[gauravanekar]

If I were in the market to buy, I would go for this car just for the speakers this car has, I would expect the German ride and handling would be good too.

[ShivWason17]

Woahh! The car is far from launch and already 800+ posts on this thread. Even the social media is all abuzz with the Kushaq unveil. Makes you think whether it is right to wait for 3 months for an official launch and price reveal. Skoda should learn to strike the iron when its hot. Not sure if the same level of excitement will be there for another 3 months at the time of launch.

Coming to the product itself, it has all the capabilities to be a good seller. Some of the features scream that the car is specifically designed for India. It is still to be seen whether or not there have been any compromises on the driving dynamics front. It will be a waste if there are.

Recently, I have seen that the (in)famous Skoda A.S.S. is improving to an extent. The new dealerships coming up now are serving well. Experienced this myself during the my last periodic service visit to Brite Skoda, Noida. Zac Hollis is leading from all fronts for the company.

Lastly, I sincerely hope that Skoda doesn’t mess up with the pricing. The 1.0 Tsi can be a sales leader for the brand and more reliable option for the consumer (reliable as it is also present in Rapid, Polo, Vento whereas 1.5’s presence is very limited as of now, part availability will be easier for 1.0 Tsi). Also, the media drive reports suggests that the 1.0 drives pretty well and will surprise more than the 1.5.

All the best to Skoda for Kushaq!

[roshanvalsan]

I was on the lookout for a car for my wife, who is in no way an expert driver (Hope she doesn't see this). Before getting married, she was using a polo GT TSI; which her sister uses to go to her college now.

She drives my Mini Cooper S occasionally and loves the good handling, power delivery and steering feedback. So in order to save my Mini (I will not live if she sees this), I decided to give her a car for herself. Spoilt by the GT, it was a hard job for me to find the right car for her. I wanted something with similar characteristics of the GT, so the car needs to be compact, fun and most importantly, safe. I kept my budget below 20 lakhs because if the new car costs anything more than that, I would rather give her my Mini(But I love my Mini too much!!).

So I opened Cardekho, checked the auto transmssion option and dragged the price slider all the way back to 20L. There were 50 odd cars, out of which our desi compact ones were ruled out because of the AMT. Rapid and city were too long and cumbersome, so was the harrier. Nexon EV looked nice, but she will have to travel 260kms (round trip) when she goes home and charging infrastructure needs to be better over here.

My mouse was steering towards the Thar, but we all know what would happen if I decide to give her a Thar. Scrolling down, saw the Ecosport, was surprised that they don't offer ISOFIX in the auto variant. No Apple CarPlay or android auto either. ISOFIX was a must have, so rejected the Ford. Then came the "New" Polo, which imo looks older than my grandfather and maybe it is actually. Design and interiors were classy when it launched and may be for a few decades after the launch, but a definite no-no now. (No offence to the owners)

Now time for the Koreans. I felt i20 was too expensive for what it offers. She hates the Creta, I know this, because she would never shut up on how bad the design is every time we come across one. Sonet was better equipped than the Venue, so it was either Sonet or Seltos. The Sonet diesel AT and the turbo DCT Seltos would have served her well, but I was not very convinced how safe these cars were (This applies to Hyundai also). The 3 star NCAP rating of the Seltos (Which was very nearly a 2 star) and the brake issues didn't help much either.

After seeing the Kushaq, I feel this would be the perfect car for her. Knowing Skoda (My dad drives a rapid diesel DSG to work), this car would be built well and safe. I would not take a risk with the Koreans when my loved ones are in it. I would with a Skoda. The 1.5L DSG hopefully would be within my budget and I'm sure she'll be delighted.

So my point is, you can't really say a car would fail in our market as soon as it is unveiled. A new car can mean different things to different people. For some, it needs to be a place which feels safe. For some, it should thrill them and for some, just a comfortable and spacious place to travel. Yes, the sunroof, digital displays and all the gadgets are good to have, but whether it decides your purchase decision depends only on you. I have opened the sunroof in my cayenne only once (It's been 2 years).

We might miss the rear discs, rear sunshades and electrically adjustable driver's seat. I'm glad that it comes with Ventilated seats. We are not going to miss the Pano roof or air purifier (Those don't filter Coronavirus anyway) or USB A ports or digital instrument cluster. So sit back, relax, wait for the prices and check out team-bhp review when it comes out (I hope you guys do it as soon as possible).

