Since the Kylaq has been extensively reviewed by now, adding my experience of installing a new Pioneer infotainment unit and dash cam

BHPian BSASLR recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Pioneer VREC-Z820DC Dash cam installation:

Yes, the Dashcamera can be powered by both the Rear USB ports. 12V Cigarette lighter is always on and if I forget to unplug the dash camera I risk draining my battery. I have a Pioneer VREC-Z820DC 8MP UHD 4K (3840 x 2160)Video resolution hence if this works others that draw lesser power will work. The USB cable is routed to the rear port and I tested them and they work fine. A big relief and one less thing to worry abut unplugging the 12V. Note the Kylaq Signature variant does not get front USB ports.

I had budgeted 15K for the dash and this came for 14K at the Pioneer dealer

Pioneer DMH 6650BT infotainment system

The stock Skoda head unit in the Signature variant has a very small screen which is not very good looking. Even if a camera could be connected (which seems unlikely), the display would still be too small to be useful.

I was never going to opt for an unreliable aftermarket Android unit, as many of them can’t handle the heat and vibrations in our environment. My options were limited to non-Android models from Blaupunkt or Pioneer, since Sony wasn’t compatible. Pioneer came to around 25K

Good:

No Wire Cutting: The installation was done with a coupler-to-coupler-to-coupler connection—completely plug-and-play. It was handled by one of the most experienced local installers, who has worked on multiple Skoda, Toyota and other vehicles.

Stable Operation: No issues like freezing or connectivity loss. When I later took the car to the service center for mud flaps, my phone connected and started playing music the moment the engine was turned on—even while I was in the reception area 30 feet away.

Radio: The Skoda infotainment system used to automatically turn on the radio every time I started the car, and I couldn’t disable it. The Pioneer has no such issue. Map display quality is also excellent.

Music: I initially planned to add a Sony subwoofer, but after hearing the sound through the stock speakers with the Pioneer, I didn’t feel the need, nor the need for damping. If the Skoda unit scores a 6/10 in sound, this Pioneer is a solid 9/10.

Camera Setup: I installed both Front and rear Blaupunkt cameras. Image clarity is good —even in low light—and the feed is displayed full screen. The rear camera is mounted above the number plate where higher variants get it (don’t ask how). For touch-ups, a Lava Blue paint liner pen from Amazon helped.

Front Camera: Each camera was just above 2K and I felt the camera was better than the almost 11K parking sensor that Skoda sells with bumper and dash both drilled and without integration to the head unit. did not opt for 360 camera as quality was not worth it I am looking for a cover to protect the front camera during the rain any suggestion is appreciated?

USB Output: The USB output also was given in the phone placement area near the gear lever and not in the glove box[/i]

What Could Be Better:

Firmware Limitation: While the Pioneer dashcam updated its firmware immediately, the head unit hasn't received any updates. During installation, it only listed "Kylaq" and "Slavia" under car names, which is likely why I can’t receive calls using the steering controls. Though it display in big on screen and it's not a issue

Steering Control Compatibility: While audio controls, voice commands, and mute all work perfectly from the steering wheel, call receive doesn’t.

If anyone finds a fix, please let me know.

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Patient driving yields about 13 kmpl, with a mix of city and highway driving, but it's 'oh so boring'

BHPian Raghav_K recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Some updates after driving the car for a bit more:

1. The AC holds up very well to Chennai heat. It has no problems cooling up the interiors within few minutes, even after the car was parked under the afternoon sun for few hours.

2. I reset the Head unit, and the audio drop issue with Apple Carplay did not recur.

3. The car behaved differently when fully loaded. Later I found out the tyre pressures for the fully loaded car were 41 and 48 for the front and rear, compared to 32 and 32 for a car with two passengers. A bit apprehensive about setting such high pressures, maybe I will try 38 for all wheels when car is fully loaded next.

4. Patient driving yields about 13 kmpl, with a mix of city and highway driving, but it's 'oh so boring'

5. Car got its first tyre puncture fixed today. It was a slow leak, and the Indirect TPMS flagged it.

The Culprit

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Once the cover is removed, the horn becomes visible. Remove it by unscrewing the middle screw.

 BHPian Harjot37 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Skoda Kylaq Dual Tone Horn DIY Upgrade

Hey, respected members! Back again with a simple DIY that I did on my Skoda Kylaq (review impending), involving changing the horn from the monotone to the one Skoda provides for the Kushaq OTC.

