A King's Ransom in a - Skoda Slavia

Summers in India, despite the raging heat, has its beauty. This is when we appreciate the flavours of summer, and indulge in quintessential summertime treats and shenanigans. The two pleasant things that come to our mind when you say 'summer' is mangoes and vacations. So we set off for both. Where? Ratnagiri, of course. Located in the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, it is a region globally recognised for its Alphonso Mangoes. While many may argue against it, but very many agree this variety to be the king of mangoes.

This was a day trip. But still a long drive from Mumbai. So we needed something comfortable, robust and, of course, safe. The Skoda Slavia ticks all those boxes. This gave us the opportunity to see how the Slavia fares as a family car, how well does it handle the vagaries of a long drive, how well does it tackle different situations and terrain while providing the family inside with absolute safety and comfort.

Our drive started early from Mumbai and the first thing that we got to check off on our list was the headlamps. These being amply effective and practical provides you the primary level of safety through maximum visibility when light conditions are low. The Slavia effortlessly munched miles - both the smooth and rough - with its high ground clearance and supple ride. The highway also gave us the opportunity to check out the performance on the Slavia. The 1 litre TSI holds fort with elan and drives us through those long highway stretches comfortably yet maintaining steady fuel efficiency, typical TSI goodness.

As we approach Ratnagiri we go through a series of ghats. Moreover, winding roads with sharp hairpin bends is the pitch the Slavia loves batting in. Away from congested roads, you can feel the Slavia stepping into its element. You enjoy the mighty Western Ghats on one side and the magnificent Arabian Sea on the other, as the Slavia hunts down one corner after the other.

You can feel technology like ESC, TPMS, and Motor Slip Regulation working to ensure nothing comes between you and the car's dynamics around these challenging bends. You also have the cover of more active and passive safety features like cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlamps as well as a rear-view camera with static guidelines. Built on the same underpinnings as the Kushaq, the Slavia has followed suit to score 5 stars on the GNCAP crash test for both adult and child safety. Of course, it has a horde of active and passive safety features. But what makes these Skodas truly safe is the sound MQB-A0-IN platform and the impact-absorbing body shell and skeletal structure of the car. And this is built right at the conception stage of the car. And the core reason the Kushaq then and the Slavia now tops safety charts among cars made in India.

Ratnagiri is quintessentially the rural Maharashtra we wanted to see and we didn't waste any time and went straight for the mangoes at a plucking farm. The welcoming owner gave us a tour of the massive orchard with mango trees everywhere you look. The child in me probably went back to the time we used to sneak into a random garden and use sticks and stones to get our hands on the fruit, some of which easily got into the capacious boot of the Slavia.

Bushels full later, we headed back with the Slavia to meander through the countryside. The Slavia gave us an opportunity to do so much on this drive and when we got to play hide and seek with a view of the sea around hairpins through the windscreen. It felt like there is no other place we wanted to be and no other machine we wanted to be there in. The view at the top of the mountain leaves you astounded at the sheer beauty we live amidst. Just about as astounding as the Slavia that got us here.