[ethanhunt]

Hey Teambhpians, I am taking delivery of Kushaq 1.5 DSG tomorrow/day-after. I have the Team-BHP PDI checklist with me. It is very comprehensive. Do you get sufficient time at the dealer's shop to go through the entire checklist? Also, any other quick suggestions specific to Kushaq based on your experiences? Thanks!

[KushaKing]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt

Do you get sufficient time at the dealer's shop to go through the entire checklist? Also, any other quick suggestions specific to Kushaq based on your experiences? Thanks!

For me, they took us to the lot for the PDI and we took almost 45 mins to go through the list. Be firm that you want to do a thorough PDI and only then you will go through with the purchase.

[pravs3012]

Dear BHPians - after the initial introduction this is my first post. I have tried best to follow the guidelines but please feel free to suggest anything for future. The moderators are requested to edit as per the rules.

Here we go:

Vehicle: Kushaq MT 1.5 - Style .
Booking and delivery: August '2022
Distance covered till date: 1500 KMS

Likes

:
1. Engine : 1.5 MT – just awesome. The power-torque combination is confidence inspiring. I consider myself a conservative driver but I know the car can provide the necessary shift when needed.
2. Sitting comfort: 4 adults are treated with absolute luxury.
3. Driving position: I am 6 ft with lean frame, and this suits me well.
4. Size: A LIKE for me but may not be for others – I am not worried about road presence.
5. Visibility – big difference coming from Polo.
6. Cabin sound : Good handling but I feel this is yet to be tested .
7. Boot space : may be smaller in numbers but well designed and definitely good for our usage
8. Exterior – subjective but my family loves it.
9. Skoda smart features – make the spacing of different pockets / charging points very usable
10. SAFETY Rating : This is more of a relief than happiness as safety was one of the primary reasons we booked Skoda (or VW) and hence anything less might have left a bad taste in the mouth.

Not so likes

:
1. Any family with regular usage for 4+ adults : 5th passenger is not so welcome unless a kid or for short distance.
2. Positioning of AC controls : I feel I need to focus away for a moment. On the other hand, steering controls take some time to used to but then help specially
3. AC cooling : can be termed average. Takes time to cool and the sound is bit more for my comfort. Bangalore weather last 2 months means I never had to keep it at higher level and that helped.
4. Cabin size : Subjective but a driver with bigger frame/physique may find the cabin slightly smaller for comfort. Given the segment, someone may want to compare the others for exact dimensions.
5. Average interiors : Wish they were better designed.
6. Tires : I have the manufacturer given CEAT ones but I am sure people would want to go for better variants.
7. A feeling of lottery : you may get 10 inch or 8 inch display no matter the cost you are paying.
8. I am not a music savvy person but so far felt this is not the league of what Seltos had (BOSE of course)
9. Wipers – average.
10. A constant feeling – why 20 lakhs given some average stuff inside (listed above)

Booking experience

Our first car was Polo highline Petrol which I drove from 2014. An absolute beauty in looks and driving, it was perfect for a family of 3 and occasional 5-member drive. I actually learned driving in that. Barring initial scratches /dents – maintained it very close to heart. Followed all the service routines and ensured insurance is used perfectly to clear off any hatred signs.

We drove 67k and was a very tough decision to let it go. The primary reasons being rear seat spacing and my legs starting to complain of the seating position – age catching up perhaps? . I can go on and write more but I would summarize by one line – the moment it was driven away I kept looking at it till I could and that took me back to 2014 when I had to let my kid enter day care gate and I would watch him till I could.

Not to drown you into emotional well, let me jump to the second part.

Criteria of change

:
1. Safety (fact it got 5 stars only helped feel better of the decision).
2. Driving pleasure with seating comfort for a family of 3/4. We have an automated Kwid for city commute. It does its job quite well.
3. Ground Clearance
4. Budget not exceeding 20 L.
5. Engine capacity – wanted more than what Polo offered.

Next steps: Test drives and booking

I shortlisted 4 cars in the preference order – Jeep, Taigun, Kushaq and Seltos.

First one remained etched to the heart, but I cancelled the test drive simply because I did not want my heart to decide the budget. Loved both Taigun and Kushaq in driving sense. Found Kushaq better in looks but Taigun in its interiors. Seltos was fun to drive, amazing features, cabin was nothing short of a gadget gallery. The sales team was very smart and responsive. Why I decided against – not very sure as it was a tough decision but somewhere deep in heart VW’s experience played its role.

The story then on is a perfect example of sales team helping you make a decision and Skoda SA just latched on the opportunity while Taigun guys simply did not care at all. This should not mean anything in generic and might be simply an individual experience.
I had decided to exchange Polo via dealer and here again Skoda guys were very aggressive while VW team was as laid back. I felt as if the destiny is moving us toward Kushaq and same day we were driven to PPS motors, Jakkur- Bangalore.

