[shekjsk]

Voted a NO.

I am a VW/Skoda owner for the past 10 years. I currently drive a Vento 1.2 TSI and am in love with the car. Before this my daily drive was a Rapid 1.6 Tdi which was again a brilliant car. When Kushaq was launched I immediately rushed to the showroom to test drive as the itch was there to upgrade to a CSUV. But the interior quality and features offered even on the top trim were a big letdown. I fail to understand that even with 95% localization and omission of (or use of substandard products like the rear view camera) many features how come the car is supposed to be sold at same price as competition.
If we factor in the fun to drive element, solid German engineering and having the basics like chassis, suspension, etc right, then how do we justify the recurring failures like EPC issues, consistent rattling, etc. Even if some people give VW/Skoda a leverage saying that the initial batches may have issues and these will be sorted out in due time, then a company which treats its initial batch of customers as beta testers and guinea pigs for a 2 million Rs car, I have zero sympathy for.

Also yesterday only I read a report that some Slavia owners are also facing EPC and Auto Start/Stop malfunction issues. So I think its best to stay away from these brands and maybe own a less fun to drive car but have peace of mind.

[anshu1101]

Voted Yes, and in fact taking delivery of a Skoda Kushaq for the wife soon.

I owned a 2013 VW Vento TDI Highline, drove it about 1 lakh kms, and replaced with a Hyundai Tucson Diesel AWD last year, given my desire to move into a segment higher and into the SUV bandwagon. The Kushaq will be the second car in the family, and given our budget, needs, and scouring through the options available, we settled for the Kushaq 1.0 AT Monte Carlo.

The primary reason to go ahead with the 1.0 AT and not the 1.5 AT was to steer clear of the infamous DQ200 gearbox which comes with the 1.5. The 1.0 felt peppy enough in the city and on the highway. Plus we have the Tucson for our touring needs.

Comparing with my Vento, I can clearly see that these new 2.0 cars are a notch below in terms of interior quality. However, the thing is, no other cars in this segment are as "fun to drive" as the VW-Skoda duo. Also, in terms of build quality and safety, I have higher conviction in these brands. Sure the EPC issues continue to linger, but we have taken the max extended warranty available to take care of it. However, really hoping that the need never arises.

[Sanjivvohra]

We own a 2015 Superb (brought a pre owned one) and wife just loves it! From the driving dynamics to the back seat comfort, all very appealing. I just love the power when you press peddle to teh metal!

2.0? Good cars to look at but test drove a Kushak and was not very happy with the 1.0 engine, the 1.5 was much better. Horror stories of Skoda ASS not withstanding, will probably buy the next sedan from the VW/ Skoda stable.

[mail2vm]

I voted No. I would never buy a VW group vehicle ever in my life and would advocate for others to avoid it as well. They are no more the brand known for quality and the attention to customers is totally NIL from their end.
A few manufacturers take India for granted and sell products that are not at par with their own global products and VW group is one of them.

[mkumar79]

Owned - No. Voted - No.

Back in 2007 on its arrival, the VW logo was perceived as an icon of German engineering and European luxury at affordable prices. The lucky Vento TDi owners of 2010 showed off components from Audi, while Honda City owners warily scraped through the speed bumps and petrol bills.

A decade later, this logo has lost its glitz, shoddily scrubbed with inconsistent service. Instead of organically growing team leaders with the service ethos to outclass the Honda/Toyota ownership experience, VW cut their first corners by harvesting people and processes from Skoda.

I am not buying in Pune/Mumbai/Delhi-NCR until at least 50% of their service centers get the approval of existing owners (e.g. 4+ stars with a count of at least 200 reviews on Google maps). The only city doing well on that metric is Bengaluru.

[yd_gli]

I have owned and driven the GTi and the Jetta GLI extensively while I was in the US a decade ago. I then moved to India and owned a Polo GT for 4 years and drove it all across the west coast. Keeping this background in mind, the current crop of VAG products such as the Taigun, Kushaq, Virtus etc are just "meh" in my opinion. They don't have the class or the feel of a true German VAG. The whole chrome overload and jacked up suspensions make them look more like Hyundais and Marutis. The Virtus looks very good in photos but it looks horrendous in person with that ridiculously jacked up suspension and it just doesn't have that feel. Things like rear drum brakes, poor roof liners, no bonnet insulation etc just ruin the thing for me. I'd rather buy a Tata or Mahindra product over these psuedo German cars.

[GoBlue]

Voted a resounding YES.

Have an 8 year old Polo GT 1.2 TSI. Hoping to use the car for as long as it lasts, which so far, is looking great.

Don’t require car “upgrades” for power/performance/corner carving, would rather prefer enhanced safety, space and creature comforts.

Within the next 5-7 years, most of the state/national highways could get dense camera monitoring systems. Paying 2k INR (in the state of MH) for overspeeding tickets just to feel the “rush of the engine”, isn’t a desirable hobby to develop.

The primary ICE car for highway journeys would ALWAYS be a VW 1.5 TSI (after the Polo gets retired from service). No Skoda 1.5 TSI for me (don’t trust their aftersales in Pune. VW’s servicing at BUB is the benchmark for consistently good service). The secondary car for office commutes should be a Maruti/Toyota EV hatchback.

[Whiteburner]

Lack of diesel is a big no for us. Taigun with diesel automatic would have been our next car but now with the thirsty petrol engine , not happening.

