It’s nearly the end of 2021 and Skoda is one of the carmakers that has had an eventful year. The Czech carmaker kick-started the year with the updated Superb, followed by the new-gen Octavia, and then the all-new Kushaq SUV. And now, to end the year with a bang, Skoda has unveiled its newest sedan offering – the Slavia. Yes, it’s a long time coming and with the Rapid recently being desisted, the Slavia is all set to take the reins.

Up front, the sloping bonnet with clean lines courses down to the hexagonal-shaped grille that gets chrome outline and vertical struts. The LED headlamps with integrated L-shaped DRLs look classy. Further, the front bumper gets a black stripe that runs across the entire width and twists upwards around the fog lamp housing.

At the side, the top-spec Slavia rides on 16-inch alloy wheels. The parallel running character lines along with the ‘Skoda’ badging on the fender look elegant and blend well with the chrome inserts on door handles and the kinked window line. The Slavia is offered in five exterior shades that include Brilliant Silver, Carbon Steel, Candy White, Tornado Red, and Crystal Blue.

Towards the rear are the sleek LED split tail lamps, chrome highlights across the rear bumper, shark-fin antenna in gloss black, and the new-style ‘Skoda’ lettering across the boot.

The cabin of the Slavia is a mix of two-tone finish. Starting with the centre-stacked 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Slavia’s dashboard gets a multi-layered treatment with a gloss black insert in the middle.

However, the highlight of Slavia’s cabin is the two-spoke steering wheel that commands the eight-inch fully digital instrument cluster. Other features include ambient lighting, an electric sunroof, front ventilated seats, wireless charging, touch-based automatic climate control, and loads of storage and stowage compartments.

On the safety front, the Slavia is equipped with up to six airbags, ESC, ISOFIX anchors, multi-collision brakes, cruise control, hill-hold control, a tyre pressure monitor, and more.

The Slavia’s powerhouse comprises two petrol engines. The 1.0-litre TSI puts out 116bhp and 178Nm torque and is mated to a six-speed manual and a six-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The 1.5-litre mill with active cylinder technology is tuned to produce 148bhp and 250Nm of peak torque. It is linked to a six-speed manual and a seven-speed DSG unit.

The pre-bookings for the Skoda Slavia are open and can be made for Rs 11,000. The deliveries are scheduled to begin in early 2022. The Slavia will lock horns with the Hyundai Verna, Honda City, Volkswagen Vento, and Maruti Suzuki Ciaz.