The all-new Skoda Kushaq has been revealed to the world. The new compact SUV is the Czech challenger in the burgeoning segment and should make for an exciting new choice.
We had the opportunity recently to sample the new Skoda Kushaq in pre-production guise to get a taste of what the 125-year-old Czech major has in store. The Kushaq brings robust build quality, sorted ride and planted feel with powerful turbo-petrol engines to the popular arena.
The name “Kushaq” was derived from the Sanskrit word for “king” or “emperor”. It is based on the MQB A0 IN, part of the MQB (modularen quer baukasten, or modular transverse matrix) transverse-front platform, and will be made in India for the world. With Škoda celebrating 20 years in India, the time seems right for the next big move forward.
The Skoda Kushaq, inspired by the crystalline design language, looks premium as well as bold and muscular with the vertical slats in the grille flanked by LED headlights and daytime lights. The side profile looks good with the roof-rails and the rear gets LED tail-lights. It’s 4,225 mm long, 1,760 mm wide and 1,612 mm high, with a long 2,651-mm wheelbase. A ground clearance of 188 mm and a sizeable 385-litre boot should be reassuring numbers, too.
Inside, the Skoda Kushaq packs a smart interior with a new two-spoke steering wheel, ambient lighting, ventilated front seats, 10-inch touchscreen with various functionality incorporated, wireless Smartlink, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and several smart inputs such as the cooled glove box and mobile phone pockets for rear occupants. The Kushaq also gets standard ESP with ASR traction control across the range, with a slew of active and passive safety features.
Powering the new Skoda Kushaq will be two engine choices: a 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder turbo-petrol and a 150-hp 1.5-litre TSI four-cylinder turbo-petrol. The 1.0 TSI makes 115 hp and 175 Nm and is available with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The 1.5-litre TSI puts out 150 hp and 250 Nm and is mated to a six-speed manual or the acclaimed seven-speed DirectShift Gearbox (DSG) dual-clutch automatic. It also gets steering-mounted paddle-shifters.
Overall, it has a good presence with a bold stance. It is compact-sized to handle urban scenarios but is also spacious, safe and versatile enough to meet the varied needs of Indian buyers. The launch of the new Skoda Kushaq is surely something we’re looking forward to.
