The newest vehicle from Skoda’s stable will underpin the car maker’s ‘India 2.0’ strategy but is it the right vehicle for the job?

An interesting issue was posed by an automotive journalism colleague recently. It posited that many in the automotive media can change their minds about a vehicle from the time they first drive it to when the price is announced and then completely switch their opinion six months after the vehicle has been on the road. Now, many of us are guilty of that, and let me explain why. These days, carmakers are often letting automotive journalists drive prototype versions of their vehicles. We recently drove the Hyundai Alcazar’s prototype, which featured among other things a digital instrument cluster similar to the Creta, which isn’t what the vehicle finally received. The prototypes give you a good idea of the exteriors of the vehicle, as stamped panels are rarely, if ever, changed but mechanicals can be dramatically altered and interiors worked on.

Then you have what I call ‘first drive impressions’, this is what passes off as a ‘review’ of a vehicle. At this stage, we can evaluate the performance, the exterior look, interiors and even how a vehicle stacks up against the competition. Often we do these without knowing the final price of the vehicle. This is why one can change one’s mind after the price announcement. And then six months later, when it comes to evaluating vehicles for the awards season, the sales and service experience does factor in as well. For example, the extremely poor service experience a friend had with his early-build Tata Harrier did become a factor in the way I saw the vehicle. To Tata Motors’ credit, things have improved with the Harrier and, now, with the Safari. Also, six months after the launch, there could be other entrants into the same segment, which might change your opinion about the vehicle in question. These are some notable factors which contribute to automotive journalists such as myself evolving our views on vehicles as time goes on.

This brings me to the Skoda Kushaq, the first vehicle from Skoda Auto-Volkswagen India’s (as the company is now called) ‘India 2.0’ strategy based on the group’s MQB-A0 IN (India) platform. I had a chance to drive the Kushaq around Navi Mumbai and the North Konkan coast recently. There was quite a bit of urban driving, then some time on the highway followed by some bits through the twisty ghat sections on the way to Alibaug and beyond. I drove the top-end ‘Style’ trim, which comes with all the toys (such a sunroof, wireless charging and smartphone connectivity as well as ventilated seats) and the Kushaq, I drove, had the 1.5 TSI (Turbocharged Stratified Injection) engine with 150PS of power mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox.

And well, my first impression of the car was that it was a blast to drive, really good fun with that engine and despite being a Sports Utility Vehicle shape, the Kushaq was surprisingly agile around the corners. No two ways about that, it was great fun to drive and being alone in the car I didn’t have to worry about other passengers. That said, the platform was so incredibly stable even around the corners that it is unlikely that the Kushaq will make anyone car sick. The engine, while tuned a bit for fuel economy, responded quickly anytime you needed it to perform, and even if you found yourself in a high gear, low-speed situation, it could reasonably pull itself out, something I had to experience a few times given that I’ve become accustomed to automatics. This engine choice on the Kushaq will also come with a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG option, however, Skoda’s main engine option on the Kushaq will be the 1.0 TSI with 115PS of power with a six-speed manual and a torque converter automatic. In fact, the base ‘Active’ and the mid ‘Ambition’ trims will only be available with this smaller engine, one I hope to drive soon. Coupled with all that, the Kushaq is also a very smart-looking car from all angles, its side profile is particularly appealing, especially with the very smart alloys on the ‘Style’ trim and it sparkles in the signature ‘honey orange’ paint job. It also feels very nice to sit inside, despite the occasional hint of cost-cutting, the overall feel of the car inside is one of European chic, and the two-spoke steering wheel looks cool.

But while the Kushaq’s top trim is fairly well-loaded, one has to keep in mind a couple of things. The MQB-A0 IN platform, which will also form the basis of the upcoming Volkswagen Taigun, is slightly smaller than the platform the primary competitors of these two vehicles are up against, vehicles I call the ‘K-Pop twins’, the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. Sure, delivery issues are hampering the Korean cars and the Kushaq. I’m fairly sure the Taigun, is a superior driving machine even though large families with a lot of luggage for long journeys might not be its forte. There is also the fact that the European carmaker has decided to eschew diesel as BS6 norms came into play in the aftermath of the damaging ‘Dieselgate’ scandal. Moreover, according to the carmaker, cosntructing diesel engines compliant with the upcoming BS6B norms will make its vehicles far too expensive. There may be an element of truth there, but according to Hyundai, over 60 per cent of all bookings for the Creta to date have been diesel variants.

And then there is the price. Now, while this hasn’t changed my mind about the Skoda Kushaq as a driving vehicle, when the Czech brand announced the prices of the Kushaq, I was not the only one surprised. With prices starting at Rs 10.5 lakh for the base ‘Active’ trim with the 1.0TSI manual going up to Rs 17.6 lakh for the top-end ‘Style’ with the bigger engine and dual-clutch gearbox, the prices are pegged directly against the Creta and Seltos. The version I drove, the 1.5TSI Style’ manual, will have an ex-showroom price of Rs 16.2 lakh incidentally. Yes, while cars have become more expensive over the years, the surprise here was that one expected the Kushaq to be a bit cheaper given that the ‘India 2.0’ strategy meant fighting for market share. the Hyundai Motor Group, hands down, rules this segment and while the Kushaq and the Taigun in the future will likely make inroads, maybe a more aggressive price positioning initially might have helped get more cars on the road quickly.

Again, a good product will sell even if it is slightly expensive because buyers will find value at that price point as well. But, when you’re fighting the market leaders, undercutting might have helped particularly without the diesel variants as well as removing the negativity around the sales and service network. This is a good vehicle though, and while everyone reserves the right to re-evaluate it after a few months, for now, I think Skoda’s King should rule the road.