Skoda Kushaq to be launched in India on June 28
The Skoda Kushaq will be launched in India on June 28. The company is expected to announce prices and start accepting bookings for the Kushaq on this date with deliveries expected to begin in July. The Kushaq is the first of four new locally developed products from the Skoda-Volkswagen group in India. This will be followed by the Volkswagen Taigun in a few months time; and then a sedan to slot between the Rapid and Octavia, expected to be called the Skoda Slavia and then its Volkswagen twin, expected to be called the Virtus.
The Skoda Kushaq was revealed in production form in March 2021 and is developed on the heavily indigenized MQB-A0-IN architecture. The SUV will be available in two engine and three gearbox options. The range should start with the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 110PS and 175 Nm, which should be offered in the Active and Ambition versions of this new SUV. With a six-speed manual, the six-speed torque converter from the Rapid will also be available. Also, the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol that makes 150PS/250 Nm and pairs with a seven-speed DCT may be offered on Style or even the Ambition versions. The larger engine will get a six-speed manual as well. Read our review of the pre-production prototype of the Skoda Kushaq here.
Skoda Kushaq featuresNotable features are matrix LED exterior lighting, a new 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto/Apple Carplay, type-C USB charging, connected-car features, a single-pane sunroof, climate control, ventilated front seats, up to 17-inch alloy wheels, most of which may be reserved for the top two versions. Lower spec cars may get a smaller screen, manual AC, standard LED or halogen lighting and downsized wheels, although all versions should offer large amounts of interior storage. Safety features are appealing with the Kushaq being one of the first mainstream cars to offer ESC as standard. Other than this, there are six airbags, TPMS, hill-hold function, rear parking camera, front parking sensors and ISOFIX child seat mounts.
Skoda Kushaq variants, Virtual Cockpit
The Skoda Kushaq range will start from the base Active variant. This will lead to the mid-spec Ambition and to the top Style variant. Variant-specific feature details aren't known yet but each variant will get unique interior materials. The Active will be offered with a simple grey dashboard and fabric seats. The Ambition will up this to offer silver-finished elements on the dash and a dual-tone seat cover while the top Style trim will get gloss-black and possibly an orange option later, along with perforated ventilated seats. It is also expected that the Kushaq will indeed offer the Virtual Cockpit digital instrumentation, unlike what was seen earlier. But this will most likely come at a later date.
Skoda Kushaq expected price, rivalsWhen launched, the Skoda Kushaq will compete most closely with the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Tata Harrier and MG Hector. Prices are expected to range between Rs 10 to 16 lakh, ex-showroom.