Skoda Slavia facelift vs old Slavia: Key differences explained

Skoda Auto India has just revealed the new Skoda Slavia facelift sedan in India. Skoda has opened bookings for the updated sedan, with prices due in the first week of October and deliveries set to begin during the festive season. The mid-cycle update brings cosmetic revisions, new features and an automatic gearbox to the lineup. The sedan continues its competition with the VW Virtus, Hyundai Verna and Honda City. In this article, let’s take a look at what has changed and what remains the same between the previous and updated Skoda Slavia.Mechanical changesTalking about the mechanical changes first, the engine options remain unchanged. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine produces 115hp and 178Nm, while the 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine makes 150hp and 250Nm.The 1.0-litre engine continues with a 6-speed manual as standard, but can now be paired with an 8-speed torque-converter automatic. The 1.5-litre engine continues to come exclusively with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.The old Slavia was available in Classic, Signature, Sportline, Prestige and Monte Carlo trims. The facelift adds a Classic+ variant between the Classic and Signature versions.Exterior changesTalking about the exterior changes first, the new Skoda Slavia keeps the same overall shape as the outgoing sedan, but gets changes to its front and rear styling. The front bumper has been redesigned with a glossy trim strip running across its width and small LED fog lamps. The grille retains its shape but loses the chrome surround in favour of two black bars. The headlamp housings are unchanged, while their internal elements and DRL patterns have been revised.The side profile remains the same, including the beltline, chrome window trim and Skoda badge above the front fenders. The 16-inch alloy wheels are new and feature a two-tone design.At the rear, the tail-lamp housings remain unchanged, but receive revised LED elements. The boot lid now features a plastic strip bearing the Skoda name instead of the prominent lettering on the old model. The rear bumper is largely unchanged. Two new colours, Arctic Silver and Cappuccino Beige, are also available.Interior changesThe updated Slavia gets an all-beige interior, replacing the beige-and-black leatherette upholstery offered on the top-spec old model. The seat design remains similar, but features a new pattern.The digital instrument cluster is now available in a 10.25-inch format, up from 8 inches. The infotainment screen has also grown from 10 inches to 10.1 inches and gains a Google Cloud-powered AI assistant. It also displays the feed from the new 360-degree camera. The outer rear seats now get a massage function.Other features carried over include a cooled glove box, powered and ventilated front seats, electric sunroof, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, LED ambient lighting, six airbags, electronic stability control, hill-hold control and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.