My decision to go for 1.5 MT was clear from day one though it was challenged multiple times mainly to go for DSG by wife and dealer. I had heard about improvements but wanted to still skip the potential DSG issues in future. I wanted honey orange, but wife and son clearly zeroed in the Red (Tornado) and I was vetoed. As I would be the driving the car, color had to as per family.

Booking process was straightforward. The delivery time was 2 weeks. The SA kept me in loop all the time. He was fine for a PDI and shared details if I would like to go for it. Given the experience with him all this while and him sharing every detail and answering all the queries about vehicle like OVRM, VIN, tires, I decided to skip that and trust the instincts.

And finally the date arrived – took a gift for SA and completed remaining formalities. There was a slight confusion regarding the payment of SMP. I was under the (wrong) impression that by removing it from the cost breakup, dealer is paying but it meant I would pay at the time of delivery if I wanted it. Special shout out to Vaibhav from PPS Jakkur. He was very courteous and prompt throughout the process. He deserves a lot of credit for me going with Kushaq when comparing with Taigun.

The details are (booked in August’22) :

Ex-showroom: 17,19,000
Road Tax: 3,27,038
Loyalty bonus for Polo (-20k)
Insurance: Drive Assure: 55k (went with dealer)

Final Price = almost 21 lakhs including 25k for 4 years maintenance package and 30 for 5th and 6th year warranty.
Just to mention we had also used HDFC Regalia to get a 25k discount.

I did not go for any PPF or any other accessory. Hindsight tells me I should have gone with different tires but that is left for the future now as the budget seemed stretched by that time.

Experience so far

:
1. Took some time to adjust to the difference in engine power, torque and mainly the clutch/gear. I had to be careful taking it out of basement as the car would move faster than I was used to. Engine is peppy and no speed actually feels like the number due to smooth handling of variety of roads.
2. Suspension is good, if not great. Some potholes ( not rare here) were felt but usually the suspension and GC helps.
3. The driving is fun and so far during the only highway drive to Pondicherry , enjoyed it without doubt. The car beeps every time you cross 80 and continuously above 120. I don’t prefer driving above 100 no matter which highway but my son wanted to hear the continuous beeping once and the car duly obliged but that was enough not to try again.
4. Coming from 3 -spoke polo, the 2 spoke Steering took some time to adjust. It is slightly lighter to my liking but confidence inspiring.
5. The steering controls need some training but once we understand are easy to maneuver.
6. Love the seating posture which has not given me any complain in 3 months.
7. Barring the first time, I have been using Shell OR XP95 on Indian Oil. I am yet to experience a change if I use something else.
8. I feel going for better tires would have been a good decision but I was sure not to spend a penny more.
9. A couple of times experienced a feeble shrieking sound while reversing – will wait and watch and decide after that.
10. Reverse camera works every time, but the lines are not too sharp.
11. Wireless charging worked 8/10 times.
12. Finally - I cannot be tired driving this vehicle.

Happiness is the word I would associate with the experience so far. I am not a knowledgeable person who can pin-point the technicality and this decision was driven more from heart than mind.

Future will tell from after-sales perspective. With believe in God and fingers crossed, I believe lot of miles to cover in this lovely vehicle.

Some pics to share and best wishes to all

[FrAgile]

Originally Posted by pannags

Also, I find the accelerator and brake pedals on the VW/Skoda twins to be a tad higher than competition. Although I'm 5'10" and prefer to have the the seat at 80% of the maximum setting possible, I find myself pushing it back be able to comfortably use the brake pedals. Would appreciate current/prospective owners shedding some light on this.

I have also had a similar observation. It takes a while to getting used to. Infact, there are quite a few differences like the seating position, the height of the dashboard, etc. coming from Asian manufacturers (mainly Honda, Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai). Also, the engine braking is almost lacking or not as strong in comparison. I read on the forum itself before trying out and it indeed is true. The reason mentioned by the user was the ride by wire approach used in VW/Skoda cars.

[Guite]

Engine braking
Recently I was passenger on an i10 AMT, being driven by my brother. His driving style is such, to maintain constant speed he regularly release his feet from the accelerator. There would be noticeable reduction in speed, almost abruptly, whenever he retracts his right foot. I tried similar tactic on my Vento automatic. There is no sudden change in speed, just smooth deceleration. I like this better.

[Kaus2002]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt

Hey Teambhpians, I am taking delivery of Kushaq 1.5 DSG tomorrow/day-after.

PDI

Originally Posted by ethanhunt

Hey Teambhpians, I am taking delivery of Kushaq 1.5 DSG tomorrow/day-after.

Ideally PDI should be done prior to delivery. Once you book the vehicle and it arrives at dealer’s yard then they call you for Pre Delivery Inspection.

