This crossover is only available in Honey Orange.
Skoda has launched a crossover specifically designed for India to expand its engineering reach. The new Kushaq, a dedicated Indian model, is riding on the MQB-A0-IN platform. The Vision IN concept first showed it off a little more than a year ago, and the production version will debut with almost the same design.
The Kushaq measures 4,221 millimeters (166.1 in) in length, 1,760mm (69.3 inches) in width, and 1,612mm (63.4 in height). It is significantly shorter than the Kamiq, but it is also considerably taller. The Kushaq sits higher in order to support a particular suspension setup to cope with India’s often rough roads. The design is very similar to that of the Old Continent’s crossover, especially the rugged Kamiq Scoutline trim.
The new Kushaq is shown here with Honey Orange paint. It rides on 17-inch alloys with two-tone designs, while the lesser versions have 16-inch steel wheels. Skoda will sell the crossover with Tornado Red paint, a model-reserved paint, as well as already available Carbon Steel and Reflex Silver colors.
The cabin is very similar to the exterior design, which emits a Euro vibe. However, it doesn’t depart too much from the Kamiq. The cabin features Skoda’s new 2-spoke steering wheel, the latest tablet-style infotainment systems, and touch-sensitive climate controls that are more modern than its European counterpart.
The interior of the Skoda is spacious as you’d expect. It has a wheelbase measuring 2,651mm (104.3 inches), which is among the longest in its class. The interior has multiple cargo compartments that can hold 26.2 liters of total storage, along with a split-folding rear bench that folds 60:40 and holds a further 385 liter volume.
As well as ventilated front seats covered in leather, LED ambient lighting is also available. Upgrade to the more expensive models and the main screen will be 7 to 10 inches larger. The upgraded sound system also includes a subwoofer in each spare wheel well.
The familiar three-cylinder, 1.0-liter gasoline engine produces 115 horsepower and 175 Newton meters (129 pound-feet), of torque. The turbocharged engine can be connected to either a six-speed manual transmission or an optional six speed automatic. The 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine is more powerful and rated at 150 horsepower and 250 Nm (184lb-ft). It comes with either a six-speed manual, or a seven speed dual-clutch auto. The Kushaq is only available with front-wheel drive, regardless of the engine or gearbox selection.
The crossover will be available for purchase in June, and customers will begin receiving their vehicles a month later. Skoda and Volkswagen have jointly designed the Kushaq, the first of four models dedicated to the country’s second-largest population.