[yesyeswe]

Originally Posted by maverickNerd

Guys dealer said that we cannot purchase only some items from accesories that Skoda is offering, I just need mud flaps, and car cover, is there a way to get it after delivery? I don't want all the accessories, don't find it worth the amount. Since it is a completely new car I am not finding cover online, and I think offline market will also not have.

I think for cover you can buy cover of Creta or any similar sized car, for mud flaps you have to wait for a while. The dealer is just trying to sell you the whole package to make extra money. The cover provided by the showroom is neve of good quality and is priced very high, so it's better to buy it from outside.

[GTO]

Wow, just came to this thread after a while and the interest in the Kushaq is mind-boggling! I think this review thread will be one of the quickest to touch 1 million views. It's at 7.4 lakh views in just ~2 weeks.

[84.monsoon]

I am not sure why Skoda is delaying the announcement of the AT variants with 6 airbags. It makes sense to delay the launch of these top end trims for a week or two, to avoid sticker shock at the time of launch. Kia did this with the Seltos, launching the GTX plus variants about two weeks after the range was launched, since these top end variants were priced one lakh above the highest price is the range at time of launch. This helped position the Seltos in a comfortable price point in people’s minds, on the basis of initial impression at launch. This was quickly followed up with the launch of the top trims, which were positioned as being done “based on customer feedback”. It was well received by the market, as people did want a Diese Auto with all the bells and whistles and did not mind paying the premium.

https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...99-lakh-414061

However, this strategy will backfire if the launch of the top end varinant is delayed by a considerable length of time. In the case of the Kushaq, such a delay will form an impression in people’s minds that (a) Skoda does not care about safety as much as they claim to and/or (b) the full fledged product cannot be made due to some design or manufacturing constraints and cannot be had even if one is able to pay more and/or (c) Skoda has reserved such a complete product for VW (the parent company)‘s offering i.e., the Taigun.

Such impressions, once formed, are hard to correct even if SKODA launches the top variant with six airbags in a few months time. The product has to be clearly, firmly and completely positioned when the customers are coming into the showrooms in droves and the interest in it is active, such as right now. The presence or absence of side and curtain airbags has absolutely nothing to do with the type of transmission the car comes with, mechanically speaking. Skoda is unnecessarily giving ground to competitors’ salesmen to malign it on one of Skoda’s most important competitive differentiators - safety, by making this totally illogical move at launch and not correcting it quickly.

[Maky]

Originally Posted by GTO

Wow, just came to this thread after a while and the interest in the Kushaq is mind-boggling! I think this review thread will be one of the quickest to touch 1 million views. It's at 7.4 lakh views in just ~2 weeks.

The interest in the Kushaq is indeed incredible, if this thread/online interest is anything to go by. I am more interested in seeing how it will be translated to actual sales and as importantly the individual variant share.

In the seemingly possible scenario that Skoda does finally have a volume winner on its hand, would also be an interesting wait and watch to see how they adapt and handle the comparatively sheer numbers in after-sales service.

[achyutaghosh]

Originally Posted by Maky

The interest in the Kushaq is indeed incredible, if this thread/online interest is anything to go by. I am more interested in seeing how it will be translated to actual sales and as importantly the individual variant share.

Yes interest in the product is huge, as evinced by the number of views and posts on the thread. While i like the Kushaq and would prefer it any day over the ubiquitious Koreans, what i see here is that a lot of the posts are rants on the pricing strategy and of course the lack of features.

What i have also noticed that Team-bhpians typically have higher expectations and interest in the Skoda brand- because of its value luxury positioning, and somehow the Kushaq does not fit that criteria. Will be interesting to see how much of this interest is beyond our forum, and how much sales it generates.

Would you buy the Kushaq- Might be a good poll idea

[shekjsk]

Originally Posted by maverickNerd

Just completed PDI, and I am getting my car tomorrow, I am so excited for it. Hope the journey will be beautiful.

Wow. Congratulations on your new purchase. This must be the first Kushaq on Team-BHP. Please do share the variant and color details of your new car.

[John316_WRC]

Originally Posted by Latheesh

4 airbags (vs 2)
Hill Hold Control
TPMS
Day/Night IRVM
Rear defoggers
Projector headlamps
Alloy wheels
Power window open/close with pinch guard (driver)
Power folding mirrors
Tilt and telescopic steering (vs tilt)
Cruise Control
Rear seat shoulder room

Honda City makes sense? Please help!

I've shortened your list down more to the very important features. Even with this shortened list the City looks better value. While Honda ASS is not cheap, I spend less or same amount that my friend spends on servicing his Elite i20 petrol. So far I've not had a single complaint since 2016 in my BRV 1.5 petrol. Just timely service and you're good to go. (Reliable & reasonable service costs) I would suggest you get the Skoda service package for peace of mind if you're going the Czech route.

