[sukrit7]

Last night, we brought our Carbon Steel Kylaq Signature plus MT home! It was the first delivery made by our showroom in Delhi, and a sweet and simple ceremony preceded the delivery with some chocolates handed over to us by the GM of the showroom and a ribbon cutting ceremony. I am happy to say that I was allowed a PDI before delivery solely based on the booking amount, and the dealership was ok with me taking a cheaper insurance package from outside. Overall, very well handled by Aryaveer Skoda.

As soon as we got the car, we found ourselves stuck in a mammoth jam - 2 kms in 1.5 hours. But this gave us the chance to familiarise ourselves with the car and calm our nerves. First impressions are great. The Kylaq is very refined at most times and I'm still getting used to the surge of power that it generates.

I will post a detailed review over the weekend, but if you have any questions, i'm glad to take them. Thank you as always for Team-BHP and the wealth of information it provides.

[Rhaegal]

Originally Posted by sukrit7

Last night, we brought our Carbon Steel Kylaq Signature plus MT home! It was the first delivery made by our showroom in Delhi, and a sweet and simple ceremony preceded the delivery with some chocolates handed over to us by the GM of the showroom and a ribbon cutting ceremony. I am happy to say that I was allowed a PDI before delivery solely based on the booking amount, and the dealership was ok with me taking a cheaper insurance package from outside. Overall, very well handled by Aryaveer Skoda.

I have also booked Carbon Steel in Signature Plus AT, the dealer said might get delivery by mid March, how much did the insurance from outside cost you ? Also did you take the extended warranty and any accessories ?

[Traveler2025]

Finally got a chance to visit the showroom (at Chembur, Mumbai) to TD Kylaq, sharing some observations/feedback.

Showroom experience:
1. The staff was very receptive to customers and cordially attending all walk-ins.
2. We spent nearly 1.5 hours in the showroom. Around 10 families visited the showroom in that period to check Kylaq. Everyone (including us) was comparing the Kylaq with an adjacent Kushaq for comfort/leg room.
3. The RM was knowledgeable about the car and was offerings inputs like Kylaq would be a touch more comfortable to drive (better tuned suspension).
4. He mentioned that TC for both cars is same, so we were able to TD Kylaq MT and Kushaq AT.
5. Surprisingly, RM told us that Signature is the lowest variant available for booking in Kushaq. He implied that they are not taking bookings for Classic or Onyx.

Kylaq MT:
1. In person, Kylaq didn't look small compared to segment peers. It always felt much smaller to me in pics/ videos, so that was a good surprise.
2. Rear leg room and under thigh support is ok, even good. It's not as good as Syros which we tried out a few weeks back or even Kushaq, but not a deal breaker. However, at max a small kid (<10yrs old) can comfortably accompany 2 adults on the rear seat. Among other things, the AC vents protrude too much.
3. Suspension is nicely tuned, drive was comfortable on both front & rear seats. We felt it was at par with Syros and Kushaq.
4. The gears slotted nicely, though the clutch is very long.
5. Prestige looks nice from inside, even Signature+ isn't very bad.

Kushaq (AT)
1. Kylaq AT was much in demand for TD, so we tried out Kushaq AT.
2. Experience was similar to Kylaq. Though the car kind-off surges from standstill, I guess that's something one needs to learn to handle.

Ideally, I would have liked to do a longer TD to get a better feel of the car. As of now, Kylaq/ Kushaq are top of our shortlist for next car. Maybe, will visit again for a longer TD and take a final decision on this.

[eyetane]

Originally Posted by Rhaegal

I have also booked Carbon Steel in Signature Plus AT, the dealer said might get delivery by mid March, how much did the insurance from outside cost you ? Also did you take the extended warranty and any accessories ?

I checked Acko which is providing the Zero Dep insurance at 23K for Signature+ AT (1 year comprehensive + 3 year TP), while the showroom is quoting me 46K and when asked why it the difference so stark, they started throwing dirt at Acko instead of telling me what are they offering and replied they provide "branded" insurance from reputed companies like Tata and Reliance. I'm still fine paying a premium for companies the showroom has tie ups with, but the 2X difference in amount still baffled me.

