Skoda Kushaq 1.0L AT review from an ex-Ford Ecosport owner

The other car which I had in mind was the Kia Sonet 1.5 diesel AT, but it had a long waiting period.

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Likes:

1. Handsome Looks & Stylish Wheels.
2. Ride Quality & Handling Impartiality.
3. 1.0L TSi Engine Performance & Sound.
4. MQB-A0-IN Platform Feel & Exterior Build Quality.

Dislikes:

1. Poor FE in City traffic & during Short runabouts.
2. Missing Features (360 Degree Camera, Powered Seats).
3. Interiors don't feel as special or premium as the Kia Seltos.
4. Early Reliability Woes (EPC related confusion/complaints) & Recalls.

Video Review: This video discusses the 1L EA211 Engine Performance, AQ250 Gearbox, Ride & Handling. In addition to that, it also covers the FAQ’s I keep getting asked & has an interesting segment that discusses "What feels like a Skoda & what doesn't ?".

Here's a timestamp for the topics discussed in the video:

• 0:00 - Intro
• 0:59 - Platform
• 1:51 - Engine Performance (1L EA211)
• 3:51 - Torque Converter Gearbox (AQ250)
• 5:20 - Ride & Handling
• 7:47 - Exteriors & Interiors
• 12:47 - What Feels like a Skoda & What doesn't?
• 17:19 - FAQ's
• 22:10 - Conclusion.

Booking & Dealership Experience

The Skoda Kushaq replaces my Ford Ecosport 1.5 (N/A) Petrol DCT. The other car which I had in mind was the Kia Sonet 1.5 Diesel A/T but unfortunately due to supply issues, it wasn't worth waiting for it as during late July when I had enquired I got to know people who had booked since March hadn't received their Sonet. Though I had some contacts which would have enabled a faster delivery (4-5 weeks) but did not activate that option as it did not feel right. So finally made up my mind on the Kushaq and booked it on 31st July 2021. This car was booked without checking her out in the showroom & without a Test Drive. In fact, the first time I saw/experienced a Kushaq was around the 3rd week of August 2021 in my car on the day of the PDI. Special thanks & credit goes to TEAM-BHP Official Review which helped me go ahead with this choice without having the need to go check her out physically or requiring a Test Drive.

I had 2 dealers (JMD & Mody) in mind & I had given both of them the opportunity. JMD was not really interested to sell & at the same time I had got to know what one of their dealerships in New Mumbai had recently shut down hence it was not really confidence-inspiring for me to put my money at JMD hence naturally I picked Mody as it was a newer (Opened in early 2021) & more responsive dealership.

The Corporate Manager at Mody Skoda was very professional and kept most communication via email & always available over the phone too. Mody Skoda did not charge me any extra money for things like vehicle handling charges or compulsory accessory kits etc. Insurance too was very high at first as per Skoda Insurance but they matched my quote and also allowed self-registration without unnecessary arguments but did verify data/facts to seek official permission. Extended Warranty Payment was also done through the online link officially.

Overall my experience with Mody Skoda right from Booking to PDI to the Delivery process was Very Satisfactory, Here's a video capturing all the excitement from the Delivery/Collection Day of my Skoda Kushaq. It also includes a quick Walkaround discussing the Exterior/Interior, Platform, Engine/Gearbox, Tyres etc. & also explains my buy decision.

Platform

MQB-A0-IN is actually based on the success of the Skoda SCALA which was the 1st Skoda product to receive the MQBA0 platform which got modified to the MQB-A0-IN platform to accommodate Indian models for the Skoda & VW Stable in the form of the India 2.0 Strategy. MQBA0IN being a Modular Transverse Matrix Platform not only frees up more space but also allows different engines, gearboxes, wheelbases and body styles to spawn more models for both VW & Skoda. This monocoque allows Kushaq to remain on a diet (Weight wise) at the same time retains the build (Exterior) quality.

Engine Performance

First things First, I got to admit that this 3cyl 1L TSi (Belonging to the EA211 family of engines) is a great sounding engine, has a very Sporty Sound. But what about performance? If I had to pick what I like the most about this engine; is it the Bottom End or Mid Range or Top End? I'd surely pick the Mid Range. The Turbocharger does a good job in keeping things VERY interesting between 2000 to 5500 rpm. This is where this small engine feels the MOST ALIVE. The next good thing is that the top end is not bad too, however, the redline is not too high. The problem is at the bottom end, where under 2000 rpm there is a sense of NOTHINGNESS. It's a combination of Turbo Lag as well as poor tuning. Skoda knows there is a void in the bottom end so they tried to correct it by giving it an aggressive crawl which makes it difficult to control in small gaps, traffic crawling or parking situations but overall doesn't seem to address the Nothingness in that 1000 - 1850 rpm region. This is most prominent in the 1st gear, however, it gets better and less noticeable in higher gears.

