Skoda releases new images & details of India-spec Kushaq compact SUV

Skoda has finally revealed some of the details for their upcoming Kushaq compact-SUV which is supposed to be unveiled at the end of March. Now, the manufacturer has confirmed some of the information about the production-spec SUV. It is the first SUV by Skoda under their India 2.0 strategy. Earlier the Kushaq was known as the Vision IN Concept that was showcased to us at the Auto Expo 2020. The SUV is specifically made for India, and the manufacturer is using the tagline ‘Skoda Kushaq: Made for the world, in India’.

It is the first vehicle to be underpinned by the MQB-A0-IN platform which is a specifically modified version of the MQB-A0 platform that underpins many Volkswagen and Skoda vehicles in the international market. Skoda aims to offer European quality vehicles with a price tag that seems value for money to the people of India.

That is why they developed an India specific platform that will help in lowering the cost and the manufacturer will be able to price the upcoming vehicles more competitively. This new platform has also helped Skoda to offer a class-leading wheelbase of 2,651 mm. This should liberate a lot of space for the cabin and legroom for the occupants.

Skoda Kushaq will be offered with two petrol engine options as diesel engines were discontinued by the Volkswagen Group when BS6 emission norms kicked in. There will be a 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine that we have seen on the Skoda Rapid. It produces 110 PS of max power and 175 Nm of peak torque. It will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.

Then there will be the 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine which we have seen on the Skoda Karoq. If Skoda does not detune the engine then it should produce 150 PS of max power and 250 Nm of peak torque. It will only be offered with a 7-speed DSG Dual Clutch automatic gearbox. The 1.5-litre engine is expected to be offered only with the higher variants of the Kushaq.

Also read: Skoda”s Vision IN compact SUV: Hyundai Creta rival to launch in India next year

Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director of ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Private Limited, added: “The introduction of the all-new ŠKODA KUSHAQ marks the first of several launches as part of the INDIA 2.0 project. Developed in India with the sophisticated, demanding consumer requirements in mind, the
forthcoming launches on the India-specific MQB A0-IN platform is a matter of pride for us. ŠKODA KUSHAQ has been built using extensive on-ground intelligence and has been localised to offer tremendous value without any compromise in our legendary quality.”

There will be quite a bit of equipment offered with the Kushaq. It will come with LED headlamps with LED Daytime Running Lamps, LED tail lamps, a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control, cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring system, automatic wipers and headlamps, hill hold control and a lot more. The manufacturer will also be offering MySkoda Connect mobile application.

There is also a lot of safety equipment available with Kushaq. Skoda will be offering Electronic Stability Control as standard across all the variants. There would be up to 6 airbags, including side airbags and curtain airbags. Skoda Kushaq is expected to start from Rs. 10 lakhs ex-showroom and the top-end variant should be priced around Rs. 16 lakhs ex-showroom.

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