Skoda has launched its Kylaq SUV in India, priced at Rs 7.89 lakh (ex-showroom). Bookings for the Kylaq begin on December 2, 2024, and deliveries commence on January 27, 2025.
The Kylaq is Skoda’s first-ever compact SUV and the third product that will ride on the MQB A0 IN platform. It’s also the first car under the company’s India 2.5 plan and the first model to feature some of Skoda’s ‘Modern Solid’ design language. That’s that for firsts, then.
It gets a split headlamp design, LED DRLs and a fairly wide grille with vertical slats up front, along with a lightly sculpted bonnet. The smoky-grey shade of paint on the wheels looks cool, too, and there are roof rails, a shark-fin antenna and a sunroof. At the rear, the tail lights are squared up, with LED DRLs in an inverted-L shape.
The Kylaq has a very crisp, compact shape, with a 3995 mm overall length, a wheelbase of 2566 mm and tighter front and rear overhangs than the Kushaq; the ground clearance figure of 189 mm is substantial. On the whole, it’s cohesively designed and not something that is loud or over the top.
The Kylaq is expected to have a 5-star GNCAP rating, and standard active and passive safety features will include six airbags, ABS, traction and stability control, EBD, multi-collision braking, brake disc wiping and a few others.
The only engine on offer will be the familiar 1-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol, putting out 115 bhp and 18 kgm of torque; a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque convertor automatic will be available, and these engine-gearbox combinations won’t feel alien to those who have driven the current lineup of Skodas.
To summarise, the Kylaq may have taken its time to come but it sure is a compelling SUV you must consider if you’re looking for a sophisticated car in its class.
