Skoda will be unveiling their all-new compact SUV next month and this vehicle will be slotted below the Kushaq. The Skoda Kylaq is being readied with an aim by Skoda India to increase their market share in the country and get new in-roads with a newer set of customers that are seeking entry-level yet slightly premium products.
I recently got a chance to drive the pre-production version of the Kylaq on the CoASTT Track in Coimbatore. Let’s talk about the mechanicals first. The Kylaq gets the same 1.0 TSI 3-cylinder engine as the Kushaq with the same output of 115 PS and 178 Nm, and the transmission options are also the same – 6-speed MT and 6-speed AT.
I first drove the AT and took it around the handling test track where I pushed the car on some tight turns. Safe to say, the Kylaq handled it well and felt very stable. Our test car was shod with Goodyear tyres which offer good levels of grip. After this, I was taken on a patch of gravel to experience the ride quality of the car. The ride felt good and very similar to that of the Kushaq.
After this, I got my hands on the Kylaq MT which I drove on the main track for a few laps. I got a chance to push the car really hard here and I definitely had a blast here. The Kylaq drives beautifully and feels like a car from a segment up. Performance from the 1.0 TSI is good and the Kylaq reaches high speeds very easily too. The vehicle responds well to sharp steering inputs as well as braking and overall feels very predictable to drive.
Even on the main track while taking corners, the suspension felt very nicely calibrated. The steering is light just like the Kushaq and doesn’t offer a lot of feedback though it is fairly accurate precise. NVH levels felt a little better than that of the Kushaq but will comment on this only later when I drive this car thoroughly on the road. The Kylaq is as wide as the Kushaq and only a little shorter in length. The boot also seemed very practical and well-shaped.
Our test cars had the dashboard covered so we couldn’t get a sneak peak on the design but I am expecting a lot of stuff to be shared with the Kushaq. Skoda will be offering 6 airbags as standard on every variant of the Kylaq. Along with this, LED lights will also be offered along with all the other safety features like ABS with EBD, ISOFIX, multi collision braking, brake disc wiping, etc. The automaker is aiming for a 5-star BNCAP rating with the Kylaq, similar to what they achieved with the Kushaq and Slavia.
The Kylaq is Skoda’s first offering in the large sub-4-metre segment. It will have an aggressive starting price and I am expecting the base variant to cost less than Rs. 8 Lakh. Skoda is targeting multiple vehicles with the Kylaq starting from the Hyundai Exter and Tata Punch to the Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite, going all the way to the Maruti Brezza, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet.
After the end of the track drive, Skoda officials spoke to all of us individually and noted down detailed feedback on the vehicle. The vehicle is currently in its final rounds of testing and any significant feedback will be incorporated in the vehicel. The Skoda Kylaq will make its global debut on 6th November 2024 and the automaker will also reveal the starting price of the vehicle. Production will begin soon and deliveries are expected to commence in January 2025. How many of you are waiting for the Kylaq and what are your expectations from it?