But if you are taking delivery, it means you already made full payment of the vehicle and its registered in your name with number plate installed on it(this is common in Major cities like Mumbai/Pune). So now if any fault is observed there is nothing can’t be done except for repair.

I learned it hard way at the time of my car delivery , everything was good except for couple things, odo reading was 96km and vehicle build was 4 months older than delivery date, but nothing can’t be done then.

Dealership performs PDI before car delivery from their side so there are less chances you will observe anything.

Except for Team BHP PDI check list check for a few extra things :
1. Exterior : fuel lid should open/close properly(this was a problem in 2021 Kushaqs). Open and close it multiple times.
2. Interior: Turn on the vehicle observe any unusual Noise or Vibrations. Observe Central console armrest panel for vibrations, Observe it from rear seat. It vibrates a lot if not fitted properly.
Rest all should be good, congratulations for the purchase of your new car.

[pravs3012]

To add few more points related to experience, I missed adding earlier:

1. Both acceleration and braking are to my liking.
2. Car has an automatic engine ON/OFF system. I always disable it as it switches off on almost every signal within 10 -15 seconds. This needs to be disabled every time you start the car. Even if the car stalls, starting is one clutch away.
3. The ECO mode - Kushaq running on 2 cylinders rather than 4 - is very seamless and I notice it multiple times whenever the car is strolling at a fixed speed for few seconds.
4. The fuel efficiency:
(a) City: 10-11 in peak traffic but elsewhere I get 12-13.
(b) Only one trip but I got 16.3 from Bangalore to Pondicherry. Little less while returning but that was partly due to slow driving owing to weather and timing.

5. I should read about the exact acceptable deviations, but I had enabled the Tire Pressure detection. I filled 34 but did not get any sensor when the pressure was down to 30. Perhaps this is needs to be set every time - weird if so?

Thanks.

[nimblemaster]

Writing here to make everyone aware of the terrible after sales experience I am having with a faulty one touch driver side power window.

I had purchased my Skoda Kushaq 1.0 Style automatic in August 2021. The initial batches of the car had annoying sounds from the door lining which was rectified after multiple solutions by Skoda. However, one annoying niggle that still persists is the one touch driver side power window problem.

It rolls up with a double click at times but just doesnt do so at other times. In fact it sometimes rolls down on its own when pulling it up with a double click. My other cars have a one touch window which works flawlessly. The Skoda workshop guys are refusing to acknowledge the issue.

Is anyone else facing the same issue? What should I do? Skoda customer service has changed after Zac's departure please beware.

[thanixravindran]

Originally Posted by nimblemaster

Writing here to make everyone aware of the terrible after sales experience I am having with a faulty one touch driver side power window.

Is anyone else facing the same issue? What should I do? Skoda customer service has changed after Zac's departure please beware.

This is a common issue and I think few people got the motor changed as per this thread though I don't understand how it will fix it. My car is Jan 22 and same issue is there. My service centre acknowledged the issue and told its a common complaint and will be addressed in service action soon through software fix.

But yes this is an irritating issue and embarassing one in malls or hotels when I have to struggle to close the window.

[amey027]

Anyone aware if Skoda offers connectivity service similar to Hyundai's Bluelink with built-in E-sim? I am absolutely fed of Android Auto, probably the worst thing I have used. It's so damn unrealiable, ends up disconnecting even when I connect over USB. Also not a fan of Google maps implementation. Doesn't allow to type/search something while driving (it's a safety feature if driving alone obvious problem when there's a co-passenger).

Skoda does offer the option to connect to internet over hotspot but I would rather prefer the car itself has a SIM.

P.S: The built-in maps are actually good. Only issue is can't switch-off voice support. The woman keeps talking in the middle of playing music.

[Aviator_guy]

Originally Posted by amey027

I am absolutely fed of Android Auto, probably the worst thing I have used. It's so damn unrealiable, ends up disconnecting even when I connect over USB.

Try with another cable (preferably original or a good quality third party).

[amey027]

Originally Posted by Aviator_guy

Try with another cable (preferably original or a good quality third party).

It's my original Samsung cable, so doubt there's anything related to the cable here. The experience is even far pathetic on wireless Android auto but have no issues playing music over standard BT. So I doubt the car or the phone is the problem. Plus I have read how bad Google is wrt sorting bugs (apparently cultural issue, they don't care about bugs) so expecting them to improve Auto anytime soon is hopeless

[_Piyush_]

Greetings fellow BHpians,

Due to ongoing exams and other personal work, I was not getting the time to write a thread.