I had a good experience with Acko for the last 4 years, but given this is a new car, I'm considering buying the one from the dealer as I would be going to them for the service for next 3 years. Do you have any other quotes from outside for Signature + AT?

[VishJ]

Originally Posted by eyetane

I checked Acko which is providing the Zero Dep insurance at 23K for Signature+ AT (1 year comprehensive + 3 year TP), while the showroom is quoting me 46K and when asked why it the difference so stark, they started throwing dirt at Acko instead of telling me what are they offering and replied they provide "branded" insurance from reputed companies like Tata and Reliance. I'm still fine paying a premium for companies the showroom has tie ups with, but the 2X difference in amount still baffled me.

I had a good experience with Acko for the last 4 years, but given this is a new car, I'm considering buying the one from the dealer as I would be going to them for the service for next 3 years. Do you have any other quotes from outside for Signature + AT?

I enquired for Prestige MT insurance quotes outside and got a quote with Nil dep & Consumables for around 22.3K from New India. I find that the insurance prices are much lower outside the dealership.

[Rhaegal]

Originally Posted by eyetane

I had a good experience with Acko for the last 4 years, but given this is a new car, I'm considering buying the one from the dealer as I would be going to them for the service for next 3 years. Do you have any other quotes from outside for Signature + AT?

Most quotes range between 20-25K for zero dep.

[yesyeswe]

Originally Posted by sukrit7

Last night, we brought our Carbon Steel Kylaq Signature plus MT home! It was the first delivery made by our showroom in Delhi, and a sweet and simple ceremony preceded the delivery with some chocolates handed over to us by the GM of the showroom and a ribbon cutting ceremony. I am happy to say that I was allowed a PDI before delivery solely based on the booking amount, and the dealership was ok with me taking a cheaper insurance package from outside. Overall, very well handled by Aryaveer Skoda.

Many congratulation for the first Kylaq on the forum

Wish you many happy and trouble free miles ahead. Keep sharing updates and your observations as you drive more.

[sharmanova]

1st Skoda Kylaq Owner!

The owner hails from a small town, and Skoda is marketing its brand in such a way that makes it appealing to people from Tier-3 cities and rural areas!

https://youtu.be/3tNHXAGDJMM?si=6BvyUKIFcVRLY0rl

[Asish_VK]

Congratulations on the new Kylaq

Originally Posted by sukrit7

As soon as we got the car, we found ourselves stuck in a mammoth jam - 2 kms in 1.5 hours.

That's the worst welcome it can get. That baby Skoda must be traumatized for life This experience will help him to become strong and serve you millions of miles.

[freakmuzik]

Test drove the Kylaq AT today and the test drive car was in Signature + trim. I visited Gurudev Motors, Anna Nagar along with my parents and the reception and overall experience was good.

Likes:

• Build quality - super solid especially compared to the competition. Even my parents loved the Kylaq the most of all the cars we checked out today - Elevate, Syros, Sonet, Hyryder, & Baleno
• Ride quality was so mature. Though sharp undulations do get felt inside at low speeds, it rides with a maturity that none of the competition offered (except Elevate which had a very good ride quality). It makes the car feel way more upmarket and confident.
• Engine+AT - the fact that it comes with a TC gearbox is such a relief and engine did have a lot of juice compared to the 1.0 turbo in the Syros. It is audible when floored but if not, what's the fun in flooring
• Seating comfort - though the rear ingress and legroom aren't that great, the seats themselves felt very supportive and coupled with the ride quality, my parents loved this car the most. I felt the front seats could be a tad wider, but nevertheless felt very comfortable.

Dislikes:

• I'm someone who still has the worry regarding owning a Skoda. So, sorry to include this in the Dislikes section, but I have to be honest here.
• Ingress-egress for the rear seat is narrow - if the seats were pulled a bit more away from the B-pillar, it would have been perfect. In comparison, Kushaq was super easy to get into
• The engine had a bit of lag so everytime the car starts off from stand still, it felt like a CVT with revs going to 2 to 2.5k and then coming down. For day to day driving, this might not be very nice
• Price - for the maturity, this felt VFM vs the Syros but when you think you can get the Kushaq for a little more especially with all the discounts, makes one think twice

Yes, features aren't ming-boggling like the competition and some plastics are very hard but it was everything sure felt super solid. At the end of the car, driving the Kylaq stayed in my mind the most after test-driving all those cars (for the right reasons )

[sukrit7]

Originally Posted by yesyeswe

Many congratulation for the first Kylaq on the forum
Wish you many happy and trouble free miles ahead. Keep sharing updates and your observations as you drive more.

