Introduction
Matte seems to be a new buzzword this festive season and, for that matter, this year itself. You have models from Hyundai, Kia, Maruti Suzuki, and Volkswagen — all sporting matte paint schemes. Well, Skoda too has jumped on this bandwagon! We saw this first on the Kushaq and now we have the Matte Skoda Slavia.
Exterior
As the name suggests, the Skoda Slavia Matte Edition is a fully loaded version of the car with this special matte paint scheme. It is based on the carbon steel palette and, in addition to this, you also get glossy black contrast highlights on the door handles and ORVMs. The Slavia Matte follows in the footsteps of the Skoda Rapid Matte Edition which was launched around the same period two years ago.
Interior
If the Matte paint scheme was not enough, Skoda has also added some new features to the cabin of the Slavia. The biggest change is that both the front seats are now electrically powered, making this only the second sedan in the segment to be offered with powered front seats.
Another major change is that Skoda has re-introduced the 10-inch display for the infotainment system. It’s an optional extra though, and buyers can also opt for an 8.0-inch display that Skoda had been offering before this. This new 10-inch unit also offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Finally, Skoda has installed a subwoofer in the boot as a part of this package, which means you can now listen to your favourite tunes in your Skoda Slavia with a little extra bass on offer.
Features
This being a fully loaded Slavia, you get features like a digital instrument cluster, cruise control, climate control with rear AC vents, leatherette upholstery, cooled glovebox, power mirrors, and power windows.
Regarding safety, the Slavia is a five-star rated car in the GNCAP crash test. Its safety suite in this top-spec model includes six airbags, a stability programme, traction control, hill-hold control, TPMS, ISOFIX child seat mounting points, and a reverse camera with dynamic guidelines.
Powertrain
The Skoda Slavia Matte or the Slavia can be had in two petrol engine options. The first is a 1.0-litre TSI producing 114bhp/178Nm. This engine can be had with a six-speed manual or six-speed torque converter automatic. There is also a more powerful option in the form of a 1.5-litre TSI petrol that produces 148bhp/250Nm, and it can be had with a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG.
Prices and competition
The Skoda Slavia takes on the likes of the Hyundai Verna, Maruti Ciaz, Honda City, and the Volkswagen Virtus, which is the Slavia’s sister car and itself has a matte-painted version that was launched a short while ago.
To buy or not to buy
Yes, and somewhat yes. Yes, because it is only Rs. 40,000 over the price of the regular fully-loaded Slavia and for that amount, you are getting something unique directly from the factory. Somewhat yes, because matte paint is difficult to maintain, requires a special touch and special cleaning materials, and will need regular touch-ups to keep the matte effect. But that’s the price you pay for wanting to stand out, right? Then there is also the fact that it’s only available in the top-spec variant, which is not a complaint per se but more of “if you want it, then that’s how far you need to go.”
