Apart from the Kia Seltos, the Skoda Kushaq will also face competition from the likes of Hyundai Creta, Nissan Kicks, Renault Duster, MG Hector as well as the Tata Harrier
Skoda Auto is the latest car manufacturer to enter the mid-size SUV segment in India with its most affordable SUV offering, the Kushaq. The two cars that pose the biggest threat to the Skoda Kushaq include the country’s best-selling SUV, the Hyundai Creta, and its cousin, Kia Seltos.
We recently put together a specs comparison between the Creta and the Kushaq, and now we bring to you a detailed comparo of the new Skoda SUV and the Kia Seltos, take a look –
Dimensions
Talking about size, the Skoda Kushaq measures 4225 mm in length, 1760 mm in width, stands 1612 mm tall and has a 2651 mm long wheelbase. On the contrary, the Kia Seltos has a length of 4315 mm, a width of 1800 mm, a height of 1620 mm and a 2610 mm long wheelbase.
| Car | Skoda Kushaq | Kia Seltos |
| Length | 4225 mm | 4315 mm |
| Width | 1760 mm | 1800 mm |
| Height | 1612 mm | 1620 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2651 mm | 2610 mm |
This means that the Kia Seltos is 90 mm longer, 40 mm wider and 8 mm taller than the Skoda Kushaq, while the latter has a 41 mm longer wheelbase as compared to the Korean mid-size SUV.
Powertrains
Powering the Skoda Kushaq are two different engines – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI unit and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder TSI motor. The former produces 116 PS of max power and 178 Nm of peak torque, while the latter belts out 150 PS and 250 Nm.
A 6-speed transmission is offered as standard across both, while the 1.0-litre TSI engine can also be had with a 6-speed torque converter AT and the bigger 1.5-litre engine gets an optional 7-speed DSG.
| Car | Skoda Kushaq | Kia Seltos |
| Engine | 1.0-litre 3-cyl turbo petrol/ 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol |
1.5 litre 4-cyl NA petrol/ 1.4-litre 4-cyl turbo petrol |
| Power | 116 PS/ 150 PS |
115 PS/ 140 PS |
| Torque | 178 Nm/ 250 Nm |
144 Nm/ 242 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT, 6-speed AT/ 6-speed MT, 7-speed DSG |
6-speed MT/6-speed iMT/IVT 6-speed MT/7-speed DCT |
The Kia Seltos is offered with three different engine options that include 1.5-litre NA petrol, 1.5-litre diesel and 1.4-litre turbo petrol units. The 1.5-litre petrol engine makes 115 PS power and 144 Nm torque, while the diesel engine produces 115 PS and 250 Nm. The 1.4-litre TGDi turbo petrol engine, on the other hand, pus out 140 PS of power and 242 Nm of torque.
A 6-speed manual transmission is offered with all three engines. Also, the 1.5-litre NA petrol engine is available with an optional 6-speed iMT (clutch-less manual) as well as an IVT auto. The 1.5-litre diesel engine gets a 6-speed AT, while the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol unit comes with an optional 7-speed DCT.
| Car | Kia Seltos |
| Engine | 1.5-litre 4-cyl diesel |
| Power | 115 PS |
| Torque | 250 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT, 6-speed AT |
Features
The Skoda Kushaq comes equipped with a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity and gesture control, an electric sunroof, automatic headlamps with LED DRLs, ventilated front seats, two-spoke steering wheel, cruise control, rear Type-C USB ports, wireless charging, ambient lighting, a multi-function instrument cluster, connected car technology (for geo-fencing, car tracking, service reminders, insurance reminders, anti-theft notification, etc) and more.
On the other hand, the Kia Seltos comes packed with features like a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, UVO connected car-tech, OTA map updates, multi-colour ambient lighting, head-up display, cruise control, a voice-controlled electric sunroof, Bose premium 8-speaker system, head-up display, a 7-inch colour instrument cluster, ventilated front seats, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, paddle shifters, smart air purifier, wireless smartphone charger and much more.
Safety
On the safety front, the Kushaq comes with six airbags, ABS with EBD, TCS, rear-parking camera, a multi-collision braking system, tyre pressure monitor, hill start assist, hill hold control, Anti-Slip Regulation and Motor Slip Regulation, Brake Disc Wiping, Roll Over Protection, Electronic Differential Locking System and more. It should also be noted that all Kushaq variants get Electronic Stability Control as standard.
Kia offers the Seltos with safety tech like a blind-view monitor, front parking sensors, 360-degree camera, six airbags, Vehicle Stability Management, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist Control, rear disc brakes, tyre pressure monitor, drive modes etc
Price
The 1.0-litre variants of the new Skoda Kushaq have been priced from Rs 10.49 lakh to Rs 15.79 lakh, while pricing for the 1.5-litre TSI trims starts from Rs 16.19 lakh and goes up to Rs 17.59 lakh for the range-topping trim (all prices, ex-showroom).
In contrast, pricing for the petrol variants of the Kia Seltos starts from Rs 9.95 lakh, and goes all the way up to Rs 17.44 lakh for the top-end GTX Plus DCT trim. The diesel variants of the Korean mid-size SUV are priced from Rs 10.45 lakh to Rs 17.65 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
Comparison Verdict
Upon its arrival back in 2019, the Kia Seltos brought along a revolution and set new benchmarks in the mid-size SUV segment. Kia has constantly updated the SUV keeping in mind the competition, which has helped the Seltos retain its position as one of the best-selling mid-size SUVs in the Indian market.
That said, the Skoda Kushaq poses a real threat to the Korean SUV considering its massive equipment list, tons of safety features, as well as its powerful set of TSI powertrains. Both the SUVs get a range of transmission options to choose from, while the Seltos still benefits from its optional diesel powertrain.