The Skoda Kushaq is essentially the production form of Skoda’s vision IN SUV
Skoda has been prepping the Kushaq SUV for India for quite a while now, and the SUV will hit the market later this year. The Kushaq being the flag-bearer of the company’s “India 2.0 project”, will mark the beginning of a new era for Skoda India. The SUV has yet again been captured on camera while undergoing rigorous testing process on the Indian soil.
Skoda Kushaq is essentially a desi version of the Euro-spec Kamiq and is set to be launched by mid-2021. The Kushaq is built on the MQB A0 IN platform which again is a heavily localized iteration of the MQB A0 platform. We expect the Kushaq to be much similar to the Kamiq, but with a modicum of tweaks to better-suit the Indian tastes.
The Kushaq will have the signature Skoda styling with split LED headlamps with LED DRLs and the butterfly grille at the front, a set of 17-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, prominent SKODA badging on the boot-lid, etc.
On the inside, the SUV will feature a 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10.25-inch TFT color instrumentation, multi-zone auto climate control air-con, wireless smartphone charging, ventilated seats along with a range of connected car features and safety assist technologies.
The Kushaq will either have a 3-cylinder 1.0L TSI turbo-petrol producing 110hp and 175nm of torque, seen previously in the Rapid and the Vento or a more exciting 1.5L 4-cylinder TSI petrol mill with 150hp and 250Nm on tap. The transmission options on offer will include a six-speed manual and the familiar seven-speed DSG automatic.
In addition to the petrol engines, there could even be a diesel engine in the pipeline. Yes, this strikes a stark contrast to Volkwagen Group’s petrol-only policy for India, but could be for real, taking into consideration the prevailing demand for diesels among the mid SUV buyers in the country. Replying to a query regarding the diesel engine, Zac Hollis, Skoda India’s sales, service, and marketing director, tweeted that Skoda is developing a diesel engine for the bigger models. He, however, added that the demand for diesel engines is falling and the norms are getting harder to achieve.
Considering the Kushaq’s primary rivals, the Korean heavyweights Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, both are offered with diesel engines and the same account for major chunks of their sales. Thus, Skoda also is likely to give the Kushaq a diesel engine at a later stage, if not initially.
Image Source: Vinit Phadnis | RushLane
