Behold! This is the Skoda Slavia in production-ready form. It will become the brand’s second offering under the India 2.0 project. And yes, it is a far cry from its predecessor – the Rapid. The Slavia is all new and shares almost nothing with the now-axed Rapid. However, the Slavia does share quite a lot with the Kushaq.

Skoda has used the same MQB-A0-IN platform for the Slavia that also does duty in the compact SUV mentioned above. That gives birth to noticeably larger real estate when compared to the Rapid. The wheelbase, which stretches 2,651mm end-to-end, is 99mm longer. More math? Okay, get this – the Slavia measures 4,541mm in length, 1,752mm in width and 1,487mm in height. Simple subtraction reveals that it is 128mm longer, 53mm wider, and 21mm taller than the Rapid.

Coming to the list of creature comforts, it is a familiar one. Courtesy – the Kushaq. That means the Slavia offers everything from an electric sunroof, rain-sensing wipers and ambient lighting to ventilated front seats, automatic climate control and an infotainment system stretching up to 10 inches based on the variant chosen. Yes, there’s support for wired and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as well. On the safety front, the sedan offers up to six airbags, Hill Hold Control, Traction Control System, auto-dimming IRVM, ISOFIX anchorages and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

The familiarities run further as Slavia also borrows the engine-transmission combinations from the Kushaq. That means there’s a choice of two TSI motors and three transmission units. Less expensive versions will house the 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that puts out 113bhp/178Nm. Those looking for more oomph can opt for the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-petrol powerplant that produces 148bhp/250Nm. A 6-speed manual unit handles transmission duties by default. However, you can have the smaller engine with a 6-speed torque converter and the larger one with a 7-speed DSG.

One of the “Simply Clever” touches is worth highlighting. The 1.5-litre unit comes equipped with Active Cylinder Technology (ACT). It aids fuel economy by shutting down two of the four cylinders when there’s a light load on the motor. That said, as soon as one demands more power, the deactivated cylinders come back to life in an instant without making a fuss.

Skoda will offer the Slavia in three trim levels – Active, Ambition and Style. And there are five colour options – Candy White, Brilliant Silver, Carbon Steel, Tornado Red and Crystal Blue.

Pre-bookings for the Slavia are now open. The carmaker confirms that deliveries should commence in the first quarter of next year. The Slavia is a much stronger competitor to Honda City, Hyundai Verna and the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz. Not only it is a giant leap forward when compared to its predecessor, but also a much more rounded product for those who prefer sedans over SUVs. And sure enough, Volkswagen will soon unveil their successor to the Vento. That will share almost everything with the Slavia, barring the shape and those VW logos. Skoda will reveal the prices of the Slavia early next year. The question is – would you buy it over its rivals?