Skoda Kylaq Production Commences: Test Drive And Delivery Timelines Revealed

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) – the company that runs Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda operations in India – has just commenced production of the Kylaq sub-4 meter compact SUV.

The Kylaq is being built at the Volkswagen-Skoda factory at Chakan, off Pune. The first Kylaq has rolled out of  this factory earlier today. In the coming days, dealer dispatches of the Kylaq will commence.

Skoda is also aggressively ramping up its dealership and service center count to meet demand for the Kylaq. The automaker has just boosted production at its Chakan factory by 30 %. Installed capacity now goes up to 2.55 lakh cars per year. This factory caters both to domestic and export markets, and has been instrumental in making Volkswagen’s mass market car busines sustainable (mainly due to exports).

Kylaq test drives will begin from January

From January 2025, Skoda dealers across India will begin offering test drives of the Kylaq so that customers can get a look and feel of what the brand’s first sub-4 meter SUV is all about. Deliveries of the Kylaq will happen from February 2025. In fact, bookings of the Kylaq are already open, and the SUV seems to be a massive hit, what with Skoda receiving 10,000 bookings in just 10 days.

The Kylaq is based on the MQB Ao IN platform, and is the fifth car to use this platform developed specifically for the Indian and other emerging markets around the world. Apart from going on sale in India, the Kylaq will also be exported to many countries around the world. It shares its engines and gearboxes with the larger Kushaq mid-sized SUV.

The Skoda Kylaq gets a single engine option – a 1 liter-3 cylinder turbocharged TSI unit with 115 Bhp of peak power and 178 Nm of peak torque. The smooth, rev happy motor is paired with a 6 speed manual gearbox as standard while a 6 speed torque converter automatic gearbox will be served up as an option. A front wheel drive layout is standard.

The Kylaq is priced quite competitively. The base Classic trim starts at Rs. 7.89 and is offered only with the manual gearbox. Other trims, Signature, Signature Plus and Prestige get both manual and automatic gearbox options.

The top-end Prestige Automatic trim is priced at 14.4 lakh rupees. The near 7 lakh rupee price band for the various Kylaq variants is meant to give a wide range of customers the ability to pick and choose a variant that suits their budgets.

Badge-engineered Volkswagen sibling also in the works

Interestingly, Volkswagen (VW) India is said to be pushing their German headquarters for their own, badge-engineered version of the Kylaq. The Volkswagen-based sub-4 meter compact SUV has yet to receive the green signal from Wolfsburg though.

Building a sub-4 meter SUV based on the Kylaq will be quite cost effective. Only sheet metal changes on the outside will be required as the engines and gearboxes are already being made not just for the Kylaq but also for a range of Volkswagen and Skoda cars including the Kushaq, Taigun, Slavia and Virtus. Volumes of scale are already there!

Volkswagen India is said to be going a step ahead, demanding a GT version of the sub-4 meter compact SUV, to differentiate itself from the Kylaq. The VW-badged SUV’s GT trim is likely to use the 1.5 liter TSI turbo petrol engine from the Taigun. With 150 Bhp-250 Nm on tap, the VW sub-4 meter SUV promises to be thrilling to drive.

However, even if VW gets the green light to launch a sub-4 meter Kylaq-based SUV, the launch is expected to happen only in 2026 or beyond. So, it’s a long-ish wait. If you want a European sub-4 meter SUV, the Skoda Kylaq remains your best bet for now.

On commencement of Kylaq production, Piyush Arora, Managing Director and CEO of Škoda Auto Volkswagen India, said,

We’re thrilled to begin production of Škoda Auto India’s first sub-4-meter SUV. Congratulations to the entire team on the successful start of production. Kylaq is engineered and developed in India to cater to the evolving requirements of Indian customers. By manufacturing Kylaq locally, we proudly support the Make-in-India initiative, maintaining Group’s DNA of delivering safety, comfort and driving dynamics. It was heartening to see the positive reception it received at the World Premiere last month, and I am confident that Škoda Kylaq will truly resonate with the Indian car buyers.

Andreas Dick, Member of the Board of Management of Škoda Auto for Production and Logistics, added:

The successful start of production for Škoda Kylaq reflects the incredible teamwork and collaboration between our teams in India and the Czech Republic. Every detail has been meticulously planned and executed, from design to the implementation of advanced manufacturing processes, ensuring we meet the highest standards of quality and efficiency. These efforts have created the ideal prerequisites for Kylaq to become a cornerstone of our success in India, setting new benchmarks in the compact SUV segment and strengthening our commitment to this dynamic market.