Skoda Kushaq Review - Team-BHP

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Skoda Kushaq Review - Team-BHP Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:50 PM PDT Skoda Kushaq Review Skoda Kushaq Pros • A breath of fresh (European) air in a sea of Korean, Chinese & Indian SUVs • Classy exterior & interior styling matched with solid European build quality • Cabin has good legroom to offer, supportive seats, perfect ergonomics & lots of storage • 148 BHP engine makes the Kushaq one of the most fun-to-drive crossovers in the segment • Sporty 1.0L & 1.5L turbo-petrols are mated to slick 6-speed MTs & smooth ATs • Sorted suspension offers a balanced ride & handling package • Safety features include 6 airbags, ESC (all variants), 3-point seatbelts for all, electronic differential lock, brake disc wiping, multi-collision brake and more • 6-year extended warranty & 4-year all inclusive service packages available • Features like active cylinder tech, ventilated seats, sunroof, wireless Android Auto and CarPlay, audio system with a punchy subwoofer, auto headlamps & wipers etc. Skoda Kushaq Cons • No 1.5L diesel is a major disadvantage in a world where petrol costs over 100 bucks / litre • DQ200 DSG transmission has a history of poor reliability & breakdowns in India • Narrow width makes a 5th adult completely unwelcome. Best for 4 onboard • Lovely 1.5L TSI is only available on the top variant • At 385 litres, boot space is lesser than its direct rivals (Creta & Seltos = 433L) • Sure lacks the street cred / presence offered by some competitors • Skoda's notorious dealerships & after-sales horror stories • Missing some now expected features such as driving modes (sport), panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electric driver's seat adjustment & regular USB ports • Turbo-petrols are very sensitive to driving style. FE will drop drastically when you drive hard This review has been jointly compiled with Aditya & GTO. Thanks to them for the expert observations! Introduction Skoda is finally entering the lucrative midsize SUV / crossover market in India with the Kushaq. This car is the first product developed under the 'India 2.0' project and is based on the Vision IN concept that was displayed at the 2020 Auto Expo. The Kushaq will compete with formidable opponents such as the Hyundai Creta & Kia Seltos. While Skoda had the Karoq on sale in India earlier, it was imported as a CBU, which made it too expensive. The Karoq was just a stopgap product to keep dealers happy. Skoda's sales in India are very poor, despite the brand being present here for 2 decades! It's now taking a shot at the volume segment with this modern crossover. The Kushaq has the responsibility to bump up the company's numbers and is an incredibly important model for Skoda. Price & positioning will be key; if priced well, the Kushaq can easily exceed the 2,500 units / month target we've been hearing. In fact, after driving it, we can tell you that the Kushaq has the potential to sell well over 5,000 units / month. The two main restrictions will be the lack of a diesel engine (especially important in this 100-bucks-a-litre world) and the dealer network (in terms of quality & quantity). The Kushaq is available in 3 trim levels - Active, Ambition and Style, with 2 turbo-petrol engine options - a 1.0L, 3-cylinder TSI producing 113 BHP and 178 Nm paired with a 6-speed MT and AT (torque-converter), as well as a 1.5L, 4-cylinder TSI producing 148 BHP and 250 Nm paired with a 6-speed MT and 7-speed AT (the dreaded DQ200 dual-clutch AT). The car comes in a front-wheel drive configuration only. Not offering a diesel will be a major handicap as the two best-sellers are available with diesel options, as are all competitors. Hyundai recently announced that 60% of the Creta's sales are from the diesel. It sucks that the VW-Skoda group didn't bother with making their excellent 1.5L diesel BS6 compliant. It already puts the Kushaq on the back foot. Further, the 1.5L TSI engine is available only in the top-end Style trim. The name of the midsize SUV is derived from Sanskrit, where the word 'kushak' denotes a king or an emperor. Like Mahindra loves the double-O, Skoda definitely loves the alphabet K = Kushaq, Kamiq, Karoq & Kodiaq! All names also end with a Q. Skoda Kushaq Price The Kushaq is built in India with 95% localisation, which (we hope) should allow Skoda to price it competitively. That said, after spending a day with the car, we can tell you that the Kushaq is a premium product and we expect its pricing to be premium as well (especially the higher variants & 1.5L motor). Exterior Design & Styling The Kushaq's styling is unmistakably