Skoda Kushaq

Skoda has launched the Kushaq mid-sized SUV in the Indian market on June 21, 2021. This compact SUV first showcased as the Vision IN concept at the 2020 Auto Expo. It is the first product from Skoda that comes under the Volkswagen Group's 'India 2.0' project.

The Kushaq is based on the Volkswagen Group's MQB AO IN platform. This architecture also underpins the Slavia, VW Taigun and the Virtus.

The name of the Skoda's SUV derives from the Sanskrit word 'Kushak', which means king or emperor. The SUV scores a 5-star crash test rating in Global NCAP for both adult occupant protection and child occupant protection. 

The Skoda Kushaq is available with two engine options - a 1.0-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol. Both engines are available with manual and automatic gearbox options. The Kushaq line-up also gets multiple new variants such as the Black Edition, Onyx and Monte Carlo.

Skoda Kushaq Price and Variants - Which One To Buy?

The Skoda Kushaq is available in 4 trims - Active, Onyx, Ambition and Style - and in total of 15 variants. The Kushaq price in India starts at Rs 10.89 lakh and goes up to Rs 18.79 lakh. All the prices are ex-showroom, pan India.

Expert Opinion - We recommend you the Kushaq Ambition 1.0L variant. It gets an 8-inch touchscreen, HSA, reverse camera, 16-inch alloys, leather seat upholstery and cruise control. This variant also gets 60:40 split-folding rear seat backs, cooled storage and paddle shifters with AT. 

Key Features

• 10-inch touchscreen infotainment unit
• Android Auto & Apple CarPlay support, wireless phone charger
• Leatherette seats, ventilated front seats
• Ambient lighting, connected car tech & an electric sunroof

The Kushaq mid-sized SUV comes with crystalline LED headlamps and tail-lamps along with fog lamps with static cornering function. The SUV rides on 16-inch single-tone & 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels depending on the variant. The new model comes with a wide range of comfort and convenience features.

The lower-spec variants get analogue instrument console, while the higher variants get a digital console. It comes with ambient lighting, powered driver seat, ventilated front seats, twin-spoke steering wheel, and wireless phone charging. Other features electric sunroof with anti-pinch tech, automatic climate control and a rear view camera with static guidelines. 

The Skoda Kushaq has a single-pane electric sunroof and ambient lighting. It comes with a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Skoda Kushaq Engine Specifications

The Skoda Kushaq is available with two turbo-petrol engines - a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder TSI and a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder TSI. While the former is good for 113.4hp and 178Nm of torque, the 4-cylinder unit produces 148hp and 250Nm of torque. 

A 6-speed manual gearbox driving power to the front wheels comes as standard. The SUV is also available with a 6-speed torque convertor automatic with the 1.0L TSI and a 7-speed DSG for the 1.5 TSI.

The Skoda'a 1.5L TSI engine also comes with a cylinder deactivation technology for better fuel economy. The Kushaq 1.0 TSI claims to achieve 0-100kmph acceleration in 10.6 seconds. With an automatic gearbox, the SUV achieves the 0-100kmph sprint in 11.7 seconds. The 1.5 TSI version can do a 0-100kmph sprint in 8.6 seconds.

Skoda Kushaq Mileage

Skoda Kushaq 1.0 claims to offer an ARAI certified fuel economy of 19.76kmpl, while the automatic version returns 18.09kmpl. The Kushaq's 1.5L TSI with manual gearbox returns a certified mileage of 18.6kmpl. On the other hand, the Kushaq 1.5 with DSG delivers 18.89kmpl.

Exterior

The Skoda Kushaq looks largely identical to the Vision IN concept that debuted at the 2020 Auto Expo. It looks like a compact version of Skoda's global SUVs including the Karoq and Kushaq. The front fascia features Skoda's trademark grille along with sleek headlights on either side. It also has a secondary cluster placed right below the headlamp unit.

The lower bumper has prominent black plastic cladding running across the nose and merges with the flared wheel arches. It has a sleeker air dam and a faux skid plate. It comes with sharp lines and strong creases along the body.

