New Delhi: Skoda Auto India on Monday said it has launched all-new Slavia with a price starting at Rs 10.69 lakh (ex-showroom), hotting up competition in the premium mid-size sedan segment.
With Slavia, the company is aiming for a leadership position in the mid-size sedan segment which is currently dominated by the likes of Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.
Skoda has already tasted success with its mid-size SUV Kushaq which it introduced last year.
In an interaction with PTI, Skoda Auto India Brand Director Zac Hollis said the company is looking to sell 2,500-3,000 units of Slavia per month.
"Our target is to be the segment leader within the next six months. With a product like Slavia, with its engines, size, looks, it will attract a lot of attention," he noted.
He noted that the car with a ground clearance of 179 mm is also going to attract customers from the SUV segment.
Skoda has introduced the Slavia with one litre turbo petrol engine and plans to add a bigger version of the model with 1.5 litre powertrain in the next few days.
The Slavia 1.0 TSI comes in three variants -- Active, Ambition and Style. A six-speed manual gearbox is available across all variants while six speed automatic transmission is there across Ambition and Style variants.
The Slavia Active trim with manual transmission is priced at Rs 10.69 lakh, Ambition with manual transmission is tagged at Rs 12.39 lakh while the automatic version is priced at Rs 13.59 lakh.
The Style trim (without sunroof) with manual transmission is tagged at Rs 13.59 lakh.
The Style variant with sunroof and the manual transmission is for Rs 13.99 lakh while the range-topping Style AT is tagged at Rs 15.39 lakh.
Developed on the MQB-A0-IN platform, the all-new Slavia 1.0 TSI is powered by a 1 litre, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, which generates 115 PS of power.
Earlier, Kushaq was launched on this platform in 2021.
The engine is rated for fuel efficiency of up to 19.47 km/l and can accelerate to 100 km/h in 10.7 seconds, the automaker noted.
The Czech carmaker said at 1,752 mm, the Slavia is the widest car in the premium mid-size sedan segment. It is also the tallest in its class at 1,507 mm.
"With a wheelbase that stretches to 2,651 mm -- again, the longest in its segment -- the Slavia promises utmost head, shoulder and legroom offering capacious accommodation for five adults," it added.
The sedan comes with a boot space capacity of 521 litres and with the rear seats folded this expands to 1,050 litres.
The model also features a ground clearance of 179 mm, which is again segment best, the automaker stated.
Skoda said the model comes with a bevy of safety features, including up to 6 airbags, electronic stability control and electronic differential system for enhanced traction under cornering, and a multi-collision brake, which prevents potential follow-on collisions in case of an accident and brings the car to a halt in a gradual manner.
It also comes with parking sensors, automatic brake disc cleaning function, rear-view camera, tyre pressure monitoring, hill-hold control, cruise control, auto headlamps, connected features, among others.
"We are offering incredible value to our customers with the all-new Slavia 1.0 TSI. This premium mid-size sedan has received outstanding feedback for its design since we have showcased the car. Over that, it is powered by an advanced, efficient engine, which leads on power and torque," Hollis noted.
The company has engineered the sedan with a sharp focus on the cost of ownership and maintenance, he added.
"It makes the Slavia a complete product that shines not just in the showroom or the road, but also as an overall ownership experience. Along with Kushaq, the all-new Slavia will be a volume driver for us, as we look at significantly growing the Skoda brand in India," Hollis noted.
Skoda also plans to launch Slavia with a bigger 1.5-litre TSI engine, details of which will be revealed on March 3, 2022.
