New Skoda Compact SUV Renamed Kylaq
Skoda has just announced that its first-ever compact SUV, all set to be launched by March 2025, which will be called the Kylaq. The company had been running a contest to finalise the name from a selection of ten names, and Kylaq received maximum public votes. The name Kylaq is emerged from the Sanskrit word for crystal, which is inspired says it is inspired by Mount Kailash. The Skoda Kylaq will be based on the MQB A0 IN platform and can essentially be considered a more compact derivative of the Kushaq.
The teaser images and design
The initial teaser images and design sketches suggest a familiar Skoda design language with a split headlamp setup, a slatted grille design and clear surfaces. With shorter wheelbase than the Kushaq, and spy shots also hint at chopped front and rear overhangs to make the Kylaq slip into the sub-4-metre segment. Skoda also says that this will be the first model to bring the brand’s ‘Modern Solid’ design language with typical SUV attributes to India.
The Kylaq’s interior is similar to that of the Kushaq, and likely to equip it with more features than it currently offers in the Kushaq and Slavia. So, things such as a 360-degree camera and an ADAS suite could be part of the package right from launch.
Skoda Kylaq will be equipped with its 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces 115hp and 178Nm of torque. It will be the only engine option on the Kylaq, while most of its rivals get at least two. The 6-speed manual and the 6-speed torque converter automatic gearboxes will also be carried over.
Skoda has received over 2 lakh entries with over 24,000 unique names in this contest. The brand will be awarding the winner of this contest with the first unit of Kylaq and 10 other winners will visit the brand’s headquarters in Prague and be given tours of the Skoda Museum and the city. Skoda Auto India will announce the winners through its digital marketing initiatives. The Kylaq will have competitors like, Tata Nexon, Kia Sonet, and Maruti Brezza, among others. Skoda is likely to price the Kylaq in this very competitive segment, and we expect it to be in the Rs 8 lakh-14 lakh range.
