Skoda Kushaq will be unveiled on March 18 and it will go on sale by the middle of this year in India to compete against a host of mid-size SUVs
Skoda Auto will be hosting the global premiere of the Kushaq on March 18, 2021 ahead of its market debut by the middle of this year. The mid-size SUV is the production version of the Vision IN Concept unveiled at the 2020 Auto Expo just over a year ago and is the first production under the India 2.0 project, as more than a billion euros have been invested over the last three years.
Following the release of the production-spec exterior sketches, the interior of the Skoda Kushaq has been revealed through a set of sketches giving us a clear glimpse of what is in store. The dual-tone white and black interior theme can be clearly seen with the layered dashboard getting contrast orange highlights running across the entire width and on to the door handle surrounds.
With less use of physical buttons, the cabin looks to be premium as one could expect from Skoda and large vertical air conditioning vents are grafted on the edges of the dash with a thin chrome trim connecting them. At the middle of the centre console sits a floating touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility along with Skoda Connect in-car tech.
The centre stack also gets orange accents with a digital display for automatic climate control just below the central AC vents. A large TFT instrument cluster, steering wheel with mounted controls, sport seats with adjustable headrests, centre armrest, an angular glovebox in the lower part of the dashboard, sharp outside rearview mirrors, and a six-speed manual transmission are other notable highlights in the released sketches.
Elsewhere, the Skoda Kushaq will boast of a panoramic sunroof, wireless charging facility and rear AC vents. The five-seater is the first model underpinned by the heavily localised MQB A0 IN platform specifically developed for India, and thus it is expected to be competitively priced against rivals. In addition, the exterior is a toned-down take of its well-received conceptual version.
As for the performance, the same 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI turbo found in the Rapid producing around 110 horsepower and a 1.5-litre four-pot turbo TSI from the T-Roc and Karoq kicking out around 150 horsepower will be utilised. A six-speed manual transmission as standard in both engine options, a six-speed torque converter auto in the smaller gasoline mill and a seven-speed DSG in the 1.5-litre petrol will be made available.