Gearbox

This 1L Engine in its Automatic form is paired with the AQ250 Torque Converter gearbox. Overall I am glad I picked the torque converter option as this car won't see much of the highways and will be mostly used in the city for short runs. However be it in the city or open roads the gearbox is quick enough for the power and suits the engine very well, leaving very few occasions/need to reach out for the paddle shifters. This Box doesn't get confused in selecting the gears and the gearing too (2nd gear onwards) is spot on to deliver the juice the engine has to offer.

Handling & Ride

In the Ride & Handling Balance, the equilibrium is towards the Ride. As you'd be aware that I own a Kia Seltos 1.4 GTX+ as well & the suspension tune on that compared to this Kia's suspension seems tuned more firmly towards extracting handling performance & the ride feels stiffer in the Kia. Whereas in this Skoda it's the other way round, the suspension does feel more tuned for the ride quality. In fact, clearly, the ride quality is better on my Skoda v/s my Kia even with the Skoda being under tyred.

The Steering in the Kushaq doesn't weigh up as much at high speeds as I'd want. It's important to note that the Skoda misses out on Driving modes which the Kia has & the steering of the Seltos in Sport Mode clearly inspires more confidence at higher speeds than the Skoda.

I am currently running Tyre Pressure @ 32 PSi (All 4).

Exteriors

The Exterior Looks for me were a Strong Selling point for the Kushaq which also contributed to the Buy Decision. The Front is very aggressive IMO a combination of being Rugged & Athletic. Overall the dimensions are not too wide & sort of ideal to fit in the Urban Indian cities.

The Side Profile interests me the most as the overall design is very clean & sticking to the European roots of this brand, very pleasing. The Highlight for me at the side are definitely the striking 17" ATLAS Alloy wheels, this was the major reason I picked the Style variant over the base model which is surely more Value.

But speaking about the rims, the tyres as these are Good Years Assurance with a decently healthy 205 but not healthy enough as in this segment 215's or the 235mm wide are the norm so any guesses why Skoda picked 205 / 55 well because the Octavia uses the same size hence that solves a lot of inventory & they get better prices because of more volume buying, Smart thinking by Skoda, but as an enthusiast, I would have preferred 215's at least.

Another quick negative is the brakes at the rear, it's a drum setup, well the braking system is adequate particularly with this small 1L engine up front, but having no discs at the rear is visually disturbing for any enthusiast.

Coming to the Rear, I love the fact that the taillights are placed a bit high giving the Kushaq a very upright stance, I also love the SKODA lettering on the tailgate, I wasn't really a fan of this approach when I 1st saw it on the Superb facelift, but it really works here in an SUV Bodystyle. The rear diffuser is again adding to the SUV-ness for the Kushaq & looks very robust. I miss seeing exhaust tailpipes but again it's always better to have it concealed rather than some fake exhaust cutouts in the bumper.

Skoda Kushaq Size Comparison for reference

Interiors

The dashboard design looks Solid. There is an interesting mix of materials used, there is Glossy Piano Black, there is a Matte Finished 3D Design Plastic there is Metal & there is also a dual-tone treatment to distinguish the upper and the lower part of the dashboard. There are some really good bits about the interior which I love, for example, the Steering which is an extremely well-finished piece of art whereas on the flip side which I hate are these AC Controls. Rear Camera Quality is Average, also miss the Front Parking Sensors.

Some great things about the front cabin & features:

• Handbrake feels Solid
• Paddle Shifters.
• Music System.

Some Unfortunate Misses:

• 360 Degree Camera Missing.
• Ambient Lighting Options.
• Electric Seats.

Rear Seats & Boot Space

There is enough space for the passengers at the rear. Seat Comfort is good too, though they are a tad firm. However, this added Rear Seat Space has compromised the Boot Space which is now similar in volume (385 L) to a segment below cars like the Sonet and not in line with its positioned competition i.e. the Seltos.

Continue reading BHPian karan561's Skoda Kushaq review for more insights & information.