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 

The Skoda Kushaq is available in 4 trims - Active, Onyx, Ambition and Style - and in total of 20 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.

Most Value For Money Variant

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

The SUV 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.

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.

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.

Competition

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

Colors

The compact SUV is available with multiple color options including Candy White, Brilliant Silver, Carbon Steel, Tornado Red, Deep Black and Lava Blue.

Pros and Cons