[nitkel]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

They can easily launch a Style+ at 17.99L with TPMS and 6 airbags and everyone will go back to sane level of abusing over how overpriced the Kushaq is, vs current mode of how dare they not give 6 airbags in AT variants. lol

Does Skoda have that kind of agile product development ability and culture? The Koreans and Chinese adapt very quickly to consumer demands; a quality which the Germans and Japanese lack, especially in the automotive space!

[rahulvv]

Originally Posted by ashis89

This surprised me.

If you keenly observe the pattern on this thread, most buyers have moved to Sonet and not Seltos/Creta. It tells me that the Seltos / Creta buyers were not really waiting for Kushaq given its smaller stance, interior and boot space; it was always the Sonet/Sub 4-m buyers who were waiting for Kushaq.

They are disappointed with Kushaq's pricing.

I wanted to get a compact SUV. After seeing the Kushaq on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, its overall width and boot space I went ahead and got myself a Seltos. I need a car for primary city use (with occasional highway driving - mostly Mumbai Pune/Mumbai Nasik); which can accommodate two adults including a child seat in the rear. Seltos can do that comfortably.

I also needed a bit more spacious boot space for golf kits, luggage in case we were to go out as a family on a vacation to Lonavala/Nashik etc. Kushaq can't fit all that luggage either.


I would have had a buyer's remorse if Kushaq was priced at 2-3L discount to Seltos. But with the current pricing, I am happy I didn't delay my purchase.

[abhishek_hch]

Originally Posted by nitkel

Yes those can be termed as features grammatically, but then again it doesn't explain why they would delete 4 airbags on AT variants if safety was supposed to be an USP. I think Zac Hollis will be transferred pretty soon at this rate of inconsistency in what he says and what he actually delivers!

I don't think it's grammatic but in the way our market works these things really don't matter. A VFM car that can drive on four wheels is what overwhelming majority and by implication the market wants. (No offence to anyone, individual choice).

For a overwhelming majority, seat belts are a nuisance to be taken off at first available opportunity, 99.9% kids are driven around in laps/standing on seats, kids peeping out of sunroofs on speeding joyrides is a common sight, sitting with legs on dashboard is considered cool, the probability of any rear passenger wearing a seat belt is lower than that of sighting a solar eclipse! It doesn't take a pundit to conclude that safety isn't actually very high in priority list for us, whether due to lack of awareness or a conscious choice no one knows. Hyundai and Kia obviously realise this & cut down on the material used for the shell to bring cost down (clearly evident from their overseas versions of Creta, Seltos vis-a-vis Indian ones).

No one is condoning the lack of airbags on top spec. But as already pointed out, that would be something around the corner & kept in abeyance just to escape the whip lashes. The car has enormous interest & on this forum I have noticed page views go up by 100k in last 24 hours or so. It outshines the Alcazar thread by 1 is to 5. While everyone believes that most variants are over priced by a 100k Rs, it may still turn out to be a middling success or a genuine one for Skoda.

[marathp]

Duster (1.3 L CVT) costs nearly 18L OTR Bangalore, which is almost same as Kushaq Ambition 1L AT. All of a sudden I feel Kushaq is VFM. Is that just me?

[SchrödingersCar]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Sonet is a new product. Average buyer is lapping it up.

Agreed. Kia actually came equipped for the fight and priced it right. Overall, looks, features and practicality - it is a great package (except unknown safety rating).

Here, on our forum, we do have enthusiasts.

Agreed, and precisely the reason for this thread to go viral. A lot of people had high hopes and expectations from Skoda.
One thing is apparent, the VFM package part (or lack of) of Kushaq has left people unhappy, not to mention cutting out safety features in the top Auto model.

Kia also relatively small service network.

Agreed, but then the VFM proposition and right pricing comes in to play as well. The Seltos being a sales hit before also played a part for sure, in bolstering Kia's credentials.

This surprised me.

Not sure why.
If you please explain in a bit more detail, it would be helpful to understand your perspective.

