The 2026 Skoda Slavia facelift was unveiled on 18th August, and its bookings have already started. We at 91Wheels were present at the event to check what's new with this update. To our surprise, there are several new feature additions, including a segment-first rear massaging seat setup. That said, the Slavia facelift still misses out on a few features that its rivals, mainly the Honda City and Hyundai Verna, already offer. Here's a look at what's missing on this sedan, even after the update.
Quick comparison: Slavia facelift vs Honda City vs Hyundai Verna
Feature | Skoda Slavia (facelift) | Honda City | Hyundai Verna |
|---|---|---|---|
ADAS | No | Yes (since 2023) | Yes (20 features) |
Electronic parking brake | No | Yes (top trim) | Yes (top trim) |
Rear sun-blinds | No | Windshield only | Windshield + windows |
Engine underbody cover | No | Yes | Yes |
Connected light bar | No | Yes | Yes |
No ADAS
The Skoda Slavia facelift doesn't offer ADAS even in 2026, whereas its direct rival, the Honda City, has come with it since 2023. The Hyundai Verna, meanwhile, offers 20 ADAS features. When the Slavia was undergoing testing, it was suspected that with the much-awaited facelift, Skoda would bring this safety suite, as it is now quite common for a car at this price. But even now, they have missed out on it. However, there are new additions, like a 360-degree parking camera, four front parking sensors, plus rear disc brakes with the 1.5L TSI engine. These are some additions that help make up for the absence of ADAS.
No Electronic Parking Brake
The top variant of the Skoda Slavia will cost around Rs 21 lakh after all the taxes, but even these this car does have a manual handbrake option. Rivals like Honda City and Hyundai Verna with there top spec trims are equipped with electronic parking brake with auto hold. A premium feature that elevates the refined experience of a sedan and must be there in atleast top spec variants of these sedans.
No Sunblinds
With the 2026 facelift, Skoda has integrated UV-cut glass into the Slavia, which protects passengers from harmful sun rays and keeps the interior temperature moderate because of the green tint on the windows. Now, apart from this, what could really have solved the problem is sun-blinds for rear passengers, and for the rear windshield. Rivals like the Hyundai Verna offer this for both the rear windshield and rear windows, whereas the City gets it only on the windshield. The Slavia offers nothing like this. Now, this isn't really a big deal that can be counted as a negative when it comes to buying the car, but it shows how much effort a brand puts in to make its vehicle feel special, especially because these are sedans and most owners will sit in the back, so this matters.
No Engine Protection Cover
This is not really a feature, but a cover that protects the engine bay and sits beneath the engine. If you can't picture this, check out the new Slavia: open its hood, and you can see the road beneath it. Do the same with the Honda City or Hyundai Verna, and you'll see a block of black colour instead, and that's the underbody cover. These are small details, but they create an impact and show how much a manufacturer thinks about attention to detail when building a refined product. On top of that, the new Slavia's bonnet doesn't even have insulation, which is a cover that absorbs the noise coming from underneath. So yes, it misses out here.
Connected Light Bar
Connected lighting at the front with an illuminated grille is a new trend that every automaker is following because it's in high demand. Its rivals now offer it, but the Slavia doesn't. The connected light bar gives the whole face a rich appearance and makes the car look wider than its actual size. With the 2026 facelift, it was expected that the Slavia would get it, but Skoda has just added a lot of chrome to the grille, and from a distance, it's reminiscent of a light bar, but it's actually plastic.
End Note
The missing features are few, but the Slavia makes up for them elsewhere. It gets ventilated rear seats, a segment-first. It gets 6-way power-adjustable front seats, which neither the City nor the Verna offers. And it comes with the Google AI assistant built in. Prices aren't out yet, but the Slavia facelift is expected to launch at around Rs 10 lakh, with the top variant going up to roughly Rs 18.50 lakh (ex-showroom).
So while Skoda has left ADAS, connected lighting, and a few cabin touches on the table, it hasn't ignored what matters either. The Slavia facelift picks its battles: segment-first comfort features over flash, and substance over what looks good in a spec sheet. Whether that trade-off works in its favour will depend on how much weight buyers put on safety tech versus everyday comfort. For now, it remains a car that does a lot right, even if it stops short of doing everything.
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