CZECHING IN

The Skoda Kushaq is poised to take a bite out of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos’s market share

- Rivan RS

To say that the Kushaq is a makeor-break model for Skoda wouldn’t be out of the ballpark. The SUV’s name is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘kushak’ which means ‘emperor’. The name underlines the focus on the Indian market; this is, after all, Skoda’s first made-inIndia and made-for-India model. With the Kushaq, the Czech brand is entering the lucrative and hotlycontested mid-size SUV segment for the first time, which means Skoda is gunning for the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.

What’s nice about the Kushaq’s design is that it retains about 80 per cent of the good-looking Vision IN concept SUV displayed at Auto Expo 2020. A big, bold Skoda family grille is flanked by smart LED lights in a dual-headlamp setup. The faux intakes on either side of the front bumper look less than nice in person, though they do add to the physique of the nose.

The front and rear overhangs are rather short; compared to its rivals, the Kushaq has the shortest overall length at 4225 mm. The wheels have been pushed to the furthest edges and this accentuates the long 2651-mm-long wheelbase, which is incidentally longer than its rivals. The 155-mm (laden) ground clearance, 17-inch alloy wheels, beefy wheel arches and contours along the doors provide the proper SUV stance that Indian buyers will like.

The C-shaped wraparound LED tail-lights are attractive and a chrome strip below the number plate adds to the feeling of width. A silver bash plate on the rear bumper adds to the muscular design. Skoda has ensured the Kushaq will find its share of fans, as there are no over-the-top elements that could polarise opinion.