If you need your car to sit 5 people comfortably you know what to buy. But if you're OK with a comfortable 4 seater, want the SUV/crossover looks and are a keen driver, the Kushaq still makes a strong case for itself.

[ACe_10]

I was near a Skoda showroom the other day and decided to drop by and take a quick look at the Kushaq. Got to see the Style variant and did a very short test drive of the MT. My observations are as follows:

Style & Design

As mentioned by many BHPians, the YouTube videos does not do the car justice and would strongly recommend checking out the car in person. The design is typical Skoda with clean lines, good quality paint job and no uneven panel gaps – it looks premium from the outside. The Kushaq looks especially good in red and should turn a few heads.

The Kushaq however is not a SUV and, more importantly, does not bother pretending to be one. Its not even a crossover/pseudo SUV. This is not the car for you if you are looking for some ‘street muscle’. It does however look well proportioned (maybe a little short from the side view) and should age well. I personally prefer the non-SUV looks – I am one of those few individuals that felt that the S Cross (1st gen, without the BMW grille) was much better looking car than the Creta.

Interiors

This is where Skoda has gone a bit wrong – the car does not feel premium from the inside. That said, I would like to emphasize that the interiors are not a deal breaker or something that will turn you off completely. It’s just that it could have been better packaged and feels like a missed opportunity. You don’t feel like a ‘king’ when you are sitting inside the car – you feel like a person who is on a budget and has had to make compromises.

I am not too fussed about the hard plastics in general, but its an issue when the lower priced Rapid gets better plastic quality. The seat covers are a disappointment (especially in the Active and Ambition variant) and even in the Style variant the quality could have been better. If you are the ‘king’ you certainly won’t want to compromise on the quality of your ‘throne’. Again, these are not major issues in my view and can be fixed in the Monte Carlo/Onyx variant or in the aftermarket.

The rear seats are very comfortable for 2 people. If rear seat knee room is a key factor for you then this car should definitely be on the top of your list. Headroom can be a bit of a concern for tall people though. However, the 5th person will always be an unwelcome guest in this car. Again, depending on your situation this may actually be an USP – I very rarely have 5 people in the car and would only look at it only in terms of comfort for 2 persons.

That said, one concern for me is that the rear seat felt a bit gloomy and claustrophobic. It might be because it was late in the evening and the shades were up. I am no interior designer, but I felt that the all dark interiors make the car look even smaller – a bit of beige/cream colour would have definitely made the interiors bigger and livened it up. Something similar to what is provided in the Rapid, Octavia and the Kodiaq.

Also, the plastics endings where the rear seat meets the door feels a bit weird. A bit of ‘simply clever’ touch was needed to sort that out.

However, on the positive, the front looks absolutely smashing. The layout of the dashboard, central console, two-spoke steering wheel (starting to really grow on me) and the instrument cluster looks significantly more upmarket than its rivals.

Driving the MT

I took a short 15 minute test drive of the MT within the city, but I was left impressed.

This was the first time I have driven the 1.0 TSI and I can see why the engine is so highly rated. At low speeds, the refinement is absolutely amazing - it does not feel like a 3 cylinder engine. Maybe on the highway or at higher revs you will notice it but for regular city driving it is absolutely brilliant.

I felt that Skoda has tuned this engine for city folks. The steering was light and perfectly suited for city driving. I can see enthusiast complaining about the limited feedback from the steering and (based on other reviews and not mine as I did not have the opportunity to cross 55-60 kph) not stiffing up at higher speed. But like I said, you will thank Skoda when you are trying to navigate, like me, Bangalore traffic every day.

Downshifting to 1st gear is optional in this car, you can easily pull away from 2nd gear with very little jerks or vibrations. I also did not find any issue with the clutch and adjusted to it very quickly. It is light enough and ergonomically placed.

The turbo kicks in around the 1800-2000 rpm, but you are never lacking for power or chugging the car. Again, I feel this is done keeping in mind Indian city conditions and FE concerns. The engine behaves like a NA engine at lower rpms – in neck to neck traffic, this will help you save fuel by not having the turbo kick in every time you move forwards. To get the best out of this car you will need to drive with a light foot – build up the RPMs gently and then slam the pedals once the turbo kicks in.

I have a feeling the Taigun will be tuned for enthusiast – similar to the dynamic between Karoq and TRoc.

Safety

The decision to forego the 6 airbags for the top-end AT variants is absolutely mindboggling. This needs to be fixed sooner rather than later.

Also, I don’t understand why (as GTO mentioned) the target for this car should be a 4 star GNCAP rating. I wonder how much has to be stripped away from a 5 star Euro NCAP rated platform so that the MQB-AO-IN platform cannot even make the 5 star rating in GNCAP (a lower standard than the Euro NCAP), and why would you make that compromise when other Indian OEMs are providing 5 star rated car. I really hope not too many comprises have been made here – its important that there are viable option for safety conscious buyers in the market.

