Skoda is gearing up to enter the compact SUV segment, one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Indian market. Similar to the Kushaq and Slavia, the new Kylaq will only be powered by a turbo petrol engine, as Skoda’s lineup does not offer naturally aspirated petrol engines. The Kylaq is set to be Skoda’s most affordable SUV, competing against the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon, Maruti Fronx, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, and the Mahindra XUV300. Let’s examine how the Kylaq’s turbo petrol engine stacks up against its rivals.
The Kylaq will be available with only the 1-litre turbo petrol which produces 114 bhp and 178 Nm of torque. The new compact SUV will be paired with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic torque converter. This is the same entry-level engine that’s also found in the Kushaq and the Slavia.
The Brezza continues to be in pole position as the number one compact SUV in India as it sold 15,322 units in September followed by the Fronx with 13,874 units. Tata Nexon registered 11,470 vehicles last month while Kia Sonet beat its sibling, the Hyundai Venue, as it sold 10,335 while the latter registered 10,259 vehicles. The new kid on the block, Mahindra 3X0, continued a steady momentum with 9,000 units. This is basically the competition the Kylaq will go up against.
