Honest confession – we’re fans of the Skoda Kushaq here at evo India. When we first drove the SUV, we crowned it as the ride and handling benchmark to beat in its segment. The TSI engines, both the 1-litre and 1.5-litre pack in a solid punch when it comes to performance, and now, Skoda has sweetened the appeal of the Kushaq with more aggressive styling courtesy of the Monte Carlo Edition. This is the second Skoda to wear the Monte Carlo badge in India, after the now phased-out Skoda Rapid, and it gets a host of changes to the styling with the addition of more kit. This edition is available with all the engine-gearbox combos as the standard Kushaq.
Skoda have always paid tribute to their motorsport heritage with these Monte Carlo Editions and the Kushaq is no different, sporting a Tornado red paint scheme that does make the Kushaq look, erm, sporty. There’s also a Candy white option on offer, which we think might be very popular amongst buyers, given its subtle yet sporty looks. The major changes to the exterior include the lack of bling – all the chrome elements have been replaced by sportier gloss black alternatives, the most prominent example of this being the front grille. You also get a front diffuser finished in gloss black, along with gloss-black L-shaped elements on the bumpers. The front fenders now get the Monte Carlo garnish, replacing the Skoda badge, and the Kushaq now gets blacked out ORVMs to help you stand out.
What is really cool though are the 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels which are actually off the Octy vRS 245! There is no visual differentiator between the 1-litre and 1.5-litre variants of the Kushaq Monte Carlo Edition except the front brake callipers, which are finished in red on the 1.5 variant, similar to the Volkswagen Taigun GT Plus.
The Kushaq Monte Carlo also gets a blacked-out roof and roof rails, with the door handles being finished in dark chrome, a less blingy version of those on the regular Kushaq. Move towards the rear and you will see that Kushaq and Skoda badging too is now in gloss black, along with the rear diffuser.
The interiors are where a lot of changes on the Monte Carlo Edition are noticeable, and it all starts with the red and black colour scheme. The front leather seats are black with red contrast stitching and they are also ventilated, a boon to have in this current heat wave.
There’s ‘Monte Carlo’ embossed on the headrests and the leatherette rear seats sport a similar treatment. The cabin is also swathed with cherry red accents on the dashboard as well as surrounding the door handles. The Monte Carlo Edition is based on the top-spec style trim so all the kit is already there, such as the 10-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the system now gets a red theme.
The Kushaq also gets an 8-inch digital cockpit for the first time, replacing the analogue clocks. The two-spoke steering wheel also gets contrast stitching, and the Kushaq also gets red ambient lighting.
And lest you forget you’re driving a Monte Carlo Edition, the scuff plates with the logos remind you of exactly that.
The Kushaq continues to be mechanically unchanged with the Monte Carlo Edition and is offered with both the 1-litre and 1.5-litre engine options. The 1.0 TSI makes 113bhp of power and 178Nm of torque, mated to either 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic. The larger 1.5 TSI makes 148bhp of power and 250Nm of torque, mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG.
Prices for the Kushaq Monte Carlo Edition begin from Rs 15.99 lakh for the 1-litre TSI with the manual gearbox, going up to Rs 19.49 lakh for the 1.5 TSI with the DSG gearbox. This translates to the Kushaq Monte Carlo being priced at a premium of Rs 70,000 over the top-spec Style variant on which it is based.