Skoda Auto Volkswagen Group’s first product under its India 2.0 strategy, the mid-size SUV, Kushaq has officially been unveiled. The Kushaq is supposedly the make or break product for the Skoda VW Group in India, which is why they have taken care of every little detail. The platform on which Skoda has built the Kushaq, the MQB A0 IN platform, is designed and engineered specifically for our market. It takes into account the requirements of our customers as well as our road conditions to come up with products that can succeed under all conditions. The official launch of the Kushaq will take place in June and the deliveries will begin in July. We will get to know the prices of the Kushaq at the launch but we expect a very competitive price range, being highly localized. Skoda is aiming at 95% localization at the time of launch which will help it challenge the rivals with the pricing. Let us take a look at the highlights from the unveiling ceremony.
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Skoda Kushaq – Exterior Highlights
Impressively enough, Skoda has been able to retain a lot from the Vision IN concept that was showcased at the Auto Expo 2020. This means that the Kushaq features a very bold and muscular exterior with a typical butterfly front grille, split crystalline LED headlamps with LED DRLs, a chunky bumper with skid plates and an upright stance. The sharp creases all around make it unmistakably Skoda and the sides are accentuated by 17-inch dual-tone alloys, practical roof rails and sporty. At the rear, the LED tail lamps around the corners make the car look wider, the skid plates under the rear bumper, the chrome strip running across the width of the SUV makes the rear modern and sophisticated.
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| Parameter | Skoda Kushaq |
| Length | 4225 mm |
| Width | 1760 mm |
| Height | 1612 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2651 mm |
| Boot Space | 385 l |
| Ground Clearance | 188 mm |
The dimensions are also in line with the segment but the wheelbase is one of the best in the segment. This translates into a ton of interior cabin space, especially for rear passengers. This has intruded a bit into the boot with just 385 l capacity. This is clearly not the best in the segment. The ground clearance is a decent 188 mm which can help you cruise over just about any rough patch on the road. However, it is also not the segment best.
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Skoda Kushaq – Interiors, Features and Safety
The list of equipment is also quite lengthy with all the modern amenities, features and connectivity. This includes a free-standing 10-inch Digital Touchscreen Infotainment System with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Connected Car Tech with a ton of features, pre-installed Apps, Wireless charging, Automatic Climate Control with touch inputs, two-spoke multi-purpose Steering Wheel, White Ambient Lighting, LED Reading Lights, chrome-plated Door handles, chrome bits at various places inside the cabin, 6-speakers Skoda Audio System with extra subwoofer in the Spare Wheel well and much more. The special Skoda simply clever bits include a non-slip base in a cup holder, a ticket holder on A-Pillar, bag hooks in the boot, a phone box in the front fro the smartphone and smartphone storage pockets on the front seatbacks.
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On the safety front, the Kushaq comes equipped with 6 Airbags, ABS with EBD and ESC, Hill-Hold Control, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, ISOFIX child seat mounts, Multi-Collision Brake, Three-point Seatbelt, Front and rear parking sensors with Camera and much more.
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Skoda Kushaq – Engines, Expected Prices and Rivals
The Skoda Kushaq comes with the legendary 1.0-litre TSI turbo petrol engine, making 115 PS and 175 Nm and its bigger sibling, the 1.5-litre TSI turbo petrol unit making 150 PS and 250 Nm in action with the Kushaq. Complementing the 1.0-litre engine will be a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. The larger 1.5-litre unit will come mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG (DCT) gearbox. The expected prices of the Skoda Kushaq will be in the range of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 18 lakh, ex-showroom. The direct rivals include Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Hector and Tata Harrier.