Skoda. It sports the familiar Skoda family face and the rear too has some resemblance to the Kodiaq. It has those classic Skoda lines and a timeless look. When it comes to size though, the Kushaq is on the smaller side and owners should give up any aspirations of an imposing presence (like the Hector or Harrier). Because of this, we will have to wait and see how the market responds, although we do feel there is customer demand for compact + premium cars too. Did it turn heads during our test-drive? Not at all. The Kushaq gets LED daytime running lights, LED projector headlamps, plastic SUV-style cladding on the sides, 17-inch alloy wheels and roof rails. The vehicle is available in 5 single-tone body colours. Build Quality, Fit & Finish The Kushaq has a monocoque construction and is built on the MQB A0 IN platform, which is a variant of the modular MQB platform adapted for the Indian market. The car is solid & well-built. The doors & bonnet have a good deal of weight to them and there's not much flex in the body panels. The sturdy doors shut with a satisfying thud, typical of European cars. Overall fit & finish are just as you'd expect from a European car. The panel gaps are even and the paint finish is rich (typical Skoda). Wheels & Tyres The Style variant gets funky 17" Atlas two-tone alloy wheels shod with 205/55 Goodyear Assurance Triplemax 2 tyres. These fill up the wheel arches well and look proportionate to the metal on top. They are the same tyres that are available with the recently launched Octavia. However, while the Goodyears were ridiculous on the 187 BHP 35-lakh rupee Octavia, they are more acceptable on the 148 BHP Kushaq. Still, we would definitely recommend an upgrade to a superior tyre model, particularly for those who prefer spirited driving. The Active variant gets 16" alloy wheels with Lhotse wheel covers, while the Ambition variant comes with 16" Grus alloy wheels. These lower variants should offer an even cushier ride than the Style variant which is already very comfortable. Ground Clearance The Kushaq has a laden ground clearance rating of 155 mm. Its unladen ground clearance is rated at 188 mm, which is similar to the Creta / Seltos' 190 mm. Standard & Extended Warranty The Kushaq comes with a 4 year / 100,000 km warranty as standard, with an option to extend it to 6 years / 150,000 km (please be dead sure to take this). Skoda is also providing 3 years paint warranty, 6 years corrosion warranty, 2 years parts warranty and 2 years battery warranty. 3 different service and maintenance plans for up to 4 years / 60,000 km are available. Extended RSA programs up to 9 years are also being offered. Golden rule when buying premium cars and especially Skodas, thanks to the horror after-sales stories we hear = invest in the maximum possible extended warranty available. Safety The Kushaq is loaded with safety features such as 3-point seatbelts for all five occupants, 6 airbags, ESC, ABS, EBD, brake assist, electronic differential lock, hydraulic brake boosting, rollover protection, brake disc wiping, multi-collision brake, hill-hold, TPMS, ISOFIX child seat mounts, auto headlamps, auto wipers & more. We hope that the Kushaq upholds the VW-Skoda Group's usual commitment to safety and there have been no compromises made. Just that, whenever we heard that a platform has been "modified for India", it makes us nervous. That being said, we do have faith in this group in the area of safety. Even their old VW Polo got 4 stars in the NCAP! Interior Cabin Design & Quality The dual-tone dashboard is stylish & looks upmarket, with liberal use of piano black at various places. We like the unique carbon-fiber'ish insert on the dash as well as the shiny 'Skoda' badge plate on the passenger side. The 2-spoke steering (divides opinions, GTO hates it), tablet ICE and touch a/c controls do add some spice here. There are no soft-touch plastics anywhere, yet the interiors feel solidly put together without any poorly finished areas. BHPians looking closer will find that the feel of plastics lower down in the cabin isn't as nice as what we've experienced in other Skoda cars. Also, while most touch areas are satisfactory, the plastics on the power window console (doorpads) seem rudimentary. Space & Comfort Being a crossover, ingress & egress are easy. Cabin space is enough for 4 adults. In fact, rear legroom is better than we expected and a 6-footer passenger can sit behind an equally tall driver. Headroom is also satisfactory front & back, although the rear seat is on the narrower side. Two fit adults & a kid or two healthy adults is the max that it will accommodate. The driver's seat doesn't get lumbar adjustment, yet it is