As festive fervour builds across India, new Slavia brings enhanced design, technology, comfort and safety to customers
- The start of production of the new Slavia has been strategically timed ahead of the festive season, aligning with a peak period for customer purchases.
- New Slavia builds on the success of the sedan with enhanced design, technology, comfort and safety features
- Nearly 80,000 Slavia sedans sold in India since launch, with around a 30% share of the segment
Pune, September 28th, 2026: Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) has commenced production of the new Škoda Slavia at its world-class Chakan plant in Pune, marking an important milestone in the Group’s India journey. The start of production comes as India enters its festive season, when purchase consideration across the passenger vehicle market peaks. The new Slavia builds on the success of one being one of India’s most popular sedans, bringing enhanced design, technology, comfort and safety to customers.
The new Slavia builds upon a highly successful sedan lineage that has already seen nearly 80,000 units sold to date. It continues Škoda Auto’s approach of combining European engineering with a deep understanding of Indian customer requirements, while further strengthening the brand’s sedan portfolio in the country.
Andreas Dick, Škoda Auto Chief Production Officer said: “India has become an increasingly important production location for Škoda Auto and an integral part of our global manufacturing network. Over the years, we have built strong capabilities here, combining local expertise with Škoda Auto’s global standards for quality, efficiency and engineering. The start of production of the new Slavia is another demonstration of these capabilities and further underlines the strategic importance of India within our global operations. We are confident in the continued development of our Indian manufacturing capabilities and their contribution to Škoda Auto’s international growth.”
Piyush Arora, Managing Director & CEO, Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited, said: “The start of production of the new Slavia marks an important milestone in our India journey and demonstrates the strength of our development and manufacturing capabilities in the country. The Slavia has developed a strong fan base through its design, driving dynamics, safety and engineering, and the new model builds on these strengths with meaningful enhancements in technology, comfort and convenience. With production now underway in Pune, we look forward to bringing the latest evolution of the Slavia to our customers while continuing to deliver the quality and engineering excellence they expect from a Škoda.”
Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India, said: “For over 90 years, sedans have been an integral part of our global heritage. The new Slavia proudly carries this legacy forward. With close to 30% segment share, the Slavia has earned the trust of Indian customers. The new Slavia elevates everything customers value about the car, combining timeless design, European engineering and safety, engaging performance, modern technology, and greater comfort. As we begin production of the new Slavia, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening Škoda’s sedan legacy in India with products that remain fresh, relevant, and aspirational.”
A new Slavia for the festive season
The new Slavia continues to deliver European engineering and 5-star Global NCAP safety credentials, now enhanced with an all-new eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission paired with the 1.0 TSI engine.
Elevating comfort and convenience, the new model introduces a segment-first Rear Seat Massage function, a 360-degree Area View camera, and next-generation infotainment featuring an AI Companion powered by Google Cloud. The model also continues to offer the combination of engaging driving dynamics, practicality and safety that has established its position among Indian sedan buyers.
Strengthening India’s manufacturing and engineering capabilities
The start of production of the new Slavia further underscores SAVWIPL’s established manufacturing capabilities in India. Operating two manufacturing facilities with a combined annual capacity of 315,000 units, the company crossed the milestone of 2 million locally produced vehicles in 2025. Under its “Made in India for India and the World” approach, over 725,000 vehicles have been exported to more than 40 countries.
Backed by the expanded Technology Centre Pune, this ecosystem strengthens SAVWIPL’s capabilities in localisation, innovation and adapting products for both Indian and global markets, further reinforcing India’s role within the Volkswagen Group’s global operations.
Further information
Sarmad Kadiri
Head – External Communications
Škoda Auto Volkswagen India
sarmad.kadiri@skoda-vw.co.in
Gurleen Kaur
The Popkorn
gurleen@thepopkorn.com
Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd. (SAVWIPL)
- is headquartered in Pune and oversees the Indian operations of six Volkswagen Group brands — Škoda, Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche;
- started its India journey over 25 years ago at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) and today operates two manufacturing plants, including Chakan, Pune, with a combined annual capacity of 315,000 units;
- plays a key role as an export hub under the “Made in India for India and the World” approach, with over 725,000 vehicles shipped to 40+ countries;
- crossed 2 million locally produced vehicles in 2025, marking a significant milestone for the Group in India;
- deepened localisation and strengthened the supplier ecosystem through the INDIA 2.0 project and the introduction of the Group’s first sub-4-metre SUV for Indian customers;
- increased locally built models – Škoda Kylaq, Kushaq, Slavia, Volkswagen Taigun and Virtus – together crossed 600,000 units till now;
- offers a wide portfolio across segments, supported by nearly 700 customer touchpoints across the country;
- employs over 4,000 people and has been recognised as ‘Top Employer’ and HR Asia’s ‘Best Companies to Work for in Asia’ for three consecutive years, as well as ET HC MENA for two years in a row;
- continues to focus on sustainable mobility, practical innovation, and a balanced approach across ICE and BEV technologies for India and global markets.
To read more about SAVWIPL, click on www.skoda-vw.co.in
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