Skoda Kushaq Unveiled: Here's All You Need To Know Ahead Of The Compact SUV's Launch

Skoda's Kushaq is expected to be competing with the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and others plus of course the Volkswagen Taigun.

Skoda Kushaq

Skoda has revealed its Kushaq SUV and while it is not launched yet, the SUV will go on sale soon. The Kushaq is the most important Skoda and is the new SUV that we have been promised for a long time. The Kushaq is based on the MQB A0 IN platform and is made for India with many key changes to suit our market. It is a fairly big SUV being above 4m while it also sports a wheelbase of 2,651mm.

In terms of design, the Kushaq is similar to the concept shown at the Expo last year and is a handsome-looking SUV for sure. There is a big Skoda grille upfront while the headlamps are quite sharp along with a skid plate while the intakes are big too. This is an aggressive design no doubt while the surfacing is quite sharp along with cladding all around. The Kushaq has 17-inch alloy wheels too. The rear has the same edgy tail-lamps as the Kodiaq. The ground clearance is 188mm.

Inside the Kushaq is nicely equipped with a touch screen while the instrument cluster is digital with a clean layout plus customizable. The quality at first glance seems typical Skoda like and by that we mean it is impressive. The steering wheel is a two-spoke design and nice to hold. In terms of features, it has a sunroof, climate control, wireless Smartlink Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, ventilated front leather seats, cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring system, six airbags and connected technology, rear ac vents plus more.

The ventilated seats are a nice touch and good for our weather conditions while space seems decent and similar along the lines of current midsize SUVs in this segment. There is no electronic handbrake though.

The Kushaq is only getting petrol engines but Skoda hopes that multiple engines being on offer will bring in multiple buyer groups. There is a 1.0 TSI and a 1.5 TSI petrol. The 1.0 TSI with 110hp is the entry-level model and gets a 6-speed manual along with a 6-speed automatic.

The 1.5 TSI is the range-topping engine and it gets a 7-speed DSG. It is also amongst the most powerful with 150PS and 250Nm. The 6-speed automatic is brand new and the DSG is for performance enthusiasts.

We expect aggressive pricing when it launches (under Rs 10 lakh starting to Rs 16 lakh for the top-end) and the Kushaq would be competing with the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and others plus of course the Volkswagen Taigun.