Thank you so much! Having driven the Kylaq now for over a 100kms, I thought i'd share detailed observations for those of you considering it, and I can't help but draw comparisons with the cars I'm familiar with.

The obvious great bits:

1. Excellent handling dynamics with a very mature suspension setup. I can say with confidence that the Kylaq is hands-down the best in this domain in the sub 4 meter category. The XUV 3XO perhaps comes close but the lack of dead pedal takes away points.

2. That steering - while a shade too light, it feels so plush and premium, both to hold and in response. The Kylaq is precise through the corners and maneuvering it around town is great fun!

3. Very reassured braking. The pedal is calibrated perfectly and there's a very adequate amount of power available when needed. This car stops without a fuss. The Hyryder I drive often has a far more spongy feel and feedback is rather limited

4. That power-unit So potent and with such a personality. Keep it under 1,200 RPM and it'll potter around but with some displeasure. 1500-1700 is where this car feels very comfortable in the city. Post that is where all the fun lies, and there is a lot of fun to be had. It's coarse in a way I like! There's lots of pull and I love the feeling of urgency this car can generate. The perfect replacement for the Cedia we had to let go off last

5. Headlights have a good throw and illuminate the road well enough in most situations.

6. Reasonably easy on fuel: If you don't gun it and drive reasonably sedately, the Kylaq I found can be rather rewarding. In the 80kms post refuel, i'm averaging 15.8 in Delhi, with an average speed of 22. I often enjoy keeping the Hyryder purely on EV mode and perhaps that has taught me to be very gentle on the accelerator when I want.


The not-so-obvious simply-clever bits

There's a finesse to certain features that I didn't quite expect.

1. The front defogger for example. Never have I noticed a windscreen clear up this quickly.

2. The seat belt warning chime too is classy and doesn't have the typical beeping quality present in others.

3. The steering controls work wonderfully. There's barely any learning curve and the scrollers are so intuitive. In the hyryder, I still make mistakes.

4. The touchscreen and UI are again significantly better than in the Hyryder. Far more responsive and easy to get around. Android auto and voice recognition works really well too.

5. The gear shift suggestions are very well integrated. They're mapped conservatively for efficiency and very prominent.

6. Button and interior illumination feels premium too.

7. Gear shifts I find are actually sort of sporty, and not notchy. It's not smooth in the way Japanese cars often are. It has a certain heft to it but it slots well when one is precise. Again, very cedia feels! A little bit like the EcoSport too.

8. That third gear is very versatile. Take it down to the early 20s and all the way into the 100s.

9. Like someone else said, you really sit in these seats, and not on them.

10. The auto start stop works fairly seamlessly and has likely contribute to good efficiency.

The obvious bad bits

1. That rear camera is shockingly bad not just in quality but in angles too! it shows a section of the number-plate as well. Beats me why Skoda couldn't have spent a 1000 bucks more, especially since this car doesn't come with a 360 setup. Honestly, it's the VGA of the Nokia 6600s.

2. Those AC controls are a recipe for disaster. I cannot make changes without taking my eyes of the road.

3. Perhaps it's just me, but this is the only car where I just cannot fasten the seat belt while I'm on the move. There's something about the angle that doesn't work for me.

4. A slightly deeper clutch than I'd like with a bite point that is a shade off. It's not terrible, but it could have been easier.

5. I don't miss any of the Prestige variant features, but I wish they'd given better alloys. The ones on the signature plus are so boring.

Originally Posted by Rhaegal

I have also booked Carbon Steel in Signature Plus AT, the dealer said might get delivery by mid March, how much did the insurance from outside cost you ? Also did you take the extended warranty and any accessories ?

