Skoda Auto India reveals plans for first sub-4 metre SUV, to compete with Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki Brezza and more

Skoda India has revealed its plans for the next year, announcing today that it is planning to bring an all-new compact SUV into the market. This SUV will become the entry-point into the brand’s India line-up and will compete with other established models like the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Brezza and more

Design

According to the design sketch that was revealed, we can see that the SUV will have the familiar Skoda styling with strong lines and a muscular front. The car in the sketch had LED DRLs and a roof-rail along with the Skoda logo in the middle.

Powertrain and platform

As of now, we know that the SUV will measure less than 4 metres in length. Apart from that, the SUV will utilise the MQB-A0-IN platform which was developed for the Indian market and underpins the Skoda Kushaq and Slavia. This will likely help the brand price the SUV competitively since the platform has undergone heavy localisation. The compact SUV is also expected to score well in crash tests since the cars that share its platform are all 5-star safety rated.

No details on the powertrain were revealed, but the SUV will most likely get the 1-litre TSI engine that does duty in other Skoda and VW cars. As for the transmission options, like its competitors, Skoda will also likely offer both manual and automatic options.

Skoda also revealed that this car will have its own manufacturing line and it expects the SUV to gather around 1 lakh sales a year. They also aim to grow in Tier 3 and Tier 4 cities and will expand the network to facilitate this. More details are expected in due course. Meanwhile, Skoda Auto India is inviting the public to participate in naming the upcoming SUV. You just have to suggest a 1-2 syllable name that starts with K and ends with Q. The reward if you win, is the car itself. To participate, you can go to their website or tap here. Skoda has also revealed five options that they are considering, these are Kylaq, Kymaq, Kyroq, Kariq, and Kwiq.