Skoda Kliq could be a compact SUV positioned against Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon and Ford EcoSport
Skoda Auto India is at the forefront of Volkswagen Group’s India 2.0 strategy as the firm aims at reviving its sales fortunes in the domestic market. With the SUV segments booming, Skoda and Volkswagen are focussing on utilising their premium status to full effect in the mid-size SUV space first with their respective models.
The Vision IN concept based production mid-size SUV could be dubbed the Kosmiq while the Taigun concept will also spawn a similar sized model and both will have several commonalities between each other. The design studies were showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo as they underlined the brands’ commitment for India with the India 2.0 strategy.
Skoda and Volkswagen’s high price tags and ownership costs that resulted in potential customers straying away from them will be contained, as the joint entity announced an investment of more than one billion euros in mid-2018 for the India operations. This deals with developing new vehicles as well as improving in associated fields.
Both the aforementioned mid-size SUVs will be underpinned by the MQB A0 IN platform. The modular architecture based on the highly flexible MQB used globally by VW Group helps in the forthcoming vehicles carrying more than 90 per cent of local content and thus the models have every chance of being priced competitively.
Following the mid-size SUVs, the platform is expected to give birth to the replacements of Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento. Additionally, Skoda could concentrate of expanding into another SUV space in the below Rs. 10 lakh slab. It could be christened the Kliq as the name has also been trademarked by the Czech Republican auto major.
Skoda Kliq will likely be positioned below the Vision IN based production mid-size SUV and it could compete against Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, Ford EcoSport and Honda WR-V. It could as well spawn a Volkswagen badged sub-four-metre SUV. The launch timeline could be more than a year or two away.
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