Skoda Kushaq prototype: This is Skoda’s future

Skoda boss Thomas Schäfer recently announced the strategy of the Czech VW subsidiary for the next nine years under the name “Skoda Next Level 2030”. A key point is that Skoda is no longer playing the premium card at any price and is getting on VW, but is going back to its roots. That means: affordable cars that may not always be the latest in technology, but still satisfy all of the customers’ mobility needs. The beginning of this paradigm shift is marked by the new Fabia, which competes for buyers with an entry-level price of less than 14,000 euros.

However, the change of course should not be as easy as the Skoda strategists imagine. After all, the Czechs have cursed themselves with the curse of good deed. Because cars like the Superb, the Octavia or the Fabia are basically VWs in a different guise and at better prices. In addition, the spoiled customers have got used to the premium ambience of the models from Mladá Boleslav. Buyers would probably not appreciate a step backwards into the age of cheap plastic and steel rims. On the other hand, it should also be clear that you don’t get automatic air conditioning or full leather equipment for 14,000 euros.

The question now is how the Czechs intend to accomplish this balancing act. Many answers can be found in the Skoda Kushaq, a crossover with which the Czechs want to conquer the Indian market this year. This is not an easy task, as the battle for sales shares is fought hard in this large country. So “inexpensive” must by no means mean “cheap”, otherwise the shot backfires. The task is thus similar to that which Skoda faces in Germany.

We assume prices of 12,000 euros to 19,000 euros for the Kushaq. So exactly the window in which the entry-level Fabia moves. We like the exterior of the crossover, the name of which is derived from the word Kushak “, which is king or ruler in the old Indian Sanskrit language, with the typical Skoda design language with a wide radiator grille. There is a hint of underbody protection and matching the rustic Kraxler look black applications on the wheel arches. This crossover could also roll on German roads and would by no means come across as cheap.

The interior definitely falls into the same category as the exterior. With the ten-inch touchscreen, the ambience is anything but down-to-earth. The fact that the Kushaq’s business model is precisely calculated can be seen in details such as the classic handbrake. An electric parking brake would simply be too expensive. As one is used to from the Czechs, the interior of this prototype is already well processed. You will look in vain for foamed elements, but the grained surfaces and the piano lacquer applications do not give the impression of a cheap home. However, we are certainly not sitting in a basic variant, rather in a model with top equipment, as far as this can be said for a pre-production model. The automatic air conditioning is an unmistakable indication of this fact. But that leveled out, since a Skoda entry-level version will certainly be of higher quality in Germany than on the subcontinent. So this equipment comes closer to a typical Skoda price breaker for the German market than will be the case on the Asian subcontinent.

When it comes to space, the 4.23-meter-long Kushaq is already way ahead thanks to its wheelbase of 2.65 meters. You can make yourself pretty comfortable in the second row. To ensure sufficient headroom, the designers have integrated extra bulges in the headliner. The trunk is properly dimensioned with 385 liters, if you fold the back seat backs, it becomes 1,405 liters. There is also a whole range of storage spaces in the interior, which add up to a volume of 26.2 liters, including a large box in the center console. So you know about other Skoda models and will not change regardless of the price.

The technical basis for the Skoda Kushaq is a version of the modular transverse matrix with the designation MQB-A0-IN, specially adapted for the Indian market. The developers are very familiar with this architecture, which is also reflected in the driving behavior of the crossover, which does not pose any major problems for the driver. Of course, the steering could be a bit more direct, but we’re moving a prototype that will be improved before series production begins. The chassis offers a ground clearance of 155 millimeters and is comfortably tuned, which is a good decision given the quality of most Indian roads. Two TSI units with 85 kW / 115 PS to 110 kW / 150 PS (with cylinder deactivation) are available as engines. With us, the weaker variant works in conjunction with the six-speed automatic and does not represent a paragon of dynamics, but the developers should still lend a hand there. Anyone who has had a watery mouth still has to swallow a bitter pill. The Skoda Kushaq will not come to Germany, otherwise it would compete with the Skoda Kamiq. Nevertheless, this car gives a deep insight – into the future of Skoda.