Just to be clear, I am not a Skoda fanboy. I have had ABS sensor failures and a few small niggles in my Rapid, had to tow my car 300kms as there was a time when there was only 1 service centre in Kerala. So my experience is nowhere near perfect. But now with EVM taking over the sales and service, things are much better (Atleast in my experience). If the Skoda service in your area is horrible, you can always tweet Mr Zac Hollis regarding your issue. His office will give you a call for sure. If reliability is your primary concern, better get a Toyota/Maruti. Safe-Fast-Cheap - Choose any 2. You can't have all 3 (I think GTO has a different take on this).

VAG cars never have offered as many gizmos compared to their Korean rivals in this segment, but it is nice to see them try. I really hope Skoda doesn't screw this up. If they can match the Creta/Seltos prices, I think we have a winner here. But as I said, we'll have to wait for our official review to know for sure.

Stay Positive!

PS: Sorry for the long post.

[subramaniamj]

Originally Posted by rpm

I think I'm missing a trick here. I don't quite get why some members want the Kushaq to be priced closer to the Venue/Sonet?

Well, seeing the dimensions only I believe . IMHO, if the price bracket is way too high, then it obviously wouldn't be a competitor at all for the Korean siblings, period - no matter how many features you bring in. So, it would be ideal from a strategy perspective to price it competitive for getting the due attention it deserves that would make everyone feel that "This is my next mini-SUV". Else, with the history of Skoda services, maintenance costs, people can simply ignore this brilliant piece of engineering, would be very sad if that happens.

[TaurusSHO]

Originally Posted by swoosh

The higher trims will come with front sensors

Are you sure about that? I'm saying this because I couldn't find it being mentioned anywhere, be it the brochure or reviews.

[naru80]

Originally Posted by rpm

I think I'm missing a trick here. I don't quite get why some members want the Kushaq to be priced closer to the Venue/Sonet?

Same reason as why Magnite is priced closer to hatchbacks!

Skoda has the same image problem in India as Nissan and will struggle to get numbers if it is just a few thousand cheaper than Creta/Seltos.

Most buyers see the Korean brands as more fuss free and aspirational and if the prices are comparable, are unlikely to opt for Skoda.

Skoda managed to create a huge buzz with a killer pricing for Rapid. IMHO they will need to do the same here in the absence of the "wow" features that (no matter how much we sneer at) seem to drive the buyers.

[headbanger]

Agree with the overall sentiment on the forum.

This car isn't going to challenge the monopoly of Hyundai/Kia twins on the basis of looks, features or wow appeal in general. There isn't one feature that differentiates this car from the rest of the market. The lack of diesel engine will also dampen its prospects. The only trick up its sleeve is a possible good safety rating. Skoda as a brand is still seen as a gamble in the mass market segment. Hence, the only way that this car can create a space for itself in the tightly contested market is through pricing only. Unless pricing is aggressive, Kushaq will also follow the same trajectory of other Skoda cars once the initial hype settles down.

As a prospective buyer, I am also sitting on the fence for this car. However, this strip tease kind of teasers and static premiers is testing my patience. Had it not been for shameful crash test rating for Seltos, I would have been over with the purchase.

I am also disappointed with the talks of features getting added in the next updates of the car when the first iteration of the car is yet to see the light of the day. Just 5 colors for what is Skoda's attempt to establish itself as a player in the market is also lame. If not for a bigger color pallette, there should have been at least one signature color for this new car that could have amped up the style quotient at least.

All in all, I am anticipating a loss of all the hype that has been created till now unless Skoda has an ace up its sleeve to keep the prospective buyer's interest levels high for another couple of months. The proof of pudding is in eating it Skoda!!!

[swoosh]

Originally Posted by TaurusSHO

Are you sure about that? I'm saying this because I couldn't find it being mentioned anywhere, be it the brochure or reviews.

Yes, it is mentioned in the press release document.

[Oomph11]

I like the the Kushaq ,it looks like a mini Kodaiq from the rear. The design of the car is timeless and will age well. The interior looks well built and has enough space for 4 passengers. In my opinion the car will sell well because the design will appeal to the masses unlike the love it or hate design of creta and also because there are many customers in the market looking for other options apart from the Korean twins .
The Dimensions of the car are smaller than the creta/ Seltos but it’s certainly not a deal breaker ,when the top models of seltos and the cretas fall in the range of Harrier / hector category the Kushaq with marginally small dimensions should be accepted by the market gracefully . The USP of the car is certainly going to be the driving dynamics and the safety . Skoda needs to price it well and it will have a winner.Kudos to Skoda for developing a well engineered allrounder .

