Skoda Slavia 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI in Cartoq’s First Drive Review [Video]

Skoda Slavia 1.5 TSI engine

The 1.5 TSI engine from the VW Skoda Group is an advanced piece of engineering. It is the same engine that is available with the cylinder deactivation technology. The system works by deactivating two cylinders out of the total four to offer a much better fuel efficiency.

The cylinder deactivation system is not noticeable when it works. The only way you get to know that the two cylinders have been deactivated is through the notification you get on the screen. It is a very well-tuned technology that only higher-end cars from Audi used to get a few years ago.

The 1.5-litre TSI engine of the Skoda Slavia generates a maximum power of 150 PS and a peak torque of 250 Nm. It is available with a six-speed manual transmission and a 7-speed DSG automatic. We only drove the dual-clutch variant and will talk about that powertrain.

Also read: Skoda celebrates sedans with new TVC for Slavia

It generates the same power as the first-generation Skoda Octavia RS in the Indian market.

How is Skoda Slavia 1.5 TSI to drive?

The Skoda Slaiva 1.5 TSI engine is the most powerful unit available in this segment. It is rev-friendly and goes to a 6,500 rpm redline, without a hiccup. The power delivery is extravagant and it hits the 100 km/h mark on the speedometer without any effort.

With the 7-speed DSG, Skoda has tuned it very well with the engine. In fact, it feels much better tuned than the Skoda Kushaq and the gearshifts are silky smooth. DSG also gets paddle shifters that you can use to change the gears on the move. In fact, if you put the DSG in manual mode, it holds the revs to 6,500 rpm and won’t upshift automatically. It really gives control over the gearshifts, which the enthusiasts will love.

The wide gear ratios of the DSG ensure that it masks any turbo-lag in the engine. We briefly drove the manual for a couple of kilometres. The six-speed transmission has tall gearing and if you drive in crowded, slow-moving traffic then the manual transmission requires a lot of shifts, especially at low speeds. But on the highway, the manual is a breeze to drive. The clutch is light and there is no need to shove it against the floor to shift the gears.

Inside the city limits, the DSG outperforms the manual simply because of more gear ratios and shorter initial gears that adds to the acceleration in the slow-moving traffic.

Does the Skoda Slavia 1.5 handles better?

Skoda has done a few tweaks to the suspension of the 1.5 TSI Slavia to counter the added weight. Even the brakes are upgraded to add more stopping power. With the heavier engine, the 1.5 TSI does not feel as agile as the 1.0 TSI. But in a straight line, there is no other better engine in this segment, not even the 1.0 TSI. It travels like a bullet.

The steering of the 1.0 TSI is also slightly sharper than the 1.5 TSI. That can be because of the added weight. But entering the corners in both the cars will need to slow down. Skoda Slavia is not a track car and you cannot attack the corners. It is made as a family car and does that job very well. Just like many other Skodas, enthusiasts may bring in new suspension to make the Slavia 1.5 TSI a track tool but in the stock form, it is a fast family car.

Which one should you buy?

If you are going to spend most of your time on the crowded city roads and plan to use the highway every other month, the Slavia 1.0 TSI does the job very well. But on the highways, you may feel that there is not enough power in reserve to make the high-speed overtaking manoeuvres.

But if you go out on the highways every other week and really want to feel confident while driving down the 1.5-litre does a great job. Go for the DSG, if you plan to use the car as much inside the city limits. Skoda will only offer the 1.5- TSI on the top-end variants so that will also restrict a lot of buyers but Skoda expects a 15% sale coming from the more powerful variant.

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