23k approximately with all the add-ons. I took the scuff plates, the 3d mats, and the mudflaps immediately. I will perhaps add a few other accessories later, and I plan to take the extended warranty as well.

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

Congratulations on the new Kylaq


That's the worst welcome it can get. That baby Skoda must be traumatized for life This experience will help him to become strong and serve you millions of miles.

Hahahah. Thank you! It was not the joyous start I had expected for sure.

[dalmeow]

I got to take a test drive of the Kylaq AT yesterday from Trinity Skoda in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The drive was 80% (mostly) crowded highways and 20% service roads. For context, my family is thinking of upgrading our ageing Polo 1.2 Diesel of 13 years with a car that feels familiar while being better. Here are my observations:

Ride and handling:

• Ride Quality: It might feel like I am just repeating what the others have said, but the car drives just as maturely as you would expect out of a Skoda-VW. It feels really great being behind the wheel, you are always in control and the car can go fast if you decide to push it. The power delivery is very smooth, and I couldn't feel any kind of jerks when the shifts happened or even a very sudden surge in power when flooring the gas pedal which leads to a downshift. It is all very predictable and super nice.
• Creep: I have driven my friend's Slavia 1.0 AT around quite a bit, and his was one of the first few Slavias sold in the city. That one has a very obvious problem with creep, which causes the car to suddenly lunge as soon as you leave the brakes when on a standstill. The Kylaq meanwhile, doesn't seem to have this issue at all, which is great!
• Steering: I found the steering to be very light and easy at slower speeds, and it gains weight as you go faster. It is precise throughout and is quite easily maneuverable, giving you a lot of confidence. Some people pointed that they would have liked more heft at higher speeds, but I didn't particularly dislike the amount of heft it gained while driving at speeds of 80-100. For context, I have driven the 2 generations older Creta extensively, and I absolutely hate how light and lacking its steering feels. In comparison to the Kylaq, our Polo's steering is very heavy, the Sonet's is soulless but does the job and the 3XO's is not as confidence inspiring.
• Suspension: The suspension tuning is brilliant. The broken sections on the highway (of which there were plenty) were quite effortlessly managed by the Kylaq and the ride was very comfortable. At speeds of even around 100 km/hr, the car felt extremely well planted. No body roll on long-ish curves at these speeds either. On service roads which were basically not even tarmac, you can feel the bumps. The car absorbs quite a bit, but when you are on the rear seat, you can feel the undulations. I drove the Prestige with 17" wheels, and expect this to be a little lesser with the 16".
• AT Gearbox: There is a very noticeable 1-1.5 second lag that the automatic gearbox has. Even when in sports mode, if you suddenly try to push the car and press the gas pedal hard, it takes a solid second to realize and downshift and then gives you the power. Manual shifting does make this slightly better, but there is still a lag. Once it does give you the power though, it absolutely gets going. It is something that can be lived with for sure, and is not noticeable at all in regular driving. This lag when pushing is probably more noticeable also because the turbo doesn't kick in until ~2000 RPM, but the gearbox itself is not a fast one by any stretch of imagination.
• Overall: If I were to ignore the gearbox lag, the car is really great to drive, and I absolutely loved it! I have test driven the 3XO, Sonet, Brezza, Nexon and the Kushaq previously and only the Kushaq comes close which is no surprise. Coming from our Polo, the Kylaq does not quite push you back in your seat as much, but it comes the closest. I guess it has to do with the fact that the Polo has the same amount of torque owing to it's diesel engine. The ride comes together very well overall, is very mature, and thus really enjoyable, which I can't appreciate enough given the competition. It is easy, reasonably fast and very confident.

