Skoda Kushaq 2021-2026

In the segment where every car is trying to offer the best space, features, and premiumness, the Skoda Kushaq sits as an SUV which focuses heavily on the drive experience while also offering good space for four adults, and a good feature list. This approach works well for people looking for an exciting drive experience, but those who want the absolute best, can be left wanting for more. Fret not, though, as Skoda has now taken the wraps off the 2026 Skoda Kushaq facelift, which gets design tweaks and revisions to its features list. 

But back to the pre-facelift car, I’ve spent quite some time with the Kushaq and its rivals, I’ve experienced them side by side, and while I did enjoy driving the Skoda SUV, its competition does seem to have a better standing in the segment. Is the Kushaq’s ‘driver first’ approach enough to win the masses or does it need more? Find out here.

When you take a look at the Kushaq, the first thing you notice is that it does not follow the trend of connected lighting elements which you see in almost every other car in the segment. The decision to keep itself distant from the trend also makes it stand out from the constantly growing segment.

Unlike its twin, the VW Taigun, which takes a sporty design approach, the Kushaq’s design carries some European elegance which can be seen in its face. The split LED headlights merge seamlessly with the top half of the grille and the L-shaped LED DRLs add some style. There’s also a chunky bumper for some ruggedness but the overall design has a very graceful look.

The profile is pretty simple with little to no cuts or creases. You do get some chrome on the door handles, and window line, and the 17-inch alloy wheels are finished in silver in the standard variants. Lower variants of the Kushaq get 16-inch alloy and steel wheels. In the Monte Carlo edition, you get black and chrome 17-inch alloys with red brake calipers, and the Sportline variants get 17-inch all-black alloy wheels.

The rear end is the most sober profile and even here it does not follow the connected tail lamp trend. Instead, you get slim L-shaped tail lamps, similar to the DRLs, and the boot lip gets a chrome strip for contrast. Just like the front, the rear bumper is also chunky with a skid plate to show some ruggedness.

While there is nothing to hate in this design, and it stands out of the segment which makes it more noticeable and eye-catching, the car does look small compared to its rivals. The design in itself is very appealing and it won’t split many opinions, but the people who’re in the market looking for a visually big car might not want to go for the Kushaq. For reference, key rivals like the Kia Seltos and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara are 120-140mm longer while being wider and taller as well.

Skoda offers it in 7 monotone shades: Candy White, Brilliant Silver, Tornado Red, Carbon Steel, Lava Blue, Deep Black, and Carbon Steel Matte. Tornado Red, Candy White, Brilliant Silver, and Lava Blue are also available in a dual-tone shade. If you want your Kushaq to look different, you can go for the Monte Carlo or Sportline variants which get red and black styling elements, respectively.

As for standout colours, the Tornado Red and Lava Blue go grab some attention, but my pick would definitely be the Carbon Steel Matte for its sporty appeal.

Also, the design elements used like the sharp LED headlamps, stylish alloy wheels, and chrome/blacked-out inserts (based on which variant you choose), gives the Kushaq a sporty look which can be very appealing to an enthusiast.

If you are planning to buy the Kushaq, and want your SUV to look different from the others, you can also opt for the Onyx edition, which is available with the lower-spec variants, or you can pick the Monte Carlo edition, which is offered with the mid- and top-spec variants

Design & Quality

Due to its size and traditional SUV styling, getting in and out of the Kushaq is pretty easy. The doors open wide enough and the seats are placed at a neutral height to allow effortless ingress and egress, even for the elderly.

Kushaq’s cabin comes in a dual-tone black and grey theme, which looks dark but not dull. You get textured elements on the dashboard along with chrome and gloss black inserts, and it also comes with a dual-spoke steering wheel which makes the dashboard look even sportier. With the Sportline variant, you get an all-black cabin, and the Monte Carlo edition brings a black cabin with red inserts on the dashboard and seats, which further adds to the existing sportiness. 

