- Skoda Karoq will be imported to India via the CBU route.
- It will be positioned below the Skoda Kodiaq in India.
- The Karoq will rival the likes of Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen Tiguan and Jeep Compass.
Under its ‘India 2.0’ project, Skoda India plans to bring new models to India that will be based on the heavily localized MQB A0-IN platform. Apart from manufacturing cars in India, Skoda will also introduce premium vehicles in the country that will be imported as CKD kits or CBU (completely built unit). One such product to be launched in India will be the Skoda Karoq, the company has confirmed to CarWale.
Skoda Karoq will come to the domestic market in mid-2020, alongside the Superb facelift. The Karoq will be a CBU import and will follow the Government of India’s vehicle import rule, which allows car makers to import 2,500 units of a passenger vehicle without homologating it in the country. It will enable Skoda to bring the Karoq to India with zero investment. The company will consider assembling the car in India and work on parts localization if the Karoq generates good consumer demand.
The Skoda Karoq shares its modular MQB platform with other Volkswagen Group cars like Passat, Superb and the Octavia. Globally, the Karoq is positioned below the 7-seater Skoda Kodiaq, and is available with two petrol and three diesel powertrains. The SUV gets 115bhp 1.0L three-cylinder TSI and 150bhp 1.5L TSI petrol motors.
The diesel range comprises of a 115bhp 1.6L turbo-diesel mill, Kodiaq-sourced 150bhp 2.0L motor and a top-of-the-line 189bhp 2.0-litre engine. Except for the range-topping diesel motor, which is mated to a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox, all other engines are offered with a six-speed manual transmission. The Karoq will compete against the Volkswagen Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson and Jeep Compass.
