The year 2022 has been the Biggest Year for Skoda Auto India. The company saw a growth of 125% over the previous year and climbed to rank 9 among the largest car manufacturers in India. It has come after almost three years of COVID that were backbreaking for quite a few carmakers. What made Skoda click?
Skoda’s recent success has been riding on two of its newest nameplates - the Slavia and the Kushaq. The proof is in the sheer numbers of these cars on the roads. The key to Skoda’s Biggest Year has been the fact that the company specifically developed these cars for the Indian market with an intent to keep ownership costs low – starting at Rs 0.46 per kilometre – and localisation high – up to 95 per cent. Both the Kushaq and Slavia sit on the made-for-India, ready-for-the-world MQB-A0-IN platform developed by teams in India and the Czech Republic.
While keeping costs in control, Skoda has ensured it does not compromise on the primary essence of its cars - safety. Historically, European car makers, have not only excelled in their engineering but also ensure their cars are as safe as possible for their occupants.
When the Skoda Kushaq scored 5-stars in the GNCAP safety ratings in October 2022, it set new benchmarks. The Kushaq is the first Indian-built car to win 5-stars for both adults and child occupants. That too under GNCAP’s newer, stricter test protocols. This also saw the Kushaq top the safety charts in India when it comes to points apart from just its star rating. Moreover, if there were any doubts that Skoda’s India-developed cars will not carry the same quality of their international offerings, they were laid to rest with the Kushaq’s performance in the GNCAP crash tests.
The Skoda Slavia is built on the exact same MQB-A0-IN platform as the Kushaq. It gets the same bones and internal body structure while adorned with the form of a sedan. While it has not been tested yet, the Slavia, being based on the same MQB-A0-IN platform as the Kushaq is likely to continue with the trailblazing safety standards as the Kushaq and as Skoda’s tradition in India and the world.
The Slavia also gets a slew of safety features where ABS and EBD are standard across all trims along with the Electronic Stability Program. All three passengers in the rear get three-point seatbelts and two ISOFIX mounts for child seats as standard fitment along with rear parking sensors. You can opt for six airbags, cruise control, automatic headlamps and rear parking camera.
There is no dearth of creature comforts. Ventilated seats in the front are also offered with the standard automatic climate control and rear AC vents. The latest infotainment system comes with wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto while the instrument cluster gets a large display screen in between the traditional dials to give the driver all the information needed. Equipped with a bright-coloured leatherette interior, the Slavia is already quite a comfortable place to be in.
While these features enhance safety and comfort, the core of the Skoda’s stellar performance in safety comes from its body structure within. It is this body structure that helps it absorb impact and keep its occupants safe. It is these qualities that makes one bet that the Slavia has very high chances of yet again furthering safety and crash-absorption benchmarks just like the Kushaq did. It is also likely to top the safety charts among cars manufactured in India. We would not expect anything less from Skoda, famous for its European engineering and build quality that had earned it the moniker of a Tank.
