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Skoda Kylaq: Observations after a day of driving

Out on the highway is where you will appreciate the mid-range and the top-end of the engine. Past the 2,000 rpm mark, the engine pulls nice and clean all the way to 5,500.

Driving the Skoda Kylaq 1.0L Turbo Petrol AT

The only engine option on the Kylaq is the 999cc, turbocharged, 3-cylinder, direct-injection petrol engine that puts out 114 BHP and 178 Nm. This engine is paired with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic (AQ250-6F). It is shared with the Kushaq, Slavia, Taigun and the Slavia. The Kylaq doesn’t get the bigger 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine that these cars get. Being the only engine option on offer puts the Kylaq at a bit of a disadvantage compared to some of the other cars in the segment. Cars like the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and the Mahindra XUV3XO also have a diesel engine on offer. The Maruti Brezza and Tata Nexon also come with a factory-fitted CNG option.

The engine is pretty refined at idle and you don’t get the typical 3-cylinder hum from the engine. Start driving and you’ll notice that the throttle response is satisfactory and the Kylaq moves off the line with ease. The engine is tractable and isn't dead at low rpms. But, there is little turbo lag. If you want, you can pull from under 1,000 rpm, but it's only when you cross 1,500 rpm that the motor starts feeling more comfortable. The turbo kicks in at ~2,000 rpm and if you're used to a strong turbo kick, you will be slightly disappointed by the soft power delivery of this unit. Even in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the Kylaq feels smooth. However, since the Kylaq has a manual handbrake, you don’t get an auto-hold function, which is dearly missed when stuck in traffic. Overall, the city driveability is good and the power delivery is nice and linear. Combined with light electric power steering, good ergonomics and excellent all-round visibility, the Kylaq is very city-friendly.

Out on the highway is where you will appreciate the mid-range and the top-end of the engine. Past the 2,000 rpm mark, the engine pulls nice and clean all the way to 5,500. If you're pushing hard, this is where you would want to be. A bonus here is that the engine doesn't sound coarse at high revs, in fact, it sounds quite sporty. Even beyond 5,500 rpm, the top-end isn't flat and the engine keeps pulling all the way to 6,600 rpm. Highway cruising is a comfortable affair too in the Kylaq and it can do triple-digit speeds quite easily. You will see the engine rpm settled at ~1,900 rpm at 100 km/h and ~2,400 at 120 km/h. All in all, the engine is fast enough for Indian roads.

The 6-speed torque converter is butter-smooth in its operation and you will barely notice the shifts happening. Also in day-to-day driving conditions, the torque converter automatic makes sure you are in the right gear almost all the time. We didn't find it getting confused or hunting for gears at any point and the AT will keep most drivers happy. There’s an ‘S’ mode as well, which holds on to the gears a bit longer than the ‘D’ mode and is slightly more aggressive with the shifts. The claimed 0-100 km/h acceleration time for this automatic gearbox is 11.5 seconds. You also get a manual mode and there are paddle shifters if you want full control, but like most torque converters, these aren't very engaging. Most owners will just let the electronics do all the shifting.

Driving the Skoda Kylaq 1.0L Turbo Petrol 6MT

The 1.0 TSI engine is also offered with a 6-speed manual transmission (MQ200-6F). This is also the gearbox that we have seen on the other cars based on the MQB-IN platform. One of the first things you will notice when you depress the clutch is that the travel is long. It is not very heavy, but it’s not as light as some of the Maruti cars. It does feel a bit springy as well when releasing. Getting off the line is however not that difficult and you can move smoothly. It’s best if you don’t lug this engine as you might end up stalling. And in case you stall, all you need to do is press the clutch pedal all the way in and the engine fires back up. This is essentially an extension of the engine auto start/stop feature.

