Skoda Kushaq Style 1.0 TSI MT First Drive Review

The 1.0-litre engine in question is a three-cylinder turbocharged unit producing 114bhp and 178Nm, a marginal bump over the Rapid, which gets the same motor but to the tune of 109bhp/175Nm. It can be had with a six-speed torque converter automatic or a six-speed manual, which is what we are driving today. Despite being a three-pot, it’s a surprisingly refined mill with minimal vibrations at idle and you can mildly feel it on the steering and gear lever.

On the go, there’s turbo lag below the 1800rpm mark, but once it spools up, there’s a nice punch that lets you ride the wave well into three-digit speeds. The six-speed box is geared tall with a strong mid-range that allows you to stay in the heart of the action without having to shift too much, so much so that you would only need to use to sixth gear to cruise at three-digit speeds.

Normally one would associate a very tight or late bite point for the clutch with a three-pot engine, but it’s quite easy to use here with an easy to find bite point. While this may not be something significant, it adds a positive to the list of driving conveniences that the Kushaq offers and more so when dealing with bumper-to-bumper traffic in city conditions. While the clutch is easy to use, the gearbox isn’t slick and requires a bit of effort for you to shift from gear to gear, something very uncharacteristic from the Skoda stable. We tested this 1.0-litre manual Kushaq and it did the all-important 0-100kmph sprint in 11.31 seconds, while in terms of driveability, the 20-80kmph roll on time in third gear was achieved in 10.68 seconds. The 40-100kmph roll-on was achieved in 12.86 seconds.

If there’s one thing that any car in the Skoda range offers is a good driving experience both in the ride and handling department. Let us begin with the former. The Kushaq is underpinned by McPherson struts in front and a twist axle beam setup at the rear. All versions across the range get discs up front and drums at the rear. A set of 16-inch wheels are standard across the range, while this top-spec model that we have driven gets 17-inch wheels. The ride has just that little hint of reassuring firmness that’s ever-present in Skoda cars. It is also reasonably pliant, absorbing most of the bumps and potholes in its path, keeping the occupants from being displaced or thrown around if you miss something on the road. With a ground clearance of 188mm, going over the largest of bumps, potholes and even speed breakers is not an issue at all and this combined with the ride characteristics will ensure that you don’t lose progress even on the most rutted of pathways that our road systems throw up.

Out on the open road, it’s a fun car to drive with quite an accurate steering that weighs up nicely as you go faster and is quick when you need to change direction encouraging you to be enthusiastic when the opportunity arises. In city conditions, the steering is light and easy to manoeuvre in traffic when you need to make your way around slower cars. The steering goes three turns lock-to-lock but is light enough that you don’t feel the weight of having to make the three turns. It’s also quite easy to park with this top-spec model getting a reverse camera with dynamic guidelines.

The Kushaq is a car targeted at the self-drive market, and so, Skoda has placed its best foot forward in the front of the cabin. It’s a reasonably pleasant place to be in with a mixed bag of plastics and touch surfaces. There are many glossy surfaces that look premium, but will become fingerprint and dust magnets in the long run. In the midst of this, some of the plastics like the dashboard and doors feel a full segment down but are on surfaces that one wouldn’t come into contact with regularly.

Two of the elements we liked on the dashboard of the Kushaq are the touchscreen system and steering wheel. The latter is a new two-spoke design with new interactive scroll wheels to control various functions. The touchscreen infotainment system gets a 10-inch display and an easy to use interface. The fonts are large and colourful, making them easy to read and you get all the connectivity options like Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth USB type-C ports and AUX-IN. Other features include 3D maps, radio, driver assessment and the MySkoda connect app that comes with a variety of connected functions that range from safety, service and information.

The second row is reasonably spacious with enough room for two to sit in comfort. The seats are a little low on under-thigh support but otherwise offer decent levels of comfort. Features here include a centre armrest with cup holders, a footrest for both occupants under the front seats, rear AC vents with direction control and these two cut out that can be used to keep your mobile phone. The boot at 385-litres with the second row up is quite decent though the loading lip is high due to the way the car is designed. Dual front airbags and ABS with EBD are standard across the range while this top-spec Style trim that we have reviewed gets six airbags.

Now, while Skoda has not skimped on any segment standard items, one or two feel-good items are missing. When it was launched, there was no digital instrument cluster but it is now available with the Monte Carlo Edition. The sunroof gets a manual blind control, there’s no powered driver’s seat and of course, the quality of the interiors is a mixed bag, especially when you compare it to the older Skoda models like the Rapid or even the Octavia.

The Skoda Kushaq may not be as big as its arch-rivals, and there is no denying that it lacks some feel-good features. On the plus side, it does offer superb ride quality and equally good driving dynamics. Skoda cars have always been known to be fun to drive, and now with their range of sedans, you get a crossover body style to enjoy that. The 1.0-litre engine, while not particularly fuel-efficient, displays sufficient punch to fight in a category above its class. It will never leave you short of steam.

The Skoda Kushaq is a rival for the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Nissan Kicks, Volkswagen Taigun and MG Astor. It is available across three trim levels - Active, Ambition and Style. There are two engine options and both can be had with manual and automatic transmissions. Prices for the 1.0-litre range (at the time of this review) start at Rs 11.29 lakh and goes up to Rs 17.69 lakh for the top-spec automatic Monte Carlo variant.

Photography: Kapil Angane