This video by EVO finds out if the the new Skoda Slavia 1.5-litre TSI a worthy successor to the OG Skoda Octavia vRS
In a car market that was still in its stages of evolving with mass-market and family-oriented family sedans, Skoda dropped a bomb with the Octavia vRS. With the legendary suffix, the Skoda Octavia vRS came with several visual tweaks and a performance edge over the other cars in the car.
The first-generation Octavia vRS started a revolution by being the first-ever turbocharged-petrol sedan in India. It started a cult, which eventually added a lot of buyers and admirers of the coveted vRS badge from Skoda. This video from EVO India compares the first-generation Octavia with the latest Skoda Slavia 1.5 TSI!
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Skoda Slavia 1.5 vs Octavia vRS Gen 1 | RS for the masses | Comparison review | 2022 | evo India by evo India
The Skoda Octavia was on sale till 2020 with the third-generation model, when Skoda decided not to introduce the fourth-generation Octavia vRS. Instead, Skoda gave the Indian market the Slavia sedan with an additional variant having a more powerful 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine.
In terms of dimensions and powertrain specifications, the new Skoda Slavia looks larger and has a more advanced engine than the Gen 1 Octavia vRS on paper. But is the Skoda Slavia 1.5 a spiritual successor of the Gen 1 Octavia vRS? EVO India has compared both cars to find out the answers.
What made the Gen 1 Skoda Octavia vRS so special?
The new Slavia is as powerful as the good old Skoda Octavia vRS first-generation
Skoda introduced the Gen 1 Octavia vRS in India in 2003, two years after Octavia debuted in India. The vRS badge was not just another sticker job, as the tag brought in a range of visual and performance upgrades.
Apart from the additional bright red and yellow shades, as seen in the video, the Skoda Octavia vRS had a different-looking front bumper, bigger 16-inch alloy wheels and a boot-mounted body-coloured spoiler at the back. On the inside, the Octavia vRS had an all-black interior with features like aluminium pedals, driver seat height adjustment, silver surrounds for the centre console, single-pane sunroof and automatic climate control, which were high-end features back in those days.
This version of the Skoda Octavia vRS came with a 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, thus making it the first turbocharged petrol-powered car in India. Paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox, this engine produces 150 PS of maximum power and 210 Nm of maximum torque.
Including a high ground clearance, which is a must in India
While this Gen 1 Octavia vRS was discontinued in 2010, there are several examples of the car available in the used car market at prices as low as Rs 3.5 lakh. The Octavia vRS is one of the top-most favourites among car tuners for the endless possibilities of tuning and modifications this car offers.
What gives Skoda Slavia 1.5 an advantage over the Gen 1 Octavia vRS?
Skoda got the Slavia to the Indian market earlier this year. It is projected as a bigger and an upmarket car over the Rapid it has replaced. Apart from the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol powertrain, the Slavia is also available with a more powerful 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine aimed at driving enthusiasts who crave more power.
This 1.5-litre powertrain is available with both the options of a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and pumps out 150 PS of maximum power and 250 Nm of maximum torque.
Skoda recently introduced the all-new Slavia with 1.5 litre TSI engine
With a length of 4541mm, a width of 1752mm and a height of 1487mm, the Skoda Slavia is a bigger car when compared to the Gen 1 Skoda Octavia vRS, which measures 4507mm long, 1731mm wide and 1431mm tall. Even the ground clearance and torque output of the Slavia are higher than those of the Gen 1 Octavia vRS.
So, is the Slavia better than the Skoda Octavia vRS?
This are several advantages of the Skoda Slavia over the Octavia
With modern transmission options, new-age technologies like cylinder deactivation, better and more premium fit and finish levels and interior, a longer list of features and better space on the inside, the new Skoda Slavia is a more premium car over the almost two-decade-old Gen 1 Octavia vRS. But is the Skoda Slavia, even with a more powerful engine, a spiritual successor to the Gen 1 Octavia vRS. Not actually, and there are some valid reasons for it.
Firstly, the Slavia 1.5 doesn’t look visually exclusive compared to the mass-segment1.0-litre versions, as it doesn’t get any visual add-on over the latter. The Octavia vRS, on the other hand, looks more delicious than the regular Octavia with sporty-looking tweaks and add-ons.
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Secondly, while the smaller 1.5-litre petrol engine is more refined and has more torque than the Gen 1 Octavia vRS, the advantage seems good only on paper as the latter feels more powerful and thrilling between the gearshifts. Thirdly, the Octavia vRS offers you a more committed driving feel with much lower seat height, lower ground clearance and heavier steering. The Slavia 1.5 doesn’t feel as focused with its raised ground clearance, crossover-like seat height and too light steering setup.
Conclusion
This detailed comparison between both the sedans finds out the best one
Despite its advantages in technologies, dimensions and features, the Skoda Slavia 1.5 is not as enthusiast-focused as the Gen 1 Skoda Octavia vRS. When Skoda launched the Gen 1 Octavia vRS, it genuinely felt like a more special car over the regular version of the Octavia, both in terms of the way it looks and performs. Unlike this, the Skoda Slavia 1.5 doesn’t feel more exclusive than the regular 1.0-litre variants, apart from having a more powerful engine under its hood.
In our opinion, instead of selling the vanilla 1.5-litre versions, Skoda can make the 1.5-litre TSI variants of the Slavia available specifically in the vRS guise. Apart from having the more powerful 1.5-litre TSI engine, the Slavia vRS can have more advancements like stiffened suspension setup, bigger 17-inch wheels, lower ground clearance, an all-black interior layout with contrast colour stitching, aluminium pedals, vRS badges in and out and heavier steering. These updates can really justify its premium positioning over the regular 1.0-litre variants.
Do you think Skoda can do much more with the 1.5-litre variants of the Slavia? Should Skoda bring in a more enthusiast-focused Slavia vRS in India? Let us know in the comments below.
Keyword: Is The Slavia 1.5 TSI As Good As Gen-1 Octavia vRS?