Top 10 Things You Should Know About Skoda Kushaq, Upcoming Rival To Hyundai Creta And Kia Seltos

Skoda’s upcoming SUV is yet to be unveiled, but there’s plenty to get excited about

Skoda is about to enter the Indian compact-SUV space with the Kushaq, expected to challenge the dominance of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos in the segment. While we inch closer to the revealing date, here are 10 things we thought you should know about Skoda’s upcoming, heavily localised SUV:

Why is it called the Kushaq?

Skoda says they were inspired by the Sanskrit word for a king or emperor, and thus chose to name the SUV that way. It also follows the pattern to how Skoda names its SUVs: starting with a ‘K’ and ending with a ‘Q’. For instance, the Kodiaq, Karoq and Kamiq.

It’ll be a petrol-only offering

Ahead of implementing the BS6 emission norms, Volkswagen Group India had announced it would be ditching the diesel engine in India. So it is no surprise that even the Kushaq will be a petrol-only SUV from the Czech brand. The engines on offer will be the 1.0-litre TSI and 1.5-litre TSI turbo-petrol units, with an automatic option for both.

Multiple transmission offerings (including a DSG)

Skoda has confirmed that the three-pot 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine will get the choice of a 6-speed manual and torque convertor automatic transmissions. Meanwhile, the more powerful 1.5-litre, four-cylinder TSI engine will be paired with the same quick shifting 7-speed DSG ( seen in premium Skodas) or a 6-speed manual.

First new offering as part of India 2.0

In 2018, Skoda and Volkswagen (as part of the VW Group) announced a strategy -- dubbed ‘India 2.0’ -- to develop models specifically for the Indian market. The Skoda Kushaq is the first, all-new model to be launched under this strategy.

First model in India to be based on the MQB-A0-IN platform

To make India-specific models, the VW group localised its smallest modular platform, MQB-A0. The Skoda Kushaq is the first new model to be built on the new MQB-A0-IN platform (IN for India). Upcoming Skoda-VW models like the Volkswagen Taigun (to launch soon after the Kushaq) and the Rapid and Vento's successor will be underpinned by the same.

It’ll be fun to drive

Skoda models in India are popular among enthusiasts for the driving experience they offer. CarDekho was recently invited to test out some pre-production prototypes of the Kushaq. We thought that the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol offered good slow-speed driveability handy for city use, while the punchier 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit would be better for road trips. However, we’ll have to wait and see how the final model would be.

Related: Skoda Kushaq Prototype Drive: A Peek Under The Skin

Plenty of legroom

The details of the Kushaq are being closely guarded by Skoda. Still, they informed us that the wheelbase is longer than that of the more premium Karoq. That got our hopes high, and we expect the Skoda SUV to offer a spacious cabin with sufficient legroom for both front and rear passengers.

ESC as standard

Yes, the Skoda Kushaq will offer Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard. Other safety features on offer will include six airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, hill hold control, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Striking road presence

The Vision IN Concept previewed the design for the Kushaq and we were told that the final car will look very similar. While the unveil is a couple of weeks away, the carmaker recently showcased the first official design sketches of the production-spec car. Based on those, the Kushaq is expected to feature an imposing front fascia with a bold grille, muscular wheel arches and a sporty rear end. All combined, the new Skoda SUV is likely to make its presence known, especially among its good-looking rivals.

India launch by May-June 202

Skoda will launch the Kushaq in India a couple of months after its world premiere on March 18 (also in India). The exact date is not yet known but we have it on good authority that it will be arriving this summer, by June 2021.

Expected pricing & Rivals

The Skoda Kushaq is expected to be priced from Rs 9 lakh to Rs 17 lakh (ex-showroom). Variants with the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit would likely be the more affordable choice while the more powerful engine with the DSG automatic would make up the premium end of the list. It will be going up against similarly priced compact SUVs such as Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, as well as more affordable variants of bigger SUVs like the Tata Harrier and MG Hector.

Read More on : Hyundai Creta on road price