2020 Skoda Kamiq compact SUV revealed, Hyundai Creta rival is India-bound

Skoda has just revealed the 2020 Kamiq compact SUV, which will be showcased at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The Kamiq that Skoda will sell in Europe and other developed markets will be built on the MQB platform. For the Indian market and other developing markets such as Brazil and South Africa, Skoda is engineering a new platform called the MQB A0. This platform is meant specifically for developing car markets around the world.

The Kamiq meant for India will be unveiled early next year at the 2020 Indian Auto Expo followed by an official launch later next year. The India-spec Skoda Kamiq compact SUV is likely to look very similar to the international version. However, it will have a long list of changes specific to the Indian market. From a high level of localization to a CNG-Petrol dual fuel option meant to replace the diesel engine in India, the Skoda Kamiq will be tailored suitably for Indian buyers.

The international version of the SUV packs in LED headlamps, LED DRLs, sharp styling, a compact footprint that measures a little over 4 meters in length, high quality interiors with minimal clutter, a TFT instrument cluster and a touchscreen infotainment interface that packs in Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The SUV is meant for use mainly on tarmac, and there won’t be an all wheel drive option for the India-spec version.

The SUV is expected to pack in two petrol engines, both of them turbocharged units. The 1 liter-3 cylinder motor will be available in two states of tunes – 95 Bhp and 115 Bhp. The other engine is the 1.5 liter TSI unit, which will be a much more powerful with a 150 Bhp output. The Indian version of the Kamiq is expected to get the 1.0 liter TSI motor in 115 Bhp-200 Nm state of tune. 6 speed manual and 7 speed twin clutch automatic gearboxes are likely to be offered with this engine.

The Kamiq sold in India will also get a CNG-Petrol dual fuel option, and there won’t be any diesel engine offered on the SUV. The Kamiq will share its MQB A0 platform with a Volkswagen compact SUV, which will be launched a few months after it. Notably, Skoda and Volkswagen will also launch new C-Segment sedans based on the MQB A0 platform. The new sedans will replace the Volkswagen Vento and the Skoda Rapid in India. These cars will only begin arriving in 2021 though. The new Skoda and Volkswagen C-Segment sedans will share engines and transmissions with the Kamiq.

In terms of pricing and positioning, both the Skoda Kamiq and the Volkswagen T-Cross SUVs are expected to rival the Hyundai Creta. The Kamiq will be slightly cheaper than the Volkswagen SUV to maintain clear brand differentiation. Both SUVs will be built at Volkswagen’s Chakan factory with a high amount of localization that’s meant to make the SUVs affordable and also lower the overall service costs.