Škoda Auto India has announced the start of production of the Kushaq at the Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd (SAVWIPL) plant in Chakan, Pune. With customer deliveries planned to begin in July, this new SUV will bring a much-needed edge to Skoda India’s portfolio. The Kushaq, announced earlier this year, is the first product from Skoda-VWs India 2.0 plan. Skoda India recently also announced that it has completed the road test for the Kushaq in various driving conditions in India.
More details
The driving and laboratory tests have helped Skoda make some necessary changes to the productions spec of the SUV. The Kushaq has covered over 17 lakh kilometres in varying climate conditions and all kinds of terrain.
Powertrain options
The all-new Kushaq will be powered by 2 TSI engines that transfer power to the front wheels: a 1.0L and 1.5L TSI petrol. The 1.0L TSI petrol produces 115PS of peak power and 175Nm of peak torque and will be mated to either a 6-speed MT or a 6-speed torque converter. The 1.5L TSI petrol meanwhile produces 150PS of peak power and 250Nm of peak torque and this engine will be mated to either a 6-speed MT or a 7-speed DSG.
Official statements
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director, ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd, said, “The production roll out of the first car under the India 2.0 project marks a historic milestone for ŠKODA AUTO and the Volkswagen Group in India. It stands testament to a great collaboration between our teams across the globe and here in India. We have managed to achieve localisation levels up to 95 per cent, which truly puts the engineering and manufacturing expertise of India on the global map. With ŠKODA KUSHAQ, we will be present in one of the fastest growing segments of the automotive industry. We look forward to offering customers an SUV that stands out for its emotive design, unmatched performance, superior build quality, outstanding safety, and numerous Simply Clever solutions, enabling an exemplary value proposition.”
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Mr. Zac Hollis, Brand Director – ŠKODA AUTO India, said “With the start of production of the all new KUSHAQ, we are looking at a new chapter to mark the success story of ŠKODA AUTO in India. India’s preference for SUVs has continued to grow steadily over the years. The KUSHAQ will offer an unparalleled driving experience and brings together all the attributes that matter to an SUV buyer. The team is gearing up for the launch later this month. We have already increased our network reach substantially and have instituted several best practices towards ensuring customer delight. With KUSHAQ, we are looking forward to welcoming more customers into the ŠKODA family.”