While the cabin has a sporty and an upmarket feel, the cabin quality could have been better in certain places. The buttons on the centre console and steering wheel are solid, the AC vents are sturdy, and the metallic knobs on the steering wheel are also a nice touch. To make the cabin feel more premium, you also get soft touch padding on the doors. However, the chrome strip on the dashboard squeaks, and the quality of the cabin lamp buttons feels cheap.

Front Seats

With the Kushaq, you get a height adjustable driver seat from the base variant, along with both tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment, which makes it very easy to find your ideal driving position.

As for the front seats, they are finished in leatherette upholstery, they are wide enough for people for wider frames, and the large contours also hold you in place. Users who are over 6ft tall will also like the amount of space available, as the seat has a long travel range and the centre console doesn’t foul with your left knee. On top of this, both front seats are 6-way power adjustable, and come with a ventilation function. The footwell has enough leg space for an average sized adult, but tall passengers might find it to be a little cramped at least in the manual transmission variants.

The visibility here will not make you complain. There are no major blind spots to restrict your view, the windows and windshield are wide enough for good frontal visibility, and the rear windshield is also big enough to not cause any issues.

Rear Seat Space

The rear seats also get the same leatherette treatment as the front, and offer good space for 2 passengers. There is ample amount of legroom and knee room, headroom is sufficient even for taller people, and the underthigh support is also good. But, due to the width of the car, 3 passengers won’t be comfortable at the back, and their shoulders will overlap.

The lack of a middle headrest and the upright seating position will make long drives uncomfortable for the middle passenger. So, it's better to use this as a 4-seater. Also, due to the dark cabin theme and the less cabin width, you do feel a little cramped. There are no issues in visibility.

Storage Options

For practicality, the Kushaq gets 1-litre bottle holders in all four doors, two cupholders in the front, storage in the front armrest, a cooled glovebox, and it gets clips in the sunshade and on the windshield to keep receipts.

The rear passengers get seat back pockets behind both front seats, which have a separate slot to keep a phone, and the centre armrest gets two cupholders.

Charging Options

For charging options, front passengers get a wireless phone charger and two USB Type-C ports. Rear passengers also get two USB Type-C ports, but there are no USB Type-A ports in the entire cabin.

To sum up, the Kushaq’s cabin offers a good blend of space and sportiness, and has enough practicality to keep all passengers satisfied. But, this is strictly a four seater and the finish quality, while good, will not necessarily impress.

Features

The Skoda Kushaq is not the most feature rich model in its segment, but it offers enough to keep you satisfied.

It also gets a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with sporty graphics and the screen supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay which run seamlessly. This touchscreen does not lag but the user interface can take some time to get used to as it’s not very phone-like to interact with

This setup is paired with a 6-speaker sound system which will not give you a great surround sound audio quality, but it is good enough for you to enjoy your regular drives.

There is an 8-inch digital driver’s display as well with similar sporty graphics, and you can choose what information you want on either side. It also gets multiple themes which you can change as per your liking. 

The execution of all features is great and you won’t face any issues, however, there is one thing which could have been better, and it is the operation of climate control. Unlike most cars, which have physical controls to adjust the temperature and fan speed, the Kushaq has touch controls, which might look good, but are very hard to use while driving. Physical controls for the AC would have been appreciated.

The Kushaq is known for its safety as it has a 5-star crash test safety rating from Global NCAP, and we expect a similar rating at Bharat NCAP as well. In terms of safety features, it gets 6 airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), ISOFIX child seat anchors, and rear parking sensors.

Higher variants also get an auto dimming IRVM, auto headlamps, hill hold control, and a rear parking camera. However, the execution of the rear parking camera could have been better.

Firstly, its feed is very small, which makes it hard to see, and secondly, in low light conditions, the feed becomes grainy.

