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Skoda Kushaq completes 1 year & 10,000 km: 6 key ownership observations

15th May 2023, 17:46 by Rahul Nagaraj

The SUV is fuel efficient, with the highest figures touching 24 km/l on the highway.

BHPian Rambo-RS recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Greetings Bhpians!

I am here to share my one-year ownership experience with my car, and I must say it has been a truly delightful journey. This review comes after almost a year of driving, and the reason for the delay is simply that there has been nothing noteworthy to report. My car has exceeded my expectations in terms of reliability, performance, and overall satisfaction. So, let’s dive into the details of my ownership experience.

The current ODO stands at 10,200 km at the time of writing this review.

Index:

Reliability
Engine Performance
Fuel Economy
Comfort and Suspension
Road Presence
First Service Experience

Reliability

From the moment I drove my car off the lot, it has proven itself to be the epitome of reliability. I can confidently say that I have never encountered any major issues or breakdowns throughout the entire year. Whether it is daily commuting or long road trips, my car has always performed flawlessly.

I am happy to report that I never got any “EPC Errors” or “AC Performance” issues or even “Power Window Rolldown” problems that are commonly seen on the internet.

In this year of ownership, I have never faced any significant niggles. No strange noises, no warning lights, and no unexpected surprises. It has truly been a "fill it and shut it" type of experience.

Engine Performance

It is actually hard to believe it is a small motor under the hood. Went on a road trip from Patiala to Jaipur in December last year, the other car with us was a Creta 1.6 Petrol (2018). I drove both Kushaq and Creta for almost 50:50 and can confidently say that this Small Turbo GDI motor is supreme!

The engine is very smooth and the car goes 90Kmph at 2K RPMs, which is a very relaxed number. This also translates into a very good fuel economy, more on that in the next section.

On the highway, this car is a hoot to drive. I love redlining it, especially in the 3rd gear which is the strongest gear in this car. Gearing is quite tall in the interest of fuel economy.

In the city traffic though, this car requires the active involvement of the driver. There is a considerable turbo lag before 1.7K RPM, thus requiring constant gear shifts. Not a problem though, because the gearbox is smooth!

Fuel Economy

I have gotten truly amazing mileage figures from this car. I am not too sure of the City Traffic because I don’t encounter much where I live, a rough idea is it gives 11 to 14 km/l depending on the type of Traffic. I have never seen it below 11 km/l on the MID though.

But out on the highway is where this car shines in this department. If you can control the throttle nicely, achieving above 23 km/l is a piece of cake at speeds below 90 km/h (max speed limit on most NHs). I am stating this figure with complete confidence because I have derived 24 km/l(by Tank-to-Tank method) on my return journey from Jaipur at constant speeds of 80 km/h on the Ambala-Narnaul Expressway. Don’t ask me how I did it because the amount of self-control you need to drive a European car on an empty expressway is way too difficult to have, especially when driven by a car enthusiast. It tests your patience levels to an extreme which is very difficult to endure, I must say.

On Normal Highways too, above 20 km/l with AC is easily achievable even if driven sedately without any special attention to fuel economy. The least I have gotten on an NH while having a blast was 15.5 km/l. The car is truly a hoot to drive and I always have a B-L-A-S-T on Highways (only when it is safe).

Primarily, this car is driven by my mother on her daily commute to work which is 50 Km to and fro on a well-built state highway and a constant speed of 70-80 km/h throughout. She gets 22.5 in winters with no AC and 19 in summers with AC (based on MID only).

The car is always filled with XP95 from Indian Oil which is approx. Rs. 7.5 more per litre than normal petrol. Did an in-depth analysis at the beginning of this car’s ownership and I noticed approx. 1.5 km/l more mileage with improved engine note and possible performance too. Also, the inner sticker on the fuel lid recommends 95 Octane anyway, so I stick to it.

Comfort and Suspension

The seat comfort is amazing along with a very comfortable suspension setup that is Neither too hard nor too soft, just the perfect balance.

One thing I notice though is that the front co-driver seat is set a bit too low, that person sitting there almost seems to sink inside the seat. Just nitpicking though.

Road Presence

As I mentioned in my Initial Ownership Thread, the road presence of this car especially in Punjab where this car is rare (not the case anymore, I see quite many Kushaqs on the road these days) is taken well. People often complement the design of this car, often comparing it with the much more expensive BMW X1 for some reason. Also “Skoda” brand commands respect here in Punjab.

First Service Experience

I got the car serviced just yesterday on 11th May, 2023. I have taken 4 years / 60K km maintenance package, thus the service cost came to be 0/-. Things replaced were engine oil, oil filter, oil drain plug and cabin filter. But me being a Bhpian, opted for the air filter replacement instead of just cleaning it so, got a bill of Rs 300 for it.

The AC update was done during the service, and am yet to test out what the difference is.

Also, an Important update for fellow Kushaq/Taigun/Slavia/Virtus 1.0 TSI owners although our Owner’s Manual recommends 0w30 grade engine oil, the latest circular issued to the service centres has updated the engine oil grade i.e. 0w20 VW 508/509 now. It is manufactured by Shell Hong Kong and is Imported here by VW-Skoda.

The Service was done at Krishna Skoda Patiala and my experience there was amazing. Both the Service Advisor and the Technician who worked on my Car, (Both Mr. Parminder) were truly knowledgeable and knew their work. Throughout the service, I was standing there by my car and never objected to it, I took photographs of various parts, (coming soon in a different thread where I shall be revealing quite interesting insights about VW 2.0 Cars) we had an interesting discussion on Old Skoda-VW Cars and engines. Learned a lot from both and enjoyed the whole process and never felt bored standing there (Of course).

In conclusion, my one-year ownership experience with Skoda Kushaq has been nothing short of exceptional. It has exceeded my expectations in terms of reliability, performance, and overall satisfaction. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a hassle-free and enjoyable driving experience. Here's to many more years of happy motoring!