The Odometer was at 25309 Km on 15th October 2022.
Installed the Sporty Pedals of Monte Carlo for 549 from Zedex Skoda, Sahibabad.
Got Graphene 9H coating done from Ekaa Detailing Hub, Indirapuram. Will update you on the same in a later thread with pictures attached.
I was quoted 18K for the coating for one car. As I and my friends decided to go for the ceramic coating almost at the same time, it allowed us to get a very good bargain. A discount of INR 4500 per car.

Likes and Dislikes post one year of ownership are mentioned here:



1. The engine performance and the driving dynamics are the same as they were on day 1
2. The Paint quality is just amazing in comparison to other cars in the same segment. No dullness in the factory paint.
3. The DSG has adapted to my driving behavior and tends to hold the gears for a while near 1850 RPM before upshifting.
4. The newly built expressway and national highways just make it feel that the car is finally being driven where it was meant to be.
5. Overtaking is a breeze, no downshifts or upshifts are required.
6. The FE (what we Indians Love), the FE purely depends on how the car is driven and what kind of throttle inputs have been used. I generally get 13.5 - 14.1 (tank to tank) in 70:30 city: highway usage with AC on, with the AC off the mileage increases by 0.5-0.7. On pure highway usage, the FE never goes under 18KMPL. The ACT helps in increasing the FE of this fuel thirsty 1.5 TSI
7. The Touchscreen response is by far the best I have used.
8. Being a 2021 model, it came with the 340 watts Skoda Sound System, which I would not say is the best in the segment but is decent enough for the dimension which Kushaq has. One thing which I have noticed is the sound increases exponentially once you cross the volume of 15 and at 20, the whole car is dancing with the bass.
9. The double pull to unlock never fails to amaze anyone who sits in the car and most of my friends say "yaar yeh feature sab gaadi mai hona chaiye". How this works is on the first pull, the doors get unlocked and on the second pull, the door opens. (NOTE: the driver door would unlock and open on the first pull itself.)
10. Noise rarely finds its way into the cabin, and if it does it is more wind noise and some minor squeaks of the dashboard trim.
11. Using 95 Octane has resulted in better performance and fuel efficiency.
12. Service has improved in comparison to before but it still needs significant improvement in comparison to Hyundai, Honda, and Toyota.
13. The sound of the engine and the Turbo post 2500+ rpm is soothing to the ears.
14. LED headlamps have a good throw, however, I feel that they are a bit more angled in the left direction. I know it is to avoid HighBeam glaring at the oncoming traffic but I feel a bit more center-oriented light would work like a charm.




1. The odd 205/55 R 17 sized tyre is one of the biggest dislikes I have. Michelin does not make tyres of that size and changing the tyres to a different dimension would void the suspension and associated components warranty.
2. Why can't a car costing upwards of 20Lac not come with led foglamps? Even bigger trouble, the headlamp, and the foglamp are one single unit, if by any chance you crack the glass of the headlamp or foglamp it is the complete unit that will have to be replaced, The price on boodmo for one headlight is INR 25K.
3. lack of a digital driver's display in the car feels annoying at times but the analog cluster gives a good old-school vibe.
4. No electric adjustment available.
5. The one-touch auto window is a hit or miss (already replaced once under warranty)
6. DSG DQ200 is jerky in lower gears and tends to engage D1 on bad patches of road.
7. The rear seats cannot accommodate three adults comfortably.
8. There should have been some hood insulation to reduce the noise level a bit.
9. The window motors are noisy.
10. AC performance is just okay, have not gotten any software updates done, and did not feel the need as well. Note (I found the controls and the performance in manual mode is better in comparison to auto)

above mentioned are my likes and dislikes based on one year of ownership

Issues faced:

1. One-touch window motor replaced under warranty.
2. Contacts fail to sync over AA and Bluetooth
3. in August this year, my parents were on their way to Mathura and somewhere near Jewar I received an alert stating SKODA diagnosed a Fault, the Error code was P0440 which was EVAP failure. (reason for this was the monsoon season and some amount of moisture entering the Fuel tank during the fillup)

The current Odometer reading is at 27387 KM
Will post updates after the Second service due at 30,000 Km.

Till then, Happy Motoring !!

[nimblemaster]

Originally Posted by thanixravindran

This is a common issue and I think few people got the motor changed as per this thread though I don't understand how it will fix it. My car is Jan 22 and same issue is there. My service centre acknowledged the issue and told its a common complaint and will be addressed in service action soon through software fix.

But yes this is an irritating issue and embarassing one in malls or hotels when I have to struggle to close the window.

Thanks for your reply. The problem is, I have already got the power window motor replaced once. The problem still persists. It has in fact got worse over time.

The service center is now unwilling to replace the motor and with no Zac, even the customer care is unresponsive. I have sent an email but received no reply. What do I do?

[vagman]

Are any Ambition 1.0 Manual owners able to confirm Hill hold control in their cars? Brochure says yes, but with Skoda you never know