6 New Full Size Sedans Launching Soon: Skoda Slavia Facelift To Honda Civic
The sedan segment has been shrinking because of the rising demand for SUVs in markets around the globe. While the segment itself is shrinking, there are a few brands that are still betting on it and offering sedans for those who prioritise comfort and ride quality. Here we have a list of five such sedans that are launching in the Indian market soon.
The Volkswagen Virtus is one of the best-selling sedans in this segment. It replaced the Vento, and people really liked it for its looks, features, and performance. Now, Volkswagen is working on a facelift for the Virtus sedan. The car has been spotted testing several times, and it is expected to come with a revised front grille, updated headlamps, connected LED bars, an illuminated logo, revised front and rear bumpers, tweaked LED tail lamps with a connecting light bar, and more.
The sedan will also come with updated features in the cabin. The Virtus will continue with the 1.0-litre TSI engine paired with a 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission. The 1.5-litre TSI engine will be offered with a 7-speed DSG gearbox only.
The Skoda Slavia will also get an update soon. The test mule of the Slavia facelift has already been spotted testing in India. Just like the Virtus, it will also come with a revised front end featuring tweaked headlamps, LED DRLs, and a revised rear profile. It will also come with new alloy wheels, an updated feature list in the cabin, and more. The sedan is also expected to carry forward the rear-seat massager function from the Kushaq.
It will continue with the 1.0-litre TSI engine paired with a manual and 6-speed automatic transmission, while the 1.5-litre TSI engine will come with a 7-speed DSG gearbox. The launch is expected to happen later this year.
Honda, at the launch of the City facelift, announced that it plans to launch six new models in the market as part of its new strategy. As per reports, one of the models expected to launch is the Honda Civic.
We previously got the 10th-generation Civic, which was discontinued in 2021. This time around, Honda will reportedly bring the sedan back in a hybrid avatar and is likely to sell it as a CBU or CKD model. This would allow Honda to offer a balance between performance and efficiency.
Another Honda sedan likely to come to India is the Accord. We used to get the previous generation Accord, but due to low sales, Honda discontinued it. It now looks like Honda is considering bringing the sedan back to our market. It will reportedly be offered as a hybrid car. The Honda Accord is a premium four-door sedan, and the car is expected to come with a long list of premium features.
Honda is yet to release exact details about this sedan. The Accord Hybrid is expected to be sold as either a CBU or CKD model in India.
Skoda launched the Octavia RS last year in limited numbers. Surprisingly, all 10 units of the sedan were sold out even before its official launch or price announcement. Looking at the overwhelming response, Skoda is preparing to bring a second batch of the Octavia RS to India. The launch is expected to happen around the festive season this year.
The performance sedan is powered by a 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine that generates 263 Bhp and 370 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a 7-speed DSG transmission and has a top speed of 250 km/h. It remains to be seen whether Skoda will increase the price or keep it the same as before.
Octavia RS is not going to be the only sedan coming back. Skoda will be reintroducing the Superb sedan in the market. It is the biggest and flagship sedan. It is expected to return to India with a diesel engine. It will be a CBU and will be offered with a long list of premium features. The diesel version will be offered in limited numbers and will use a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine generating 190 s and 400 Nm of torque.
A turbo petrol engine is also expected to be offered and it would use a 2.0-litre turbo petrol unit that generates 204 Ps. Both the engines will be offered with a 7-speed DSG only. The diesel version might also get the 4x4.