[hsaxena]

My vote - Yes! (can't vote yet, I'm still a newbie)

My background - have driven the Polo 1.2 GT TSI extensively, owned by my BIL. The car hasn't troubled much save for a crankshaft seal replacement, which was replaced under extended warranty.

VW/Skoda 2.0 strategy is to go for the masses. For our car market that means low purchase and low ownership costs. The average Indian car buyer is not a petrolhead, nor is he a member of a forum like ours which would probably make him aware of cost cutting measures of VW 2.0. From the group's perspective, that's the customer they are targeting. Younger buyers from tier 2 or tier 3 cities who want a fresh take from the usual Marutis and Tatas.

And for the loyal customers of their brands, they have added the 1.5TSI with the DSG that should keep them happy. Their strategy might not go down well with most of the members in the forum or previous gen VW/Skoda owners, but it's their best and the only bet to expand footprint to claim top spots in our market.

[ishan12]

What I am going to say might be blasphemous on this forum of auto enthusiasts, but I value fuss free ownership experience and peace of mind a lot more than driving pleasure and vehicle dynamics. While VW and Skoda score the most in the latter but seeing posts all over social media and here, it seems ownership experience is still far from trouble free.
I would hate to have a car with rattles that doesn't give me a peace of mind on reliability front.
I have never owned a Skoda/ VW, so my opinion is only based on the issues that I have read about on social media and online forums and based on known people who own these cars.

[satya180]

We own and have experience of most VAG cars in our + extended family + friends.

Losing out on interior quality was the biggest let-down for me when I checked the 2.0 cars. It is very evident when you have already experienced their cars for years.

The 1.5TSI + DSG is my pick for the powertrain to buy, and at that price point I would stretch and get a T-Roc instead.

The T-Roc offers much better overall quality being a CBU, along with lane assist, front collision warning, better speedo display and resolution, dual zone climate control, panoramic sunroof with electric shade, better braking with all 4 disc brakes, 17" wheels. I also find the T-Roc drives much better than the Kushaq/Taigun.

I have not driven the Slavia and Virtus yet so cannot comment.

The 2.0 cars get ventilated seats that are more relevant than the heated seats offered in the T-Roc.

The T-Roc is almost 5L on road more than the top variant 2.0 cars, and though it may seem pricey, I feel that it offers more value for your money.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

The question here is slightly confusing for me.

1. I like low cars and I am not a fan of the SUVs available on the market
2. I have owned a GT TSI since 2013 and at 92 k still runs well with the stock transmission. (touching wood x10).
3. I will not buy their 1.0 versions. 1.5 Versions excite me and there is nothing comparable to those cars on the market.

What really matters is
1. Will I buy a CSUV over Virtus 1.5 at 22 l - no
2. will I buy a Honda City 1.5 MT over a Virtus 1.0 - yes
3. will I buy a car in today's market - may be no unless something comes up that requires me to replace one of the cars.

[tristis2008]

Voted Yes.


The thud may be lost and definitely there is compromise on material quality but they are still very nice to drive, given the chassis and the engines.

Among the Slavia/Virtus and Kushaq/Taigun though, I prefer the sedans. They offer much better space with large boot. There also seems to be some quality improvement compared to the Kushaq/Taigun -roof lining, dash. I hope VAG works on filling these qualitative gaps.

VW has also worked on reducing ownership cost and also are offering decent warranty periods.

Further the T-Roc and Tiguan are excellent cars. Hope they offer T-Roc again in the coming years.

I have Vento 1.6 petrol AT and 2020 T-Roc currently.

[careind]

I currently own a Rapid and I would probably NEVER own a Škoda.
Apart from the vehicle, what put me off was the dealership response.
Škoda earned a REALLY bad name due to giving the dealers an unhindered run. There were horror stories of parts swapping and unnecessary repair costs from dealers. The bad impressions stayed especially with older customers, and the brand would still be perceived as the same given that the dealers are the same ones in most places. I don’t even think having Škoda as the VW marque’s lead brand in India was a good idea, given the bad perception the brand has amongst older owners.
Then comes the issue of quality deterioration of the 2.0. Add to it the unavailability of their Diesel engines, and many old timers wouldn’t just see value in it.
Personally, between a Taigun and Brezza/S-cross I would chose the latter given the expected well rounded ness of the sales/upkeep experience.

[srgntpepper]

Owner of 2010 Skoda Laura 1.8 TSI, 2019 2.0 TDI HL Passat.

Voted No for 2.0

I get the feel that both brands are caught in an existential limbo.
They want to be premium, and price themselves as such, but don't offer enough kit that newcomers offer at lower price points.
They want to be sporty, but have reliably unreliable gearboxes. And then they can the sportiest vfm car they had, the polo.

There's also little to distinguish other than aesthetics between the brands. While this probably flips their plan, they should make VW the sporty brand, and Skoda the premium value lux brand. I don't know if they used it here, but in the US, in the late 1990s, early 2000s their tag line was "Drivers wanted". They had above entry level avg interiors and a sporty kit that appealed to the driver in you.

VW should then offer manuals, sportier suspensions, with more rugged interiors. caterign to the younger not so loaded crowd. Skoda offer the softer, luxurious, equipped interiors catering to the value lux, executive, family segment.

Heres a coupla ads from those days that made me buy a Jetta.

https://youtu.be/_-kqUkZnDcM

https://youtu.be/DcfW_hlYZ5k

Right now they seem to be at sea, don't know what they stand for. Teh new comers are outdoing them at the entry level, and they (including Audi) aren't prestigious enough to take on the BMWs and the Benzs