Skoda Kushaq compact SUV: Official sketches released ahead of March unveil

Skoda will officially unveil the much-awaited Kushaq on 18th March 2021. It is a very important car for the Czech car manufacturer and the Volkswagen Group in the Indian market. The Kushaq is the first car that will utilise the MQB A0 IN platform, which is specifically developed for the Indian market. A lot of cars will be launched on this very same platform from the Volkswagen Group.

Skoda has now shared official sketches of the upcoming Kushaq. While the manufacturer unveiled the Vision IN concept last year, Skoda released heavily camouflaged pictures of the car earlier this year. Now, the sketches give us a good indication of what the vehicle will look like in the market. The sketches of the production version of the Kushaq looks very similar to the concept version of the vehicle. There are minimal changes to the concept model visually.

The Kushaq is a mid-size SUV that will take on the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and cars like the Harrier and the Hector in the Indian market. It will offer 2,671mm of the wheelbase, which is longer than the Creta and the Seltos. It is likely that the Kushaq will be more spacious than the rivals.

Also read: 2021 Hyundai Creta 7-seater compact SUV spied on Indian roads

The front gets the trademark Skoda grille with split projector headlamps. The bumper is at an angle and there are large air intakes. To add a rugged look, there is a skid plate too. There is body cladding all around and the vehicle also gets dual-tone diamond-cut alloy wheels that add to the SUV-like stance. The rear gets split LED tail lamps and there is a similar, strong-looking skid plate in the rear as well.

Premium Kushaq

The Kushaq will offer a premium cabin. The theme is similar to the other Skoda cars like the Karoq, Kodiaq and the Kamiq. The dark theme cabin gets a mix of chrome and brushed aluminium. There are dark plastic bits as well. The centre of the dashboard gets 12.3-inch infotainment system similar to the Vision IN concept. There will be space for five in the car and a long list of features too.

Skoda will only launch the Kushaq in petrol engine options. There will be the option of two petrol-turbocharged engines. The less powerful variants will get the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that generates a maximum power of around 110 PS and the more powerful 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol that will generate around 150 PS. Skoda will offer a six-speed manual transmission as standard with both the engine options. The 1.0-litre turbo-petrol will offer a six-speed torque convertor automatic while the more powerful version will get the 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic.

Skoda will make the price announcement of the Kushaq a few months from now. After the global unveiling on 18th March, Skoda is likely to open the official bookings for the car. It will be Skoda’s most affordable SUV in the Indian market. In the coming years, Skoda and the Volkswagen Group will focus on mass-segment cars for the Indian market.

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