A big thanks to @jeganatu for taking the charge (link), and as required, I ordered the splitter from this link. (not affiliated).  Once received, the DIY was set in motion.

The result:  Skoda Kylaq dual trumpet horn

Tools and items required:

Torx Star key (T30)

Skoda Kushaq dual trumpet horn

Durvient splitter for VW/Skoda

• Electrical insulation tape
• Wrench
• Screwdriver
• Arm muscle
• Patience

Steps:

Open the hood. Remove the 4 screws using the star key and the 6 push-pin plastic rivets of the cover.

Remove the second cover beneath the first one by removing the 2 push-pin plastic rivets first, and pushing the cover towards the grill, in the direction of the arrows.

This under-cover (no pun intended) has 4 locks holding it in place with the chassis member. That's why IT IS IMPORTANT TO PUSH IT towards the grill to remove it. Otherwise, in the process you might end up breaking the locks, like I did

(the location of the 4 locks, of which I broke 3)

(images showing the lower cover clasped to the chassis member inside the grill)

Once the cover is removed, the horn becomes visible. Remove it by unscrewing the middle screw (tight space; least invasive method).

Remove the horn by pushing clip of the connector outwards (try this beforehand with your Durvient harness), and recover the horn as pictured:

(cheap)

Use electrical tape to insulate the ends and edges (can't believe the ₹1800 harness has such appalling quality):

Attach the male end of the harness to the supply, the two female ends to the horns, and screw them back in place of the original horn using the one, central screw. The space is at a premium, so do take care while screwing.

Secure the excess harness with zip ties:

Undo the undressing of the covers, close the hood, and voila! Now those pesky 3-wheelers will surely give you your space on the road. After all, now your car doesn't sound like one while beeping!

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For Classic and Signature variants the waiting period is 3 months. For the Signature + and Prestige variant the waiting period is around 1 month

BHPian Mukunthan91 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Drive Experience

Did a quick test drive of the Skoda Kylaq Prestige variant with manual gearbox from S7 cars Erode. The sales representative was kind enough to allow a 20km test drive. The car is very responsive and I got used to car instantly. The bucket seat seat hugs you and is very comfortable. The car allows you to drop to low speed and get going even at 3rd gear without dropping a gear.The sporty sound from the engine is enjoyable when accelerating from 2nd and 3rd gears. The steering feedback is good and suspension setup is good, it absorbs potholes and rough roads comfortably.

Seat Comfort

The rear seat space is ok and 2 adults can be seated comfortably since there is also a rear ac vent and a small hump near the floor board. The sales representative mentioned that the dashboard material used doesn't give a plastic smell when parked under hot sun. Skoda has a got a winner and this car will turn the tide for Skoda VW group in India. I would recommend this car for folks looking to purchase their first car or customers planning to upgrade from hatchback segment.

Waiting Period

For Classic and Signature variants the waiting period is 3 months. For the Signature+ and Prestige variant the waiting period is around 1 month. The reason told by sales rep is that skoda prioritizes higher variants production rather than low variants hence the longer waiting time for lower variants.

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The price of the base Classic variant has been increased by Rs 36,000.

Skoda has revised the prices of the Kylaq. The SUV is now priced from Rs 8.25 lakh to Rs 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom). Interestingly, prices of the lower variants have been increased, while higher variants get a price cut.

The price of the base Classic variant has been increased by Rs 36,000, while the Signature MT and Signature AT cost Rs 26,000 and Rs 36,000 more, respectively.

Prices of the Signature+ and Prestige trims have been slashed by up to Rs 46,000.

The prices of the remaining variants have been reduced by up to Rs 46,000. The Signature+ MT costs Rs 11.25 lakh, Rs 15,000 less than before, while the Signature+ AT costs Rs 12.35 lakh, a price cut of Rs 5,000.

The Prestige MT variant receives the highest price cut of Rs 46,000. It is priced at Rs 12.89 lakh, while the Prestige AT trim costs Rs 13.99 lakh, a drop of Rs 41,000.