[maverickNerd]

Almost ready to receive, Style 1.0MT, PDI and payment done, insurance purchased from outside, going with no accessories right now.

Interestingly all the cars which are getting delivered today are now having Goodyear triplemax 2 tyres now. Not sure how are these compared to Apollo Alnac that were fitted earlier in TD and showroom cars.

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by John316_WRC

I've shortened your list down more to the very important features. Even with this shortened list the City looks better value. While Honda ASS is not cheap, I spend less or same amount that my friend spends on servicing his Elite i20 petrol. So far I've not had a single complaint since 2016 in my BRV 1.5 petrol. Just timely service and you're good to go. (Reliable & reasonable service costs) I would suggest you get the Skoda service package for peace of mind if you're going the Czech route.

If you need your car to sit 5 people comfortably you know what to buy. But if you're OK with a comfortable 4 seater, want the SUV/crossover looks and are a keen driver, the Kushaq still makes a strong case for itself.

Dealer brought the car to my home for test drive. Took a short test drive (10 min) but covered steep incline, windy road, bad roads etc. and 1 L engine did not disappoint.

+ves
Engine
Could set correct driving position in few seconds
Rear space shoulder room is enough for 3 average adults (except seat contour)
Handled bad roads well
Almost like driving a hatchback (no hatchback on stilt feeling)
Interior plastic is average (but not bad)
Boot is not a problem at all

-ves
Low end grunt needs bit time to adjust
Gear slotting (especially second) is bit notchy
Overall road presence is average (front is good but side and rear is average)

Have not taken final decision yet!

[xrules]

Originally Posted by maverickNerd

Almost ready to receive, Style 1.0MT, PDI and payment done, insurance purchased from outside, going with no accessories right now.

Interestingly all the cars which are getting delivered today are now having Goodyear triplemax 2 tyres now. Not sure how are these compared to Apollo Alnac that were fitted earlier in TD and showroom cars.

Congratulations! You might be the first from from TBHP. Do share your ownership report. I will be looking forward to it.

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by maverickNerd

Almost ready to receive, Style 1.0MT, PDI and payment done, insurance purchased from outside, going with no accessories right now.

Interestingly all the cars which are getting delivered today are now having Goodyear triplemax 2 tyres now. Not sure how are these compared to Apollo Alnac that were fitted earlier in TD and showroom cars.

Best colour on the Kushaq also a good choice of variant! Congrats on the car and looking forward to your ownership review! In this tyre size the options available are quite limited but once available, you should switch to Michelins, they will really transform the ride. I have done it for most of my cars and it gives much better ride comfort compared to Goodyears.

[wasywyg]

Went to see the new Kushaq. It really is evincing interest from customers and is definitely a looker from outside. I would say that it is compact compared to main competitors like Korean cousins, not necessarily a bad thing in metro cities. And that is what puts it in the same discussion as Sonet. Several people I talked to at the showroom were considering them as potential options. And these people were not ignorant about what Skoda offers. They were already quoting the "ride quality" and "handling" of Skoda but were still calculating the trade-offs based on cost and features.

One of the things that did strike me was the showroom ambience. There was no sense of urgency. No one cared to even ask me what I was looking for. Most of the sales people were outside in the yard waiting for the single test drive car to return, talking in huddled groups. I checked the car inside and out, talked to fellow potential customers, realized no sales person was free/interested to engage with me and was out in 15 mins. Even Tata guys were able to spare a sales person when it was busy hours to discuss their car and offers. I don't want dealerships to fawn over me but do expect the courtesy of engagement. I expect the car to be good but the dealerships are what worry me and this visit does not inspire confidence. I will still check-out another dealership once we have more variants available.

[JB_BLR]

I went to check out Kushaq some days ago at that time the test drives had not started so only checked the car inside the showroom. I have been interested in this car because of the form factor coupled with powerful engines.
When I saw it live, I was not at all disappointed. There were 3 colours Orange, Red and Carbon Steel, I liked the red colour the most since I felt the quality of the paint came out best in that colour.
A few things that I noticed, there was a mild vibration when I rested my hand on the armrest when the car was idling. I did not notice that vibration anywhere neither on the steering wheel or from any other parts. I would like to know if any of the other T-BHPians noticed this? Apart from that I felt both the IRVM and the ORVM did not provide the best of view. The IRVM's view was hampered by the headrests especially the middle one and the taper in the ORVM at the end seemed to me that it cut the view. Even though these are not major issues and would need to get used to but I felt these are design issues.
Apart from that I was quite happy with the car since I was prepared after reading the review and knew what to expect.
Waiting for the 1.5 TSI and to take the test drives to better understand the car and later put it in my parking slot.

[TheGearBox]

While everyone is praising and cursing the Kushaq, have a look at my rendering of the Kushaq RS!