Skoda's first product from Skoda Auto Volkswagen India’s ‘India 2.0 project’ has been revealed by Skoda here which happens to be a midsize SUV which was previewed by the Vision IN concept.
Highlights:
- Remains quite similar to the Vision IN concept
- It based on India-specific MQB-A0-IN platform
- Two engine options – a 115hp, 1.0-litre and a 150hp, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol.
Exterior
The exterior design of the production-spec Skoda Kushaq remains quite similar to the Vision IN concept. Up front, it features a prominent and wide Skoda grille paired by a dual-headlight set-up. The Kushaq’s front bumper has plenty vents, which makes it look sporty.
Along the sides, there’s body cladding on the lower parts of the doors and around the wheel arch. Top-spec versions also get roof rails and the 17-inch diamond-cut dual-tone alloys look sporty as well.
At the rear, the production-spec Kushaq gets a roof spoiler and a faux diffuser element that’s finished in silver. There are also wraparound LED tail-lights that add to the sense of width of the SUV. Overall, the Kushaq looks similar to larger Skoda SUVs such as the Kodiaq and the Karoq.
The Kushaq is 4,225mm long, 1,760mm wide, and has a height of 1,612mm. It also has a ground clearance of 188mm, a wheelbase that is 2,651mm long and a 385-litre boot.
Interior
The Kushaq gets a layered dashboard with a thin chrome bar that separates the top from the bottom. The chrome bar spans the length of the dash and connects the large, chrome-lined vents at each end. A free-standing, 10-inch touchscreen, which features smartphone connectivity, connected car technology and more.
There are also twin cup holders, a centre armrest and multiple storage areas in the cabin. Other kit includes ambient lighting, ventilated front seats, a cooled glove box, six speakers and a 50w subwoofer, internal memory storage, wireless Smartlink, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Type-C USB ports, 1and the my Skoda connect app.
Powertrain
The Skoda Kushaq is based on the India-specific MQB-A0-IN platform – which will be shared with the Volkswagen Taigun.
It comes with two engine options – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol. The 1.0-litre TSI churns out 115hp and comes with 6-speed manual and torque convertor auto gearbox options. The 1.5-litre TSI unit, meanwhile, churns out a decent 150hp and will be available with a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DCT option.
Rivals
The Skoda Kushaq will compete against the upcoming Volkswagen Taigun (which shares the same platform), Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, Nissan Kicks, MG Hector and Tata Harrier.
It is likely to be priced between Rs 9-17 lakh ex-showroom price.
By Nirmal Nandakumar
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