The Kylaq is the smallest SUV in Skoda’s lineup. It is powered by a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine producing 114 BHP and 178 Nm. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Skoda Kylaq revised ex-showroom prices:

• Classic MT – Rs 8.25 lakh
• Signature MT – Rs 9.85 lakh
• Signature AT – Rs 10.95 lakh
• Signature+ MT – Rs 11.25 lakh
• Signature+ AT – Rs 12.35 lakh
• Prestige MT – Rs 12.89 lakh
• Prestige AT – Rs 13.99 lakh

It was my colleague's car - a Kylaq Signature Plus variant with an automatic transmission.

BHPian Schnellby recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Here’s a nice sight during a morning stroll around my area. Quite nice to see the Kushaq and Kylaq together, in the same spec!

On that note, I would love to share my recent experience with the new Kylaq, this one loaded with a few optional extra trims on the grille and bumper.

A colleague recently got himself a new Kylaq Signature + in Tornado Red. It surprises me how this car feels quite large for a sun 4-meter. The interiors are amazing when it comes to feel and quality. Being the Signature +, it’s nice to have the digital dash and wireless car play. It still baffles me how they managed to have such a large interior space. Of course, how can I miss out on the feel of the nice Skoda steering!

The car has a nice feel-good factor and the TC mated to the 1.0L is flawless. Doesn’t have jerks of the DCT and is quite quick! Wish there was a little more heft felt while driving the car. It feels a little too light, but not something I would complain about.

Here are some pictures I took of the car.

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In all, Skoda has corrected, fine tuned the existing Kushaq and presented it in a smaller package. Two thumbs up.

BHPian ashutoshb recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Went to showroom to check out the Kylaq. Took my Kushaq Ambition 1.0, so that I get the closest comparison possible. And after the MotorInc episode, had a few specifics I wanted to check.

Performance: Roughly the same. But, the turbo lag appeared to be lesser in the Kylaq. The torque converter's upshifts were definitely smoother. The creep mode has been mellowed down. In my Kushaq, in bumper to bumper traffic, I use the brake pedal to control the forward movement. Not in the case of Kylaq.

Ride: Better in Kylaq. Both, my Kushaq Ambition and the TD Signature Plus variant had 16 inch wheels, and I could tell that the Kylaq has a better, more comfortable ride.

Space: Obviously, lesser in Kylaq. You can easily notice the difference. Not much in the front seat, but definitely while sitting in the rear seat, one can feel the lesser legroom. Not a deal braker, because I could sit comfortably sit behind my driving position (my height is 183 cm / 6 ft). If you sit in both cars, Kushaq is more airy and can be called an upgrade over the Kylaq.

In all, Skoda has corrected, fine tuned the existing Kushaq and presented it in a smaller package. Two thumbs up.

Regarding the variants distribution, Skoda should show some urgency and fix their mistakes. The gap between the variants is huge and more variants can be easily made available in between. For example, introduce one between Signature Plus and Prestige. Just add, rear wiper and paddle shifters. Also, give the sunroof as an option, in every variant. There is no non sunroof option in your top variant.

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Test drove the Skoda Kylaq Prestige MT and here are some of my observations:

BHPian WhiteWolf recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

• 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 Volkswagen sibling of the KYLAQ.

Cheers

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I managed to grab 16inch dual tone Skoda original alloys of Slavia from a Bangalore tyre shop for 40k. Shipped it to Madurai and got them installed

BHPian jeganatu recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Hey guys, I managed to grab 16inch dual tone Skoda original alloys of Slavia from a Bangalore tyre shop for 40k. Shipped it to Madurai and got them installed. I found a seller for my stock alloys from Kylaq owners whatsapp group. We both had a good trade-in for the wheels!

Finally I enhanced with dual tone the way I wanted to from the boring alloys of my Signature Plus.

I loved this particular alloy design of Slavia than the ones of Prestige variant of Kylaq which is any way 17inch. If I am supposed to grab 17inch same design of top-end Kylaq, then I will have to upgrade my tyres from 16 to 17inch and cost will skyrocket as 17inchers are super expensive.

Here you go.. Let the pictures talk .

Ramped up for the upgrade!

Enhanced looks! I love this angle!

The side profile with pleasing looks!

Close up :-D

The boring stock alloy of Signature Variant. (Skoda should have given dual tone for Signature variant also, most users find this variant is expensive by 50-90K)

Prestine looking alloys - Photo from the Bangalore tyre shop which convinced me to go for the upgrade.

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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.

BHPian sukrit7 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Quote from BHPian 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.

Quote from BHPian 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.

Quote from BHPian 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.

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