Skoda Slavia 2026 Review: Subtle But Important Changes Make It Even Better!

Skoda Slavia is one car that is sort of keeping sedans alive and breathing in India. Despite the whole market going towards SUVs, Skoda and Volkswagen (VAG group) have been bullish on offering mid-segment sedans like the Skoda Slavia and the Volkswagen Virtus. This year, we got our first-ever update on the Skoda Slavia since it was first launched in 2021. Now, we did get to see the Skoda Slavia during its launch a couple of weeks back, we have now driven the Skoda, living with it for a couple of days. 

So in this review, I will tell you everything that is new with the Skoda Slavia, how it looks, how it drives, how comfortable it is to sit inside, and finally, if you should spend your hard earned money on the 2026 Skoda Slavia. Let’s go.

Skoda Slavia Review – Design and Styling

Now, in terms of how it looks, not much has changed. The overall look, silhouette, and shape of the Skoda Slavia is pretty much the same, but the details have been updated to give it a more complete, sleeker, and overall a better look. Things look more proportionate and much more well put together this time around.

I will start with the front. We are getting new headlights that are look similar, but are a new unit. The headlight is slightly slimmer along with new LED elements inside, with the DRLs now being divided into three separate LED elements on the bottom. The Monte Carlo variants also get the illuminated grille with a slated LED strip running across the top of the grille, in line with the front DRLs. Very similar to what we’ve seen in the new Kushaq or the Kodiaq. The grille now looks bigger and it is not enclosed in a chrome bezel anymore. In fact, there is no bezel around the grille, there are just two cladding-like plastic units that blend the grille into the headlights. This makes the grille looks much more prominent and is now not covered by a chrome bezel. In fact, we get no bezel, just some sort of border on either side of the grille.

On the rear, the taillight shape and design again remains similar, but it now has sequential turn indicators. We are also getting this black cladding across the tailgate with the Skoda badging on it. That replaces the rather plain rear end of the Slavia, adding a much-needed detail to make the tailgate appear slightly wider.

The front bumper design is new and now looks more aggressive, while the rear bumper design remains the same. Even the wheel size remains the same with 16-inch alloy wheels, and the ground clearance has also remained unchanged at 179mm.

In terms of styling, the overall shape and look of the car remain the same, while a few details have been updated to make things look more proportionate, more well put together, and sleeker. I must say, I like how this one looks better than the previous version. It’s a very good upgrade in terms of making the car look more modern and refined, without taking anything away from the shape and style that we identify the Slavia with.

Skoda Slavia Review: Interiors and Comfort

Outside is not the only place where we see subtle but important changes. Inside as well, the story remains the same. The layout of the dashboard, seating, materials, everything feels exactly the same as the pre-facelift Slavia. However, look closely and the changes are subtle but in important places. The thing that first draws your attention in any car is the infotainment display. Here, we are getting a brand new 10.1-inch display with a brand new UI and much better display quality.

We are also getting a brand new 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster which is super detailed and has some new and cool themes that you can pick from. This instrument cluster shows every detail there is to know about the car – mileage, range, fuel gauge, odometer, tachometer, tyre pressure monitor, compass, drive details, g-force meter, compass, and more. It is very nice and detailed, even the quality of the display is very good and there is no lag whatsoever, even if you’re testing the TSI engine to its limit, the tachometer responds in real time. Very good quality.

Apart from this, another important update is electronically adjustable front seats. This time around, both the driver and the front passenger get electronically adjustable seats that are also ventilated. The seat ventilation works pretty well but I didn’t find it to be as effective as on some other cars in this price range. We’re also getting mostly hard-touch materials across the cabin, but the materials used are of very good quality and do not compromise on the premium look and feel of the Slavia’s cabin.

The one thing that I really hoped Skoda would have changed but didn’t is the climate control. It is not that we aren’t getting dual-zone climate control, which has become quite common in this price bracket. But that’s not the bad part. The bad part here is the touch controls. An issue that I have always pointed out in Skoda and Volkswagen cars is the lack of intuitiveness or lack of ergonomics when it comes to using the climate controls. It’s all touch-based, with no feedback of any sort, which makes you look away from the road anytime you have to operate the climate control for something as little as turning down the airflow by one point.

