Skoda has surprised us all with its all-new sub-compact SUV, the Kylaq, by introducing it at a stellar starting price of just Rs 7.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), undercutting many rivals such as the Kia Sonet, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, and Maruti Suzuki Brezza.
The Kylaq is the first-ever sub-compact SUV to be launched in India by the Czech carmaker in order to capture a slice of the large pie that the sub-compact SUV segment is. This car will also expand the brand’s reach in the country. It has been built under the INDIA 2.5 programme and sits on the MQB-A0-IN platform.
The Kylaq is powered by the familiar 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine that produces 116PS of maximum power and 178Nm of peak torque. It can be mated with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque convertor gearbox.
The Kylaq is designed as part of the brand’s new Modern Solid language, donning the iconic Skoda grille on the front and SKODA badging at the rear. There are sleek DRLs on both sides of the grille, which are accompanied by the headlamps further down. The rear lights look rather small and the alloy wheels look rather good.
Skoda hasn’t shied away from stuffing the Kylaq with features that include front powered and ventilated seats, a 10-inch touchscreen unit, an 8-inch digital display for the driver, a steering wheel that’s been picked up from the Kushaq, sunroof, 6 airbags, ESC, electronic differential lock, cooled glovebox, and more. The dashboard layout looks clean, though it misses physical controls for HVAC.
The starting price of the Kylaq has been announced as Rs 7.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Prices for the rest of the variants shall be announced at the Bharat Mobility Expo in January 2025, and bookings open on December 2, 2024.