The production-spec Skoda Kushaq has finally made its world premiere. Previewed by the Vision IN concept, the midsize SUV is the first model to arrive from the VW Group’s India 2.0 project. In terms of rivals, the Skoda Kushaq will compete against the upcoming Volkswagen Taigun, the Kia Seltos, the Hyundai Creta, the Nissan Kicks, the MG Hector and the Tata Harrier.
The Kushaq gets a very modern design with split headlamps at the front but it is designed differently. The Kushaq gets all-LED headlamps with integrated LED DRL. The fog lamps are located just below the main headlamp cluster.
Along the sides, there’s a bold character line, along with body cladding on the lower parts of the doors and around the wheel wells. Top-spec versions also get roof rails and the 17-inch diamond-cut dual-tone alloys look sporty as well.
At the rear, the production-spec Kushaq gets a roof spoiler and a faux diffuser element that’s finished in silver. There are also wraparound LED tail-lights that add to the sense of width of the SUV. Overall, the Kushaq looks similar to larger Skoda SUVs such as the Kodiaq and the Karoq.
The crossover measures 4,225 mm long, 1,760 mm wide, 1,612 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,651 mm. It has a 385-litre boot space and rides on 16 or 17-inch wheels. The claimed ground clearance is 188 mm.
From the inside, the Kushaq gets a free-standing 10-inch infotainment system. The dashboard looks quite plush and it gets a lot of intelligent features too. There is ambient lighting, door sill lights, mobile pockets, wireless phone charger, ventilated front seats and a lot of space to keep your knick-knacks around. Talking about safety, Skoda will offer a range of active and passive safety options. It offers six airbags, ISOFIX hooks for child seats, ABS, EBD, and many more such features.
The Skoda Kushaq comes with two engine options – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol. The 1.0-litre TSI puts out 115hp and comes with 6-speed manual and torque convertor auto gearbox options. The 1.5-litre TSI unit, meanwhile, puts out a healthy 150hp and will be available with a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic option.
Both engines will be produced at Skoda’s Chakan plant.