And coming to my favourite addition in terms of features and comfort – it is the 360-degree camera. This is a welcome addition to the Skoda Slavia since sedans are slightly more tricky to park as compared to crossovers and hatchbacks, the 360-degree camera makes things much easier in terms of taking the car in and around tight spaces. The overall camera quality has also substantially improved over the last version of the Slavia. The camera is much more clear and the image is super sharp. The sunroof remains a small one. We are not getting a panoramic sunroof yet in this segment. So yes, on the inside, the story remains the same – we are getting minor and subtle changes, but very important ones that actually make the driving experience that bit better. 

Skoda Slavia Review: Performance and Drivetrain

And now, coming to performance. Here, while there is a new transmission with the 1 L TSI, we did not get the 1 L TSI. We got the 1.5 L TSI with the 7-speed DSG transmission for our review. I must say, this is one of the best driving experiences you get in this budget, regardless of the shape, size, or form factor of cars. So we get a 1.5 litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine that creates 148 bhp of power and 250Nm of torque. This is paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission, which allows the Slavia to go from 0 to 100 kmph in less than 10 seconds.

The 1.5 TSI is as good as it gets in this segment of petrol engines. It is happy-to-go at all times, it is super rev-happy, going all the way up to 7,000rpm effortlessly, and there is literally no turbo lag with this turbo petrol motor. Beautiful. Paired with the super quick and efficient 7-speed DSG, the Skoda Slavia is a beauty to drive around. It is not the quickest off-the-line, but once you’re off, the 1,5 litre 4 cylinder TSI is just ready to give you a good time.

The power delivery is instant, the torque gives a sufficient pull and the Slavia, with the same 1.5 TSI + 7-speed DSG transmission as its SUV sibling Kushaq, feels faster, feels more fun, and feels much more planted at higher speeds. It is just a super pleasing and super fun experience to drive this car around.

The handling is also superb. The electric steering wheel has just the right amount of feedback and is very accurate. The car turns effortlessly and goes exactly where you want it to. Here also, I feel the Skoda Slavia’s shape makes this exact same setup feel more planted and more accurate as compared to the Kushaq. I loved absolutely everything about the driving feel. Even the suspension tuning is better this time around. While the suspension is brilliant in keeping things in place during tight and fast corners, it now absorbs bumps and potholes much better as compared to the outgoing Slavia. Not sure if there is any upgrade here, but this felt more comfortable off bumps and potholes as compared to the previous Slavia.

So in terms of performance, this is probably the fastest, most planted, and the most fun car that you can get your hands on around the ₹20-lakh price bracket. There is no manual transmission option with the 1.5 TSI, but you do get a new 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission option with the 1.0L TSI. We only got the 1.5 TSI with DSG for our review so did not get to drive the 1.0L TSI.

Finally, the fuel efficiency. While I was only able to get about 8kmpl with the 1.5 TSI over the two days driving it around Delhi NCR for about 300 odd kilometers, this engine is actually quite efficient. You can get a fuel efficiency of above 11kmpl easily in the city, if you drive the car carefully. I had it for only two days so I mostly drove it hard and kept the transmission in S throughout the two days I had the Slavia.

Review Verdict: Should You Buy the 2026 Skoda Slavia?

Smartprix Rating: ⭐9/10

• Design and Build: ⭐9/10
• Features and Tech: ⭐8.5/10
• Driving Pleasure: ⭐10/10
• Performance: ⭐9/10
• Comfort and Space: ⭐9/10

So the verdict is simple. The Skoda Slavia offers many minor and subtle updates, which might be slightly hard to see at first sight, but they make all the difference in terms of the overall experience of living with the Skoda Slavia. The 1.5 TSI remains as good and as enjoyable as ever. It is punchy, it is rev-happy, and it sounds absolutely wonderful for an engine this size. The 7-speed DSG is super quick and never misses. The changes on the inside are minimal but super important – especially the improved displays and camera quality, and best of all the design has not been played around with, it is only made more sophisticated and more poised with the updates.

Sure, there are things that could have been better. For example, this is not the most efficient car in this segment or the seat ventilation doesn’t work as well, or the climate controls remain touch-sensitive making the driver take their eyes off each time, or even the lack of soft-touch materials inside the cabin. But look past these nitpicks and the Skoda Slavia makes for one of the best cars overall that you can buy in this budget, not just the best sedan.

First reviewed in October 2026.