At the back, the SUV gets wrap-around LED tail-lights, a roof-mounted spoiler and a dual-tone bumper with a faux diffuser. The lower-spec models ride on 16-inch alloys, while the higher-spec model comes with a set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

Skoda Kushaq Interior

The Skoda Kushaq comes with a dual-tone interior scheme with a clean and minimal design. The layered dashboard sports a free-standing touchscreen infotainment unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support.

It also supports voice commands, which allows the driver to control the car's functions without taking their eyes from the road. It also comes with a two-spoke steering wheel, which is also available on the Octavia sedan.  

The SUV offers leatherette seats with ventilation function. It has an electrically adjustable driver seat and a powered ORVMs. It comes with ambient lighting, touch sensitive buttons for the climate control, wireless phone charger, and single-pane sunroof. The SUV also gets connected car tech.

Dimensions and Boot Space

The Skoda Kushaq measures 4,225mm in length, 1,760mm in width and 1,612mm in height. The SUV rides on a 2,651mm long wheelbase, which ensures a spacious cabin. It has a ground clearance of 188mm, which is decent for the Indian road conditions. 

The Kushaq SUV comes with a boot space of 385-litres. The boot space is expandable by folding the rear seats.

Infotainment and Connectivity (Music System)

The entry-level variant of the Skoda Kushaq gets a 7-inch colour touchscreen and a built-in microphone. With Bluetooth connectivity, the infotainment unit enables hands-free phone calls when on the road. 

The top-end variants get a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This system features a dual tuner, a Wi-Fi hotspot and an external microphone for hands-free phone calls. 

It comes with six high-performance speakers as standard. It also gets two separate tweeters and bass speakers in the front and two two-way speakers in the rear. Adding to it, it offers a separate amplifier and a subwoofer placed in the spare-wheel well. 

Safety Features

The Kushaq receives a five-star crash test safety rating from Global NCAP. It scores a 5-star crash test rating for both adult and child occupant protection. It comes with six-airbags as standard.

Other safety features include electronic stability control, traction control, roll-over protection, motor slip regulation, and electronic differential locking. It also gets hill hold, tyre pressure monitoring, and ABS with EBD. The SUV misses out on ADAS tech.

Warranty and Maintenance

Skoda is offering 4 years or 1 lakh kms warranty on new Kushaq from the date of purchase. It gives 100 percent manufacturer warranty. This warranty covers paint work type manufacturing defects for three years and bodywork corrosion for up to 6 years. 

Skoda is also giving an extended warranty of up to 6 years or 1.5 lakh kms, whichever comes earlier. 

Competition

The Skoda Kushaq rivals the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Honda Elevate and MG Astor.

Pros and Cons

Views by Industry Experts

Performance

The Skoda Kushaq mid-sized SUV is available with two petrol engines - a 1.0L 3-cylinder and 1.5L 4-cylinder turbo. These are the same powertrains available in the Slavia sedan. The 1.5L engine is smooth and refined, and offers linear power delivery. 

This engine offers excellent power delivery on every rev band and works effortlessly on long trips. It claims to achieve 0-100kmph in just 8.6 seconds, which is achievable with this engine. 

The shifts are smooth in the manual gearbox along with light clutch makes it a great city car. It also comes with cylinder deactivation tech, which shuts off two of the four cylinders when coasting. 

For city driving, we recommend the automatic gearbox. The shifts are smooth and overtaking is also not an issue. It is comfortable on highways, and works nicely on city roads. 

Comfort

The Skoda Kushaq's seats are well-contoured and a comfortable ride for both driver and co-driver. The well-cushioned seats give good back and thigh-support. Moreover, the top-end variant gets ventilated seats.

The rear offers plenty of leg and knee room and it is comfortable enough for 2 adults. There's more than headroom space to accommodate a six-foot person. However, the rear bench seat is not wide enough to seat three adults.

Skoda Kushaq has several storage spaces in the doors. There are phone pockets behind the front seats, while the cooled glove box is good for large bottles.