Isn't it too early to judge this only from the videos and rule out the car?

Case in point, I always thought Ecosport had decent cabin space based on the reviews I saw. Until I sat in one and realized I was a total mis-fit in it.

Somewhat agree, but then it comes down to how we have formed our own opinions. We all watch different videos, read different reviews, so it is perfectly normal. I have booked Nexon, and my choices were Thar, XUV3oo and Nexon. Never Ecosport, because I had the space constraint in the back seat on the top of my mind even though I never sat on the back seat of one.

A close friend was looking for a new car and was eying the Seltos GTX+ DCT. I had asked him to wait for the Kushaq 1.5 DSG and told him the price would be at par for both the cars. While my prediction was true, Skoda played it dirty by removing the 6 airbags in the top end.

Yup, and many other misses at the same price point - thus dragging down the comparison to a lower category.

Based on my experience, Sonet has 80% cabin space of the Seltos. Sonet sure has clever packaging.

Indeed, and they marketed it really well and its a great package. I have a conscious bias (somehow, I don't know why) against Hyundai/Kia, so I did not consider it. Convinced myself that the Turbo+True Manual (not iMT) that I wanted is not available to discount it.

[Arnav612]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Interestingly, Skoda has set very high sales targets for the Kushaq. Source - https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto...881100919.html



8000 units a month for this year!

Also like I mentioned earlier, the real top-end is yet to arrive - which could cost 19-19.5L ex-showroom if the current prices and trends are anything to go by!

The Monte Carlo Variant - that's when the features will be on par with the competition- but at a 2 Lakh premium over the segment. But that's not going to stop it from selling to be honest. There's people out there who don't look beyond Germans, and this is a very very sizzling segment as of today. Skoda is utterly reliant on its fanbase with the audacity to take such bold steps with feature omissions and price. Just like MB a few years ago, where their base variants were sparse but people paid for the brand. I guess that's what Skoda is looking at.

I however, think it's the wrong segment to play it in. Creta/Seltos sell for the Bose system, 360 degree Camera, ventilated seats etc. and it's the everyman's segment looking at the vast band of pricing and variants the competition offers

[TurboGuy]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

the removal of:

- One touch up/down all four power windows

This ain’t a typical Škoda-ish thing one would expect in their cars. Wonder how much would they save by removing such a useful feature. Hope they retained anti-pinch windows at least.

[TheVegabond]

Wow, it seems that this discussion will go on for the days to come. The reason why the discussion is such a heated one is because a lot of people (including me) were looking at Kushaq as a worthy alternative to Creta/Seltos. Skoda on their part made a hype by saying it is going to be a car targeted for Indian requirements. This created huge anticipation about the overall package the Kushaq could be.

Then came the reviews and all agreed it is a great car but also revealed the usable cabin and boot space is closer to Sonet/Venue (sub4 meter is just a stupid rule) and Kushaq is 1 size too small in comparison to Creta/Seltos.

Like it or not, size does matter and we Indians would kill for it. This in a sense is logical as most of us have 1 car in the family and more often than not would be traveling with 4-5 people on board with bags full of luggage (imagine traveling to an outstation wedding).

And the price reveal simply burst the bubble that Skoda created over time. Having driven Polo, Vento and Rapid, I believe Kushaq will be safer and fun to drive in comparison to Hyundai/Kia stable. But these aspects alone won't cut it for Skoda.

They should have either matched Creta/Seltos in terms of size and features with these prices or undercut the Creta/Seltos prices with the current size of the Kushaq.

P.S. This is entirely my personal opinion and does not intend to offend anyone who thinks otherwise

[vinitbarve]

I checked the Kushaq Brochure. For the 3 parameters, (viz. Weight (Kerb and Gross), Ground Clearance (Laden) and Fuel Consumption), Kushaq hasnt yet received ARAI Certification for the 1.5 Liter engine, but has received all three ARAI Certifications for the 1.0 engine.