385-litres of boot space is less compared to other cars in the segment, at least on paper. But, due to the deep design of the boot, you can easily fit an entire suitcase set (small, medium, and large) with ease, and you’ll still have space left for one soft bag.

If you have more luggage, or are shifting, you can fold the rear seats in a 60:40 ratio, which will give you ample space for more luggage.

The Kushaq comes with two turbo-petrol engine options, both of which pack a punch. The smaller 1-litre unit will get you through your daily drives with ease, but both will give you an exhilarating drive experience.

1.5-litre Turbo Petrol

This engine accelerates pretty quickly, and even during hard acceleration, there are close to no vibrations in the footwell, indicating how refined the engine is.

City Performance

With this powertrain, you can easily cruise around in the city, and overtakes will be a piece of cake. Even in city traffic, the DCT will give you a smooth and hassle free drive, but in bumper-to-bumper traffic, you will feel a slight jerk when moving from a standstill. Unfortunately, there is no manual transmission on offer anymore.

This turbo-petrol engine comes with cylinder deactivation technology, which shuts down two cylinders when you’re cruising, resulting in reduced fuel consumption in select conditions. In the city, you can get around 11-12kmpl based on how you drive.

Highway Performance

On highways, you get the same quick acceleration, and getting to triple digits takes no time. Overtakes are effortless, and here is where you’ll get to see how exciting the drive is. The gears shift on time, and the inclusion of paddle shifters also adds a pinch of sportiness.

This is where you actually enjoy your drives as this engine is extremely responsive. There is no delay in power, you accelerate progressively, and you’ll also like the sound this engine makes during hard acceleration.

On the fuel efficiency front, you’ll be able to get around 15-16kmpl on the highway.

1-litre Turbo-petrol

This 3-cylinder engine is just as peppy and punchy as the bigger one, and its vibrations are well controlled as well. While it is the smaller engine, it’s still quite spirited to use. That said, it’s not as smooth as any 4-cylinder engine offered by its rivals and you can tell it’s a 3-cylinder engine. 

City Performance

The performance inside the city is quite similar to the bigger engine, and you can easily overtake others around you. The power is delivered smoothly without any jerks, and driving in city traffic is effortless. With this engine, handling bumper-to-bumper traffic becomes easier as there is no sudden jerk when you press the throttle. However, turbo lag is evident. There is a notable surge in performance around 1800rpm and performance doesn’t build up in the same, linear manner as the naturally-aspirated engines offered by the Kushaq’s rivals. If you’re new to driving turbocharged engines, this will need a little getting used to but it doesn’t take long before you start enjoying it.

Here, you get a manual transmission with a light clutch, so navigating city commutes is not difficult. But if you want convenience, the 6-speed automatic will give you that with its smooth and timely shifts.

Here, you’ll get around 12kmpl in the city

Highway Performance

On the highway, it will not be as exciting as the 1.5-litre engine, but you can still have some fun and usability is great. Power is delivered instantly and getting to triple digits will not take time. Overtaking at cruising speeds will not be a hassle, but at triple digit speeds, you’ll need to plan your overtakes.

Here, the automatic does the job well and changes gears without giving very noticeable jerks, but it is not as quick or exciting as the DCT. If you want to have more fun on your highway drives, we’d recommend the manual.

Fuel efficiency here will be around 16-17kmpl.

Ride Comfort

With the aforementioned sporty drive, you get a smooth and comfortable ride quality, to a certain extent. In the city, the potholes and speed breakers are absorbed easily, and much of the movement is not transferred to the cabin. Bigger speed breakers or deeper potholes are also not a big problem, but we’ll suggest that you slow down over them to avoid side to side movement in the cabin.

But, the NVH levels could have been better. While you don’t feel a lot of vibrations in the footwell, you do hear the sounds of the tyres and suspensions, especially on rough roads. But other than these things, the ride quality of the Kushaq will not disappoint you.