Interiors:

• Front row: Really good interiors if you are sitting in the driver's seat. The steering and the digital driver's console feel very premium. The center display is super high quality, bright, and has a very fluid UI. AC controls are not bad. I personally loved the seats (I'm relatively thinner and shorter than average), and like people have mentioned previously, you really do sit in them and not on them! My friend who accompanied me is of a larger build and he didn't quite fit in well in the seats so didn't like it as much so YMMV. Very natural and lovely riding position, it is not trying to give you a superficial feeling of being 'high and commanding'. Armrests are positioned well. Overall, very comfortable and natural, feels familiar and like home coming from the Polo, while also being a decent upgrade. Only complaints are with the plastics, more on which later.
• Rear row: Not as 'premium feeling' as the front is the only way I can describe it. There is not a lot wrong with it, the seats have a good position and are comfortable unless you are sitting in the middle, and there is enough knee and head room. It is good overall, but the 3XO for example feel luxurious in comparison, and the Sonet feels great. The feeling you get in the Kylaq is that of mediocrity. Not the most airy cabin, and the black interiors don't help. You notice the hard plastics. If you are slightly of a bigger build, one of your arms would be resting out of the seat and on the plastic part between the door and the seat which doesn't feel good. It is however very comfortable and spacious. Overall, it is not unacceptable but the competition leaves much to be desired, and I haven't even checked out the Syros yet.
• Plastics and other materials: I dislike them. They may be sturdy sure, but also feel really cheap. Especially the recycled dark green plastic on the doors - they are terrible. The test drive vehicle already had multiple scratches and it has only been a week. It will surely not age well, and brands should really rethink this stupid marketing ploy of 'sustainability' by using 4-5 pieces of recycled plastic around the car. The AC vents are also cheap plastic and do not feel good either, I doubt if these will age well either. Our 13 year old Polo has better quality vents. The roof liner is cheap too, and there is a lot of flex in it. Another thing that our Polo did better. The other plastics though are good, like those on the dash, door (apart from the green one) and center console.
• Others: Rear camera quality is terrible like the others have already pointed out. AC seemed fine, nothing too great or too bad. The temperatures outside were ~36 already so there's that. Sound system quality is quite good. Door close thud is good, though not as good as the Polo's was in its prime, and ever so slightly worse than the Kushaq.

Final thoughts

All in all, I think we are going to keep our booking of the Signature+ AT Kylaq. The dealership says we can expect delivery towards the end of March. What stood out the most was the ride and how the car feels overall. Seems like a good upgrade from the Polo. I hate the fact that even the second from top model doesn't get projector headlamps and rear wipers. I also hate how the green recycled plastic bits inside the car scuff up. But I guess we will have to live with it because it more than makes up for it in the way it drives and how practical and comfortable it is overall, at the price point.

TLDR; Love the way it drives, very mature, confidence inspiring and fun. Slight lag when pushing and questionable material choices wrt some plastics take away from the experience. Overall though, I'm ready to live with the slight compromises, as it is a car that I really like all things considered.

[sachin_cs]

We wanted to buy a new compact car in the first week of February. The use case was that the car would be used in a tier-2/3 city away from the capital Raipur. Primary user would be my grandmother and my brother. Budget was under 10L on-road.

I have been following the Kylaq thread for quite a while, in fact I went to the Kylaq Call of the wild event organised by Skoda in Pench National park https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...pur-pench.html (Fans of Skoda Expedition | Nagpur to Pench)

I wanted to buy the Kylaq Classic variant because it had all the safety features, the music system with reverse camera was costing 27k and it was a complete package in my tight budget of 10L. The only issue was the delivery, since the production has just started, there was no way I was getting the car this early, especially in the variant I wanted, I was in constant touch with my dealer and they were very transparent throughout, no false promises on delivery. In the end, we ended up buying the new Dzire because there was an urgent requirement of a car, my heart was still with the Kylaq though, since I was not going to be the primary driver, so I didn’t push much for the Kylaq at home. I know it’s not a direct competitor, but we needed the car asap and the Dzire was only the other safe choice we had.