[NevGin]

Originally Posted by TaurusSHO

Are you sure about that? I'm saying this because I couldn't find it being mentioned anywhere, be it the brochure or reviews.

It is mentioned in the press kit which is posted on this thread.

[hareshjethwani]

Most of the reviews mention about the narrow cabin space at the rear and a tight fit for 3 adults. Looks tight on the headroom too.

[rpm]

Originally Posted by subramaniamj

Well, seeing the dimensions only I believe . IMHO, if the price bracket is way too high, then it obviously wouldn't be a competitor at all for the Korean siblings, period - no matter how many features you bring in. So, it would be ideal from a strategy perspective to price it competitive for getting the due attention it deserves that would make everyone feel that "This is my next mini-SUV". Else, with the history of Skoda services, maintenance costs, people can simply ignore this brilliant piece of engineering, would be very sad if that happens.

Originally Posted by naru80

Same reason as why Magnite is priced closer to hatchbacks!

Skoda has the same image problem in India as Nissan and will struggle to get numbers if it is just a few thousand cheaper than Creta/Seltos.

Most buyers see the Korean brands as more fuss free and aspirational and if the prices are comparable, are unlikely to opt for Skoda.

Skoda managed to create a huge buzz with a killer pricing for Rapid. IMHO they will need to do the same here in the absence of the "wow" features that (no matter how much we sneer at) seem to drive the buyers.

Both of you aren't wrong to suggest that it is not likely that this product will end the duopoly of the Korean twins; it doesn't have a diesel mill to even think of such a feat. However, seeing the number of Kushaqs Skoda intends to sell by 2025, it doesn't feel like they want a mass market car that brings in the volumes for Skoda. Perhaps people will see some merit in the product, enough for it to carve out its own niche, who knows?

Tata Nexon, despite not being the best-seller in its segment, has carved out a niche for itself with a healthy number of takers, despite similar apprehensions about after-sales service, despite not being the most feature-rich car in the segment, despite not offering a plethora of engine and drivetrain options like its competitors. And this is despite its only tested competitors having a 4 and 5 star NCAP rating.

Skoda seems intent on offering a fun-to-drive, not-so-feature-lacking, well-built and safe product with best-in-segment power figures and wheelbase, even willing to go the extra mile and offer additional airbags as an optional extra on lower variants— a segment first, and maybe 3-point seat-belts for all rear passengers (?). If it gets a 5 or even 4-star NCAP rating at launch, people will finally have a tried and tested safe option in this segment— also a segment first. If that doesn't make this product tick with a steady-stream of ~2,400 buyers/month like Skoda intends, I can only hope that BNVSAP with updated norms kicks in sooner than expected.

[Latheesh]

We talk about value luxury, solid build, European design, thad and thud sound. Have a look at Skoda's Feb'21 sales figures (~ 850 units) I am sure good percentage of Rapid numbers are Rider/Rider Plus variants.

[NT56]

Most walkaround video reviewers are suggesting that the leg room is good but the cabin is narrow and not comfortable for 3 adults.

The width is being reported as 1760mm. Although it is 30mm (smaller than my index finger) smaller than creta, it is interestingly 12mm bigger than honda citys 1748mm. And I have not heard complaints about cretas or city's cabin being narrow.

I guess the width specification isn't giving a very good idea of how wide or narrow the cabin is.

[speedfreak01]

I loved the car, hope it drives as good as it looks. Finally something for existing polo,vento and rapid owners to upgrade to without breaking the bank ( read within 15 L budget ). As not everyone is willing to upgrade to a Octavia, Passat or T Roc due to budget constraints. Had been waiting real long for this car, I’ve been on a hunt for a new car since 1 year now. Creta, seltos and even magnite did wow me, but kept on calming myself to just wait for Kushaq as my family was completely against a non german car as a upgrade from my vento. Just hoping that 1.5 TSI manual falls within 15 L on road and then this is it. Anyway I am tired of hunting for that one do-it-all solidly built car.