SKODA Kushaq

The Skoda Kushaq facelift, while it looks similar to the outgoing model, has plenty of changes which make the SUV look sharper, meaner and more modern. The Kushaq facelift gets slimmed-down LED headlamps with LED DRLs placed on top of the headlamps, which are now standard across variants. Not only that, the faux air dam placed in the lower part of the bumper in the outgoing model has been swapped out for a vertical strip, which makes the car look much cleaner.

Notably, the front grille has been changed to follow Skoda’s modern design philosophy, much like its bigger sibling, the Kodiaq. Another similarity between the new Kushaq and Kodiaq is that both of them feature an LED strip running along the width of the car behind the front grille. The halogen fog lamps have been replaced by LED fog lamps and have been placed to sit right on top of the vertical strip. The front lower grille features a ridge-shaped element that makes it look extremely rugged and gives it the much-needed mean SUV stance.

On the sides, not much has changed. The Skoda Kushaq now gets alloy wheels as standard, with the company offering 16-and 17-inch alloy wheels on the model. The Kushaq badging on the side remains the same, along with the roof rails. The rear section has been changed slightly as well.

The rear section also gets a few minor changes, including a connected tail lamp (seemingly so), the lower part of the rear bumper, which has ridges much like the front, a rear wiper and washer and a rear defogger, which have been made standard across variants, among others.

The 1.5L TSI gets Monte Carlo as the top variant now, not as an optional variant. The Monte Carlo edition gets two red lines on the front grille and Monte Carlo badging in the front and back. In addition to that, the Monte Carlo edition gets red brake callipers and different alloy designs. Another thing which has changed is the boot space of the Kushaq. It now gets a boot space of approximately 491 litres, an increase of approximately 106 litres from the previous 385 litres.

More colour options have been added in the form of Shimla Green, Steel Grey and Cherry Red, along with existing colours, including Candy White, Deep Black, Brilliant Silver, Lava Blue and Carbon Steel. The SUV looks great in the Shimla Green and Steel Grey colour, especially in the early morning hours.

The Skoda Kushaq facelift 1.0L version gets beige interiors. The glossy material on the dashboard has been replaced by a matte finish. The dashboard layout remains identical to the outgoing model. A new addition to the cabin is the 10.1-inch digital infotainment system with an AI assistant powered by Google Cloud, which has been made standard across variants, replacing the old 10-inch system. The digital instrument cluster is a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with turn-by-turn navigation.

Additionally, the Skoda Kushaq gets a Climatronic touch-based AC control system, which has been made standard across variants by the company. Moreover, the SUV gets wireless charging, six-way power-adjustable electric seats and front ventilated seats. In addition to that, more standard features include auto-dimming IRVMs and a sunroof, among others. Lower-spec variants get a single-pane sunroof, whereas the Prestige and Monte Carlo variants get a panoramic sunroof.

Interestingly, the Kushaq has been added with a segment-first rear seat massager, which allows owners to sit back and relax, especially if they are chauffeured from point A to B. The 1.5L TSI Monte Carlo edition features a black interior with red stitching and red elements on the dashboard, giving it a sporty feel overall. The more powerful iteration of the SUV gets aluminium pedals, adding to the performance-centric feel of the car. Notably, the headrest gets Monte Carlo embossed in it.

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The Skoda Kushaq is offered with the same engine options as the outgoing model. The 1.0L three-cylinder turbocharged TSI petrol engine produces 113 bhp and 178 Nm of torque, and the 1.5L four-cylinder turbocharged TSI petrol engine produces 148 bhp and 250 Nm of torque.

The major mechanical change when it comes to the Skoda Kushaq is the eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission, which replaces the six-speed torque converter automatic transmission on the 1.0L TSI engine offering. The 1.5L TSI engine is still offered with a seven-speed DSG transmission.

The Skoda Kushaq doesn’t feel all that different to drive. The driving dynamics remain the same as the outgoing model. It still has the same precision and agility in its driving. The 1.0L TSI feels sharp and planted in tight turns, agile and manoeuvrable in city traffic and extremely stable at triple-digit speeds. You feel at one with the car, since the steering feedback is extremely accurate, allowing the driver to navigate a car of its size with relative ease. The eight-speed does make the driver’s life a little easier as it adjusts its gear selection pretty quickly, especially if you floor the pedal. The eight-speed was designed to provide better fuel efficiency and better long-term reliability, which it delivers on.

We drove it on the highways and in city traffic, and it performed exceptionally well. Driving dynamics have been Skoda’s strong suite and it continues to make cars that always put many of its competitors to shame. The suspension has been suited to filter out potholes and undulations that are usually present on Indian roads, allowing passengers to enjoy their journey.

The seats are well-bolstered with adequate cushioning on the sides. Accommodating a passenger is something it does very well, hugging them tightly even during high-speed lane shifts on the highway. The rear seats, much like the front seats, perform extremely well when it comes to comfort. We drove for approximately 120 km in the Skoda Kushaq facelift, and we felt pretty fresh even after driving it for a whole day. Seat ventilation came to the rescue, especially in Jaipur’s hot weather.

Overall, I felt that the car has not lost its flavour. It is still the same car with a new transmission and a few more comfort features, which entice the customers. The price of the facelifted Kushaq has not been revealed yet, but it will be out on March 21, which will allow us to judge it better in terms of being a value-for-money proposition. However, I feel that Skoda missed out on adding a few features, including a 360-degree camera and Level 2 ADAS, which are some features that cars in a segment below this have. We were hoping that Skoda would address these missing features in this facelift, but unfortunately, it hasn’t. Apart from that, the Kushaq is a great buy, especially the 1.0L, as it brings great value and performance to the owner for approximately half the price of the 1.5L

(Note to readers: The drive was authorised by Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited. The views and opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author.)