MQBA0 IN. The Slavia will also be 95 percent manufactured in India like the Kushaq. Actual prices and variant details of the Slavia will be revealed at the time of its launch.
Zac Hollis, brand director, Skoda Auto India, “The Slavia and the Kushaq have the same platform, engine and transmission systems but very different in looks the performance. The Slavia is in fact bigger than the first-generation Octavia. Both models will deliver significant volumes for us next year.”
The Slavia will not replace any of Skoda’s current models in India. Skoda claims that the car will create a new segment for it in India. The company, however, has phased out the Rapid sedan, which was positioned against the Hyundai Verna, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Honda City.
The Slavia will be positioned between the Rapid and the Octavia and will become the new entry sedan model for Skoda in India.
“With the Slavia we can become the number 1 European car brand in India. We hope to sell around 30,000 units of the sedan a year. The sedan segment has not seen any new launches as the focus has been only on the SUV. We are known for sedans and this is why we think the Slavia will do very well,” Hollis added.
Based on the Kushaq and the Slavia, Skoda hopes to double sales next year. “Kushaq has done tremendously well for us. We are reaching 20,000 orders on that model. We will sell 20,000-25,000 cars this year and next year we plan to more than double that. Last year we sold 12,000-13,000 cars,” Hollis added.
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