Skoda Kushaq SUV Revealed; Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos Rival

Skoda Kushaq SUV Revealed in India: As promised, Skoda has today unveiled the much-awaited Kushaq compact SUV ahead of its launch in May/June this year. It has been specifically developed for the Indian markets and it is also the first product from Skoda under India 2.0 product strategy.

The word ‘Kushaq’ is derived from the ancient Indian language – Sanskrit, which denotes a king or emperor. The SUV would be competing with the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, MG Hector, Tata Harrier, and the Jeep Compass. In terms of pricing, the Skoda Kushaq is expected to launch with an ex-showroom price range of around INR 10-16 lakhs.

Kushaq is based on the Skoda Vision IN Concept and the brand has kept the design lines quite close to the concept model. It is pretty similar to the latest design theme of MY2021 Skoda cars sold abroad but with a more bold and upright nose, with the trademark chrome-established Skoda grille flanked by split projector headlights and an angular front bumper featuring large air intakes.

Coming to the rear end, Skoda Kushaq features inverted L-shaped tail-lights along with an additional light grey strip that stretches the width of the SUV along with a three-slot skid plate similar to the one on the front. In terms of size, Kushaq is roughly the same length as that of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, which is about 4.2-metres.

Talking about the exact dimensions, the SUV measures 4,221mm in length, 1,760mm in width and 1,612mm in height. Skoda Kushaq has the longest wheelbase in the midsize-SUV segment, which stands at 2,651mm. It has a ground clearance of 188mm.

Coming to the interior, Skoda Kushaq features a thin chrome bar that spans the length of the dash. To make the car look more appealing, Skoda has used grey shade on a lot of parts that includes the dash, door panels, centre console, and the front armrest.

Some of the key features include the likes of a 10-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless MirrorLink, ventilated front seats, AC vents at the rear, a MID instrument console, a cruise control system, ambient lighting, a seven-speaker music system, a two-spoke steering wheel, auto-dimming IRVMs, steering-mounted controls, a wireless charger, and My Skoda Connect.

In terms of safety, the SUV will come equipped with 6 airbags, ESC, Hill-Hold Control, tyre pressure monitoring, ISOFIX child seat mounts, auto headlamps and wipers, multi-collision braking system, and more.

Mechanically, the Kushaq SUV will be offered with a choice of two petrol engines – a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder TSI and a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder TSI. The first option is good for 115HP of maximum power, while the second engine option is good for 150HP. Gearbox options will include a 6-speed manual gearbox along with optional 6-speed automatic transmission for the 1.0-Litre TSI engine and a 7-speed DSG for 1.5-litre TSI.

Skoda Kushaq SUV Revealed