supportive enough. It has healthy side bolstering for support through the corners. The seat can slide back far enough even for tall drivers to feel comfortable. The leather upholstery is of acceptable quality. Driving Position & Ergonomics The ergonomics are spot on with everything exactly where you would expect it to be, and within easy reach of the driver. For a European car, we must say that the cabin is as user-friendly as any Japanese or Korean model (including a wide footwell). There's actually not a single ergonomic error to be found. The steering is nice to hold, it gets rake + reach adjustment, the instrument cluster has the classic Skoda analogue design and frontal visibility is good. The bonnet will be visible to some drivers, which can be helpful while parking. On the downside, we feel that the high-set dashboard will bother shorter drivers in terms of visibility. While on visibility, we will state that the ORVMs should have been a size wider; their height is fine, but the width should've been more. Cabin Storage The cabin has a total of 26.2 litres of storage space including a 6.1 litre solid-feeling glovebox and a 2.2L deep but narrow storage bin under the driver armrest. Doorpads get accommodating bottle holders and room for other miscellaneous items. Cupholders and cubby holes have been provided in the center console as well. We like the vertical slot on the center console for the passenger's smartphone, while the driver's is being charged on the wireless pad. Additionally, there is a spot on top of the dashboard to place a deity. The front seatbacks have deep pockets as well as smartphone holders for rear passengers to use. Uniquely, there is a ticket / FASTag clip on the windshield, while the non-sunroof Ambition variant gets a storage spot for sunglasses. Air-Conditioning The Ambition and Style variants get a "Climatronic" climate control system with an Air Care (purifier) function and a touch control panel. While we usually hate touch-panels for the air-con, we won't complain about this one. The design is such that, even without taking your eyes off the road, you can slide your finger into the perfectly curved slot and move it left / right to decrease / increase the temperature / fan speed. Air vents have been provided at the rear. Features Unique & Noteworthy Features The Kushaq comes with most of the necessary features (including a sunroof and touchscreen head-unit with Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay). It also gets paddle shifters, ambient lighting (white coloured), connected car technology, wireless phone charging, ventilated seats and a subwoofer for that added punch. However, some goodies such as a panoramic sunroof, electrically adjustable driver's seat and 360-degree camera are missing. The Korean siblings provide these. Audio System & Sound Quality The Active variant comes with a 7" touchscreen head-unit, while the Ambition and Style variants get a 10" touchscreen HU. The HU is snappy to use, has a sharp display and a user-friendly interface. Sound is delivered via a 340-watt system with 6 speakers and a subwoofer. Sound quality is good. Bass lovers will enjoy the thumpy bass from the subwoofer. That said, the MG Hector still offers the best sound system in the 15 - 20 lakh segment. Rear Passengers Rear Seat Comfort & Space Ingress & egress are easy. The rear bench is placed at a decent height as well. Legroom is better than we expected! 5'10" GTO had legroom to spare when he sat behind the driving position of Aditya (also 5'10"). Two 6-footers will be able to sit one behind the other & headroom is adequate too. However, the seat width is too less for three adults to feel comfortable. It's more suitable for two adults and a kid. If the two adults are on the heavier side, then it's just them, no kid. The cushioning is adequate and the bench offers extremely good under-thigh support. All 3 seats get adjustable headrests. Rear occupants get a/c vents and a couple of Type-C USB ports for their smartphones. Boot Space At 385 litres, boot space is more comparable to sub-4 meter crossovers like the Sonet (392L) & WR-V (363L) rather than the Seltos (433) or Duster (475L). That being said, the boot is well shaped and there is enough depth too. Weekend holiday luggage for your family should fit in. The rear seat splits in a 60:40 ratio for when you need that flexibility. Folding the backrests down gives the Kushaq a cargo capacity of 1,405 litres. The loading lip is high though & you will have to lift your bags to take them out. The boot gets a light, parcel tray and bag hooks. Last edited by GTO : 26th June 2021 at 10:27.

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