Upcoming Skoda sub-4 metre SUV spied testing

We are already well aware that Skoda Auto India will be stepping foot into the sub-4 metre SUV space after the brand announced it officially last month. We now have received images of the car undergoing testing under camouflage. This segment is already dominated by the likes of the Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet facelift, and Mahindra XUV300 (which is also set to be updated as the XUV 3XO later this month).

Upcoming Skoda compact SUV: Platform and Powertrain

The new SUV will join one of the most crowded segments in the Indian market. The Czech brand knows it's late to the party but has certain differentiators that it hopes will draw buyers to it. The big difference is that this SUV will use the same MQB-A0-IN architecture as the Kushaq. Skoda promises this will mean a space advantage for their compact SUV, although a shorter wheelbase iteration of this structure is expected to be used.

We believe the new Skoda SUV to offer the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with 115PS and 178Nm of torque. This motor, like the other Volkswagen and Skoda vehicles in the country, comes with a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic transmission.

A big differentiator will be if Skoda also decides to bring in the larger 1.5-litre motor, which will give this compact SUV a notable performance advantage over other sub-four-meter SUVs currently available.

Upcoming Skoda compact SUV: Design and Interior

Though the car is under camouflage, the front grille design seems visibly inspired by other Skoda cars currently on the market. The car gets a split headlight setup where the DRLs are parallel to the edge of the bonnet and the main LED headlights will be below them. It might get the trendy full-length light bar. The vehicle has 205/60-16 tyres with wheel caps which means this is likely to be the low-end model. The top end will probably have 17-inch alloys.

Although the spy photos do not reveal any interior details, expect it to have a new design, possibly similar to the new-generation Kodiaq and Superb, with a dual-tone theme, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, an all-digital instrument cluster, wireless charging pad, ventilated seats, artificial leather upholstery, telematics, sunroof, USB Type-C sockets, powered driver seat, ambient lighting, and air purifier, among other features.

Skoda India had previously said that the new sub-compact SUV would arrive by the end of the first quarter in 2025. That said, the new Skoda SUV could go on sale with prices starting at Rs 7-8 lakh.

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