Here’s a small test drive review of the Kylaq Prestige Auto, I still wish to own this cute little power packed car someday:

Likes:

• The moment I got behind the wheel, the first thing which came to my mind was everything felt so smooth
• Ergonomics are spot on, finding the correct driving position is easy
• The suspension tuning, the handling, ride quality, body control is phenomenal, there’s no car which comes close to Kylaq in terms of driving dynamics
• I took a fast swooping turn at the speed of 60kmph and the car remained composed with minimal body roll, which is impressive for a slightly tall car
• The interiors are definitely an improvement when compared to its more expensive siblings, everything felt solid and felt well put together
• Rear seat space is decent, I would not call it spacious but the seatback, thigh support, cushioning makes up for a comfortable rear seat experience
• The car looks great, especially the front 3 quarters, it looks menacing. People concerned about the road presence don’t have to worry, it has got the looks and presence.
• With Skoda, there’s always a peace of mind when it comes to safety and quality, you know that the paint quality is top notch, car is not going to rust, its going to keep you safe in emergency situations etc.
• The car handles the Indian road conditions very well, the potholes don’t filter much especially when compared to my Rapid and there’s less vertical and lateral movements. I’m sure this would be a nice car to do road trips in.
• Dare I say, it feels like the successor of the Polo & Fabia

Not so good bits:

• Rear look is something which I’m not fond of, that plastic thing and tiny lights look weird. Kylaq in Carbon Steel & Black would look decent from rear but I’m not sure about the other colours
• Why are we still sticking with that rear wiper from Kushaq?
• Rear camera quality is not the best, my Rapid has better rear camera
• Not really a dislike but Skoda please bring back the diesels

If someone is looking for a car in 10-15L price bracket, Kylaq is a very strong contender and one’s staying away from Skoda should definitely give it a try, it might change your perception. Kylaq is among the fastest car in it’s segment and the 1.0 TSI is a gem of an engine, it has got enough grunt when needed and also it could be frugal if you know how to tame it. Though we have a 6 day old car at our garage, but my heart is still with the Kylaq.

P.S. Another great surprise for me when I walked in the Skoda showroom was that the gentleman who sold me my car is back. Mr Praveen has joined as group GM Sales for Speed Skoda. I’m glad that he has joined back, its always good to have an enthusiast fellow at the dealer who understands you, who values your car, till the time he was in this organisation, I never had any service issues, the moment he left, things went downhill, finally good to see him back.


Some pictures from the day-

Easily the best looking compact crossover in the world of cars with connected headlights and taillights, I seriously hate that trend






I loved the alloy design, suits the car well




I’m not so sure about the rear, it should look better in black and carbon steel colours


A very comfortable cabin to be in


Everything felt solid and built to last






You will never find exposed screws in Skoda unlike Asian brands, fit & finish is top notch


We also saw the Sportline Slavia in Carbon Steel and I feel it’s one of the most value for money variant and is equipped with all the essential features you need




The blacked out elements looks classy, good for a change in the market which loves shiny chrome

[siddu666]

Originally Posted by sukrit7

23k approximately with all the add-ons. I took the scuff plates, the 3d mats, and the mudflaps immediately. I will perhaps add a few other accessories later, and I plan to take the extended warranty as well.

Does the insurance cost vary according to the location? I got a quote for around 35k with Royal Sundaram and ICICI lombard for signature plus automatic in chennai.

[WhiteWolf]

Test drove the SKODA KYLAQ PRESTIGE MT and here are some few observations-

• The car felt solid and looks great in the flesh.
• The car is dynamically sorted (easily the best in segment) and 3 cylinder felt refined even when compared to the i20 and TAIGUN GT that we have .
• Space felt adequate and the boot somehow looks more accommodating than the TAIGUN.
• Needs a new better equipped variant between the signature and signature plus as the price difference is pretty big between the two variants.
• The interior might not be as flashy say the SYROS but in no way feels void of features(at-least the top variant).
• The top variants could have been priced a little more aggressively as it still misses out on 360 degree camera.
• Coming to the rear view camera, high time for the SKODA-VW group to remove that atrocious camera and replace it with a good quality one in all the SKODA-VW group cars.
• Also test drove the ELEVATE just after the KYLAQ and was impressed to see that the 3 cylinder after idling is pretty refined and definitely feels faster than the HONDA.
• The engine has some turbo lag but once the turbo spools up it is fun to drive with a sporty note from the engine higher in the rev band.

Overall a great offering from Skoda, they just need to sort the variants in order to make the car more attractive. It is basically a practical polo with features and more space at the back.

Looking forward for the VW sibling of the KYLAQ.

Cheers