The wait for the Skoda Kushaq is over and the Compact SUV is launched at Rs. 10.49 lakh ex-showroom. Zac Hollis the director of sales and marketing head, Skoda India recently confirmed on Twitter that the delivery of the Kushaq will commence from the 12th of July. The Company has decided to launch the 1.0L TSI petrol engine initially, and the 1.5L TSI petrol engine will be introduced in August.
The Kushaq will be the first car to use the MQB A0 IN platform of the Volkswagen Group, which is specifically designed for the Indian market. Also, the Kushaq will be the first car from the brand’s India 2.0 strategy, which is expected to carry on the legacy of the company. Skoda is also trying to achieve up to 95% of localized parts which helps them to price the SUV aggressively.
Skoda Kushaq design details
The Kushaq design language has been a combination of sporty and rugged. Most of the design elements are from the Skoda Vision IN concept car which was showcased in 2020. In the front, it comes with a blackened grille with a chrome outline and on either side of the grille is the LED headlights with integrated DRLs which sits above the fog light. On the rear is the wraparound LED taillights, a roof spoiler and a faux diffuser to add some sportiness to the design.
The Kushaq which is 4.2m long is not exactly the largest SUV in the segment, but the short overhangs give it the right proportions. The cabin is spacious with plenty of storage space inside. The Boot space inside the Kusaq is 385 litres with the seats in an upright position, this can be increased to 1,405 litres by folding down the rear seats. In terms of features, the Kushaq gets a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto Connectivity, wireless charging pad, ambient lighting, electric sunroof and more.
On the safety side, the SUV features multiple airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, tyre pressure monitor, rain-sensing wipers, hill hold assist, ISOFIX child seat mounts, automatic headlights, traction control, multi-collision brake system and more.
Engine and colour options
The company has planned to initially start selling the compact SUV in only the 1.0L engine. The 1.0L Turbocharged petrol engine is the one seen in Rapid which makes a total power of 115Bhp and 180Nm of torque. The powerful 1.5L turbo petrol engine will be launched later in August which makes 150bhp and 250Nm of torque. This will make Kushaq the most powerful SUV in its segment. A 6-speed manual transmission will be standard for both engines but the 1.0L TSI engine gets a 6-speed torque converter as optional and the 1.5L TSI engine will get a 7-speed DSG gearbox as optional.
The Skoda Kushaq will be made available in 3 different trims – Active, Ambition and Style. The basic trim Active 1.0 TSI MT is priced at Rs. 10.49 lakh ex-showroom and the top trim Style 1.5L TSI DSG is priced at Rs. 17.59 lakh ex-showroom. It will get 5 different colour schemes namely, Candy White, Brilliant Silver, Honey Orange, Carbon Steel and Tornado Red.
There has been a rise in the popularity and demand for the Compact SUV segment in India. There are multiple options and some firm players already present in the market. The new entries like the Kushaq will go against the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Harrier, Kia Seltos and the upcoming twin sister Volkswagen Tiguan which is based on the same platform.
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