Why you should pick up the Skoda Slavia 1.5L DSG over the 1.0L TC

The itch for the 1.5DSG is very real, more so if you love to drive and are even an aspiring enthusiast.

BHPian Game_of_Roads recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have a 1.5+yr year old 1.0 AT Slavia @ 15k on the odo bought for ~19L OTR Bangalore with SMP+EW for reference.

The itch for the 1.5DSG is very real, more so if you love to drive and are even an aspiring enthusiast. Agree with BHPian punto_ on this.

If I were to go back in time, I may have reconsidered to get the 1.5DSG indeed , BUT think about the following, most of these are from my 1st hand experience:

1. This Aisin 6Speed TC is a wonderful gearbox. In the city, it's really a gem. Super smooth and effortless.
2. For the enthusiast out on the highway, the 6AT has a Sports mode and Paddle shifters, both of which are good. S-mode in particular reduces the initial lag upon sudden acceleration to a decent extent. The TC AT on the highway is also quite good, it shifts fast enough for fun and rarely in need of user intervention.
3. The 1.0TSI is no slouch. If you don't compare it to the 1.5, it is a quick and FUN engine. I touched a high speed somewhere on an empty stretch, and there was still some more juice left in the engine, that it could have managed without fuss. The engine is free revving all the way, has enough and more enjoyable turbo pull, and to me, the rorty sound especially when revved is entertaining (personal opinion).

Bottomline of the 1.0TSI + 6Speed TC

1. Very well matched - Jack of all trades, including spirited driving with few to no faults other than fuel efficiency (more below).
2. It's (more) fun to drive a slow(er) car fast than a fast(er) car slow. Especially on Indian roads
3. Reliable AT, peace of mind compared to DSG if keeping long term.
4. 2L+ cheaper than 1.5DSG (at least when I got it)
5. Smoother experience and carefree driving in the city (no need to keep shifting to N at signals)
6. Decent highway efficiency (~14-15 kmpl overall under normal highway driving), sub par city efficiency in Bangalore like traffic. 9kmpl is the optimistic overall average even with a light foot if commuting in the city. This is the only real Achilles heel.

• If highway usage is > 30% or often the 1.5DSG will be the dream come true.
• If highway usage is <30% and/or usage is <10k/year, the 1.0AT will be Sensible & Fun.
• If you have test driven the 1.5 DSG and are unable to wipe the grin off your face, forget the above and just get the 1.5DSG

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.