Skoda Auto has announced a compact SUV for the Indian market. The carmaker will produce a sub-4m SUV for the Indian market under the Volkswagen Group. This is slated to be the smallest SUV from the Czech automaker ever. That is an indication of Skoda trying to be a huge part of the rapidly burgeoning Indian automobile industry. With this, Skoda wants to sell over 100,000 vehicles yearly by 2026. This is twice of what it sold in 2023. Hence, it is clearly eyeing the mass market to boost its sales. However, the competition in this overcrowded segment will be fierce. Let us check out what could Skoda offer to set it apart from the crowd.
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Top 5 Things About Skoda Compact SUV
Name
Skoda has understood that naming a car can be crucial in the Indian market. It has learnt its lesson after naming its premium sedan Laura a few years ago. Thereafter, it has been following the strategy of christening the SUVs starting with ‘K’ and ending with ‘Q’. A few examples are Kushaq, Kodiaq, Karoq, etc. Also, they are reaching out to the Indian people to suggest a suitable name for the upcoming compact SUV with the same nomenclature rules. It’s just that the name needs to have a specific meaning. For instance, Kushaq in Sanskrit means Emperor. To achieve this, they run a website and campaign on X called #NameYourSkoda where anyone can submit name suggestions and earn rewards. This will ensure that it can’t go wrong with the name.
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Price Range
If reports are anything to go by, Skoda might be planning to price the compact SUV between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 14 lakh. That is the sweet spot where most SUVs in this segment are positioned. In this manner, it will be able to cater to a wide range of audiences depending on their needs and budget. We know how crucial it is to offer cars within the price constraints in every segment. India is a price-conscious market. The customers want the best value for their money. That is also the reason why it is one of the toughest markets to crack.
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Launch Date
Even though it seems like the plans to introduce this model came out of the blue and might take a long time to come to fruition, Skoda is likely to launch the new compact SUV as early as next year. Therefore, this market segment is slated to become even more competitive and full of excitement. In any case, the buyers will stand to benefit from this crowded segment as they get to pick a vehicle which will suit their needs the best. Hopefully, by next year, they will get yet another worthy European option in this space.
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Platform
The very reason why Skoda is able to launch an SUV at this price range is due to its MQB A0 IN platform. It is the same platform which underpins the Kushaq and Slavia. Note that this is the first VW platform developed outside Europe. The aim while coming up with this India-specific architecture was to make Skoda and VW cars more affordable from the factory, as well as reduce maintenance and servicing costs during ownership. With around 95% localization, this platform has ensured that the ownership and repair costs of new Skoda cars are much lower than the Skoda cars of the past. It was a big pain point in previous Skoda cars.
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Rivals
As mentioned previously, this is one of the most crowded segments in our market. Almost all major carmakers offer their compact SUVs to attract huge customers. To be honest, the consumers are spoilt for choice in this market segment. Some prominent rivals include Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV300. All these SUVs are successful and don’t have too many weak points. That is what makes the arrival of a new rival in this domain so challenging. Skoda needs to get everything right with its compact SUV if it wishes to grab any market share away from these established and popular SUVs.
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Author’s Note
Skoda was losing sales rapidly a couple of years ago. That is when the MQB A0 IN platform and Kushaq mid-size SUV entered the scene. The sales of the Czech carmaker have been the highest in its history in operating in India ever since. People really popularized Kushaq and then welcomed the Slavia. Hence, it is clear that people are open to these India-specific VW Group cars. Skoda needs to ensure that it gets the pricing right, as well as offer the latest tech and convenience features to grab the attention of potential customers. A customer-friendly after-sales experience is another must. Remember, Indian car market is as complex as it gets. But once you hit the sweet spot with the buyers, your cars can sell like hotcakes. Let us keep an eye out for more details about this upcoming Skoda compact SUV in times to come.
