The heavily localised Skoda compact SUV is expected to go on sale in the first half of 2025 and it will be pitched against rivals such as Tata Nexon and Maruti Suzuki Brezza
Expected to be priced in the Rs. 9 lakh to Rs. 15 lakh (ex-showroom) space, the upcoming compact from Skoda will play a significant role in the brand recording high sales volumes in the future. The sub-four-metre SUV will be positioned in the competitive compact SUV space to compete with Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Mahindra XUV300 Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger and the likes.
The Czech Republican auto major is planning to launch a five-seater compact SUV that will be priced competitively to take on the busiest segment of the market as part of new plans to sustain growth domestically. It will carry high local content in order to carry competitive pricing as it will be underpinned by the MQB A0 IN platform.
We expect it to share components and body panels with the Kushaq and Slavia to keep the production costs down and achieve economies of scale. Judging by the Kushaq midsize SUV, it will be packed with features and technologies as well as the price-sensitive and competitive nature of the segment should be addressed from the get-go.
There are no officially confirmed details from Skoda regarding the powertrain options, but we believe it will be using the 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder engine that is available in the Slavia and Kushaq, while the transmission options will include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic unit.
The powertrain currently develops 114 bhp maximum power and 178 Nm of peak torque and the same performance numbers could be carried over to the compact SUV. This model will be manufactured in India but will be sold in other countries as well. Expect it to have a floating touchscreen unit with smartphone connectivity, a fully digital instrument cluster, auto climate control, wireless charging, a sunroof, and ventilated seats at the front.
The safety features will include ESC, ABS with EBD, and collision mitigation, and the higher variant may come with ADAS but no official confirmation has been made yet.