The gearbox has short throws and the gates are well defined. Moving through gears is not as smooth as say in the Maruti Brezza, but it’s fairly convenient. Quick shifts while driving enthusiastically are handled well. The gear ratios are spread out nicely and you can putter around town in the first 3 gears comfortably. The maximum speed you can do in the 1st gear is 50 km/h and you can go up to 95 km/h in the 2nd gear.

Highway cruising is a comfortable affair too in the Kylaq and it can do triple-digit speeds quite easily. The 6 gear ratios will help you extract maximum fuel efficiency from this motor. It revs at a comfortable ~2,100 rpm at 100 km/h and 2,500 rpm at 120 km/h in 6th gear. For a quick overtake, however, from cruising speeds, you might have to downshift to 4th to get the engine in its powerband. Skoda claims a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 10.5 seconds with this manual transmission.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

The 1.0L TSI is overall a refined motor. Despite being a 3-cylinder engine, the vibrations and noise are well controlled. On the move, things are fine at regular rpms. It's only when you hit high revs that the 3-cylinder thrum is obvious. But it’s an enjoyable, sporty note. Road and tyre noise are also kept in check. On the other hand, wind noise did start creeping in at 90 km/h, but it was not excessive.

Mileage & Fuel economy

If driven with a light foot, the 1.0 TSI should give you an acceptable FE. However, do keep in mind that turbo-petrol cars are sensitive to throttle input and the torque converter automatic does sips in more fuel than a manual. So, drive the car hard and you'll see the tank needle drop very fast. To aid fuel efficiency, you get an idle start/stop system that shuts off the engine when the car is stationary and the gear position is neutral.

Claimed fuel efficiency –

1.0 TSI MT – 19.68 km/l

1.0 TSI AT – 19.05 km/l

 

1.0L turbo-petrol engine makes 114 BHP @ 5,000-5,500 rpm and 178 Nm @ 1,750-4,000 rpm:

No insulation sheet under the bonnet:

Fuel tank capacity is 45 litres:

Suspension

Ride Comfort

Back in October last year, I got the chance to drive the pre-production version of the Kylaq at the CoASTT High Performance Centre in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and I was quite impressed with the ride and handling of the car. I was also looking forward to driving it on regular roads to get a hang of how it would be to live with the Kylaq. Overall, not a lot has changed from the pre-production version to the production version. The Kylaq comes with a McPherson strut suspension at the front and a twist-beam rear axle. The ride quality is very similar to the Kushaq which just hits the right spot. It’s neither too soft nor too stiff. Owners used to driving some of the older German cars will appreciate this suspension tune. It has an underlying stiffness to it, which is why you feel the potholes in the cabin at low speeds. It’s not uncomfortable though. The 17-inch wheels further add to the stiffness of the suspension. We expect the 16-inch rims to do better in this area.

Handling & Dynamics

Get up to highway speeds and the ride quality gets better. The Kylaq has sorted road manners and maintains composure at high speeds. Expansion joints or road undulations at highway speeds are handled nicely and don’t unsettle the car very easily.

I was impressed with the Kylaq when pushing it hard on the track and it is impressive on the regular roads as well. The wide front and rear track accompanied by short overhangs means that the Kylaq has a wide footprint. This makes the chassis more stable and gives it more grip around corners. Sure, there is some body roll due to the height of the car, but nothing alarming though. The turn-in is sharp and it’s easy to place the car in the corners. Quick direction changes are also handled really well.

Steering

The EPS feels direct & sharp. It is light at parking & city speeds which is now the market's preference. It is still a level too light and comfort-oriented at high speeds and we wish Skoda had firmed things up a bit. Even when pushing the car hard in corners, you will wish for more weight along with the directness. It still feels a bit vague in the center. For day-to-day driving, however, it does the job pretty well.

Braking

The Kylaq gets disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear which is more like a segment standard. The brakes perform well and are adequate for the performance on offer. Emergency braking maneuvers are also handled well and the car comes to a halt without much drama. The brake pedal is well-calibrated and feels sharp to use.

Continue reading the discussion on the Skoda Kylaq on our forum.

 
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