Upcoming Skoda Kushaq - 10 Things You Should Know

Skoda Kushaq is the market name assigned to the Vision IN Concept, which was showcased early last year at the 2020 Auto Expo. The Vision IN concept received a lot of praises for its sharp styling that is typical of a Skoda. Now, the Czech brand is all set to unveil the production-spec Vision IN – Skoda Kushaq on March 18, globally. Also, the carmaker has released the interior sketches of the compact-SUV, which reveal a lot about its cabin. And with neat rendering sketches and some important information at our hands, here are 10 things about the Skoda Kushaq that you should know.

Skoda Kushaq – What’s in the name?

Skoda Vision IN Concept is assigned the name ‘Kushaq’, and it has some great relevance to the Indian sub-continent. In the Sanskrit language, Kushaq means emperor. With a strong meaning and first alphabet as ‘K’, Kushaq turned out to be the perfect fit for Skoda’s upcoming compact-SUV. Also, the brand’s other SUVs carry names where the first letter is K, like Kodiaq, Kamiq, and Karoq.

Skoda Kushaq – Great Looks?

Yes! The expectations from Skoda Kushaq are rather high when it comes to aesthetics. The SUV will sport a dynamic yet upright silhouette. It will feature sleek LED headlamps at the front, along with high-set fog lamps. Also, the bumper will boast of strong creases. It will follow a similar suite on the rear facet too. With 17-inch rims filling the wheel arches, the Kushaq will have an imposing street presence.

Skoda Kushaq – Petrol-only Car

For the powertrain options, Skoda is planning to launch the Kushaq with two engine choices – 1.0L TSI and 1.5L TSI. The former will be a 3-cylinder turbo-petrol motor and will develop 110 PS and 175 Nm. The latter, however, will push out higher power and torque figures of 150 PS and 250 Nm, respectively.

Skoda Kushaq – Slew of Gearbox Options

The Kushaq will be offered with a total of 3 gearbox options. Both the engines will get a manual and an automatic gearbox. The 6-speed stick shift will remain standard on both 1.0L TSI and 1.5L TSI motors. However, the automatic gearboxes on these engines will be different from each other. The smaller displacement unit will get a 6-speed AT, while the 1.5L TSI unit will get a 7-speed DSG.

Skoda Kushaq – What’s On the Inside?

A lot of features. The Kushaq will come loaded to the brim. The feature list will include a massive touchscreen infotainment unit with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, 10.25-inch virtual display for instrument console, automatic climate control, electric sunroof and more.

Skoda Kushaq – What’s the Base?

The Skoda Kushaq is underpinned by the MQB A0 IN platform. It is an India-specific platform, and it can support heavy localization. In fact, Skoda Kushaq is the very first car to be underpinned by this platform. At a later stage, it will be the base for a lot of other VW and Skoda cars. Also, Skoda Kushaq will be the first car from the VW group to go on sale under the India 2.0 Project.

Skoda Kushaq – How Big It Is?

Talking of the dimensions, the production-ready version of the Kushaq will measure at 4,256 mm in length and will have a wheelbase of 2,671 mm. However, there’s no concrete information available about its width and height yet.

Skoda Kushaq – Safety On-board

To ensure the safety of occupants, the Kushaq will come with a handsomely-long safety kit. It will include 6 airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts, rear-view camera, tyre pressure monitoring system, hill-start assist, ABS with EBD and more. Also, Skoda will offer electronic stability control as a standard affair across the range.

Skoda Kushaq – Price & Rivals

The Kushaq is likely to carry a starting price of around Rs. 9 lakh, and it will go up to Rs. 17 lakh. With this price range, Skoda will pit it against the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and Nissan Kicks. With its added premium quotient, it might not shy away from facing the heat from bigger cars like the MG Hector and Tata Harrier.

Skoda Kushaq – Launch Date

Skoda Kushaq is getting ready to shed its veils on March 18. It will be a global unveiling ceremony. However, it is expected to hit the showroom floors by anytime between May and June this year.