What is Skoda well known for? 1. Cars that look good and are built showcasing good quality 2. Comfortable and premium furnishings 3. Superb powertrains (like in the Octavia and the Kodiaq) 4. Well balanced and affordable pricing
All of these have been applied to their premium range of cars and for well over a decade Skoda hasn’t had a product like the Fabia, that could reach out to the masses leaving a massive gap in their portfolio. The Kylaq steps in to fill that gap, it is a compact, aimed at the rapidly expanding SUV-ish marketplace and it envelops all of those attributes that have made their cars endearing to many.
Skoda’s last couple of attempts at gaining market dominance with the Kushaq and Slavia were met with stiff challenge by both Indian and Korean car makers. The ambition now is for Skoda to build up momentum and in the process displace some of those leaders. To do this they first intend to have the capacity ready. This means, hopefully, no delivery woes and customers who have cars at the ready will eventually draw in more customers who are irate waiting in long queues. The Kylaq will also get exported to overseas markets, but in time so as not to strain local commitments.
Skoda is confident that customers will walk into their outlets, the Kylaq promises to be that good and I’ll come to that in a moment. To that end they are also increasing their network across the country with more touchpoints being added to expand market share. This is imperative if you know you have a good product, you want it to be accessible to everyone. So, adding more showrooms to the already robust network is a positive play. The Kylaq then, is not a breath of fresh air or revolutionary to the segment. There are no cutting-edge changes that elevate the segment or claims to be the first in the segment with this and that. What the Kylaq is, is simple. A no-nonsense, good-looking, packed with all the good things customers demand, SUV!
Its positives are a long laundry list that most customers demand, seldom use, but are now hygiene for the segment. First off is the design. The Kylaq is a handsome SUV, beefed up fenders, broad at the shoulders, exhibiting great length and clean and powerful lines make this an SUV that draws attention. Its road presence is so strong, it had a few Goenkars racing up to us on their scooters and stopping us in the middle of the street to make enquiries about the vehicle. One even showed regret for having booked the Kushaq just a week ago and considered changing it to the Kylaq. At just a glance! In my personal opinion, I like the clean powerful lines and its stance, more of an agile crossover than lumbering SUV.
The cabin is a bit of a mix between flamboyant and minimalist elegance. The layering is certainly European, clean and dominant. The detailing has several textures resembling premium finishes and they do add some oomph! The plastics used in the cabin are of good quality in most places, in some areas like in the door pads, you can tell its plastic.
Large typefaces with clear iconography which are typical of the Volkswagen group are practical touches that will be appreciated. The Type-C power and USB outlets are another welcome addition allowing for faster charging speeds and data transfer. The 10” infotainment screen is large enough to be read clearly, though I still don’t advocate touch facilities. Voice commands ease this pain out a bit, but its never a complete solution.
Onto interior space, and the Kylaq despite its compact sub-4-metre length is well designed to offer optimum comfort to 4 passengers. Rear benchers do sit a bit upright, but that’s fine with me, as it provides better knee room. What I like more is that unlike the Kushaq, the front driver and passenger seats were raised by placing them on an extension, This reduced room to place your feet comfortably under the seats. This has been done away with in the Kylaq and now you can space your feet under those seats making it much more comfortable over short or long distances. The Prestige variant we drove had well cushioned and ventilated seats with a fabric like texture that is perfect for Indian summers. Boot space at 446 litres is generous, and its neither too deep nor shallow making it easy to access and use.
The Kylaq’s 1.0-litre petrol powertrain is the only option available, and it comes mated to either a manual or a normal torque convertor automatic gearbox with Tiptronic function. The latter should be the obvious choice, since it is an automatic, but also gives you greater control over the gear shifts. The engine is noisy at low revs, so in the city there is a fair amount of engine clatter as is customary with 3-cylinder mills. But pick up some speed and build the revs and the engine settles into a refined low hum that is almost inaudible. Skoda could have offered better sound deadening under the hood and the firewall, and I’m unsure why this wasn’t addressed early on.
The engine is also reasonably powerful, but more in line with urban or city usage than long distance motoring. The 114-horsepower engine with a peak 178Nm for a vehicle this size is adequate. Just don’t overload it or you will feel the strain and the efficiency numbers would go for a complete toss.
The most positive attribute has to be its ride quality. The McPherson system upfront and the twist beam at the rear have been tweaked brilliantly to offer a fantastic ride. The entire system makes the ride comfortable yet keeps everything taut. So even if you hit a pothole, the Kylaq does not get upset and lose composure. The weight and balance in the steering wheel are also well measured, you don’t get an excessive jolt in your arms since the steering system seems to absorb most of the harshness without extending it to the driver. I did like the confidence this vehicle provides, its definitely the best I’ve experienced in this segment so far. Adding to it are the larger 17” wheels shod with 205/55 profile tyres that further aid comfort. On the braking front, a disc and drum combination could have been expanded with a disc/disc option for the higher end variants.
Overall, the Skoda Kylaq is a fantastic recipe, well priced even. But what I didn’t highlight at the beginning of this review – the problem is not in the cook or the dish, it’s the service. If what comes to your table comes with a take it or leave attitude, Skoda is going to falter and you as a consumer are not going to be pleased. Assurances have been made that service levels, integrity and honesty have improved, but I am unsure. If you know and are confident of your dealership and their service levels, then I’d whole heartedly recommend you buy the Kylaq. If not, there are options, plenty of them in this segment that are just as good.