Mody Skoda in Mumbai, had said that 1.5 Automatic with DSG will be available for test drive on 28th, is now saying that they are awaiting communication from the Company about this. Are test drives available for the 1.5L Automatic in other cities/showrooms?

One conjecture is that they aren't fully ready with the 1.5L Automatic product, and hence the 2 Airbag version to keep the sales muted till a fully tested and certified product is launched late this year.

[Turbokick]

Wow we are literally witnessing so much of action in this thread irrespective of majority of people here are yet to even see the car in flesh !
I am sure every people aspiring a product in this price range (10-20 lakhs) would be having a set of criteria and based on that decision would be made. Whether Kushaq's pricing and positioning is meeting the expectations is an individual thing (with majority may find it to be slightly higher than the expectation) but what stays is the addition of an option in the range. Now people have something that it is different from overtly popular Koreans or rather not so popular/ relatively old products like Duster/ Kicks. So the comfort of extra options is increasing and very soon we would see new additions like from VW.

I am very sure based on market response, Skoda would launch proper fully loaded automatic version or else that would be a blasphemy. At the same time MT is for those who seek fun. Potentially excellent engines paired with competent setup as per the reviews would ensure serious fun behind the wheels. If FTD is of paramount importance, Skoda has got the answer. There is hardly any serious flaw associated or mentioned with the product as of now. So even as an overall package, the car may end up pleasing its owners. 'Price correction vs people ready to pay extra for Skoda' will be something that needs to be seen.


At the same time, the primary rivals are extremely competent as well. I wonder why time and again the Koreans here are thrashed as inferior products with all bling and no substance ! Be it excellent engine/gearbox combination, quality fit and finish, ergonomics, ride and handling balance, space and comfort etc , they have got wide range of talent and hence the success. Its not like you drive the Kushaq it would feel like godsent and the Koreans would match an 'Auto-rickshaw' as famously quoted. Nor does it make any sense to be this bullish about safety ratings (Creta is yet to be tested mind you) when not even a single Skoda has been tested in Indian context !

Too much of assumptions and prejudices is definitely killing the quality of content in TBhp threads and definitely needs to be addressed. The journey from being enthusiasts to keyboard warriors can be painful to be very honest.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by marathp

Duster (1.3 L CVT) costs nearly 18L OTR Bangalore, which is almost same as Kushaq Ambition 1L AT. All of a sudden I feel Kushaq is VFM. Is that just me?

Wrong engine to compare with! Even the 1.5 TSi can't match up to the specs of that 1.3 - which boasts 154hp and 254Nm.

I would see it as 4 lakhs cheaper than the 1.5 TSI DSG - which is fair considering the age old platform/ deal-breaking interiors of the Duster.

[NevGin]

Originally Posted by speedfreak01

Here is the video of Skoda Kushaq Ambition. Looks pretty well put together atleast from the video but has pretty sad looking rims. Will go and check it out on this sunday probably. I am confused between Kia Sonet GTX+ and Kushaq Ambition 1.0 MT. Althought Kia is winning hands down.

This video certainly highlights how well it is put together. Very consistent and tight shut lines. The quality is not the best but I would say acceptable. Give the Kushaq a shot. You will be happy.

[07CR]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Interestingly, Skoda has set very high sales targets for the Kushaq.
8000 units a month for this year!

WHoa!! Skoda would be elated if this manages more than 800 units per month, three odd months down the line!

[crazyro]

More than price the biggest disappointment for me was the omission of 6 airbags and TPMS from Automatic trims

The only possible explanation I can think of is that they are going to launch a Monte-Carlo edition sometime later and provide these features

This will most probably match the Taigun GTi

[Equus]

Originally Posted by marathp

Duster (1.3 L CVT) costs nearly 18L OTR Bangalore, which is almost same as Kushaq Ambition 1L AT. All of a sudden I feel Kushaq is VFM. Is that just me?

This 1.3 from Renault-Nissan is the same engine you will find in Mercedes A class & GLA!

1.5TCI would be a fair comparison, but you should test drive both once (atleast once!).