Handling

On highways, the undulations and cracks are handled well, and it feels very planted on high speeds, even during quick lane changes. The handling this car offers will appeal to the enthusiast in you, and you will enjoy driving this car on the highways.

The Skoda Kushaq can be had in 6 variants, 3 of which are special editions: Classic, Onyx, Signature, Sportline, Monte Carlo, and Prestige.

Classic

• Available only with the 1-litre turbo-petrol manual powertrain.

• Gets halogen headlamps, LED tail lamps, 16-inch steel wheels with covers, a rear spoiler, and chrome surround on the grille.

• Cabin gets black fabric seats, a height adjustable driver seat, and a front armrest.

• Features include anti-glare IRVM, manual AC, rear AC vents, and all power windows.

• Gets an infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen, wired Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, and a 6-speaker sound system.

• Safety kit gets 6 airbags, ESC, TPMS, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and rear parking sensors.

Onyx

• This is a special edition available only with the 1-litre turbo-petrol automatic powertrain.

• Gets 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps, LED fog lamps, LED DRLs, and ‘Onyx’ badging on the B-pillar.

• Changes to the cabin are limited to a leather wrapped steering wheel.

• Feature and safety additions include automatic climate control, a rear defogger, hill hold control, and a rear wiper.

Signature

• Gets both manual and automatic transmissions with the 1-litre turbo-petrol engine.

• Exterior gets 17-inch alloy wheels, silver skid plates, rear fog lamps, and electrically foldable ORVMs.

• Cabin gets a dual-tone theme with red inserts, chrome trims around the AC vents, 60:40 split rear seats, dual-tone fabric seats, and a rear centre armrest.

• Additional features include ambient lighting, electric sunroof, and cruise control.

• The infotainment package gets a 10-inch touchscreen that supports wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay.

• Safety kit gets a rear parking camera, rain sensing wipers, and an auto-dimming IRVM.

Sportline

• This variant gets an all-black treatment and is available with both engine options.

• Exterior gets 17-inch all-black alloy wheels, gloss black bumper finish, and an all-black grille.

• Rest is the same as the Signature variant.

Monte Carlo

• This is a special edition which gets dual-tone 17-inch alloys, red brake calipers, a rear dual-tone spoiler, chrome inserts on front bumper, and Monte Carlo badging on the fenders.

• Cabin gets red inserts in the centre console and on the door handles along with red ambient lighting and black and red leatherette seats.

• Feature additions include 6-way powered and ventilated front seats, an 8-inch digital driver’s display, and a wireless phone charger.

• Infotainment package comes with a red theme for the touchscreen and a more premium 6-speaker sound system.

• Safety kit gets no major additions.

Prestige

• Comes with 17-inch silver alloy wheels, chrome inserts on door handles, and a chrome strip on the window line.

• Cabin gets black and grey leatherette seats and leather padding on front and rear armrests.

• No other changes over the Monte Carlo.

CarDekho Recommends

• Pick the base-spec Classic variant if you’re on a budget. It covers all departments, gets an infotainment package, and offers a good safety kit. Pick the Onyx edition if you want an automatic transmission.

• Signature variant is the most value for money and it offers a better deal in all ley departments and offers the option of the more powerful turbo-petrol engine.

• The Monte Carlo should be your pick if you want a better looking design, a more premium cabin, and a feature rich experience.

You should not buy the Kushaq if you are looking for a car with the richest cabin experience or the most features for the money. If you want these things, cars like the Hyundai Creta or Kia Seltos would be better for you. If you want a car which has great mileage and has good space for 5 passengers, the Maruti Grand Vitara or the Toyota Hyryder will be better for you.

What the Kushaq does very well is offer a balance. It’s fun to drive but gets the fundamentals of a family car right. The boot space isn’t the biggest on paper but is actually more practical and usable than its rivals. The rear seat space isn’t great for three users, but for two, it’s very accommodating. The features-list may not be the heaviest, but there are no deal breaking misses either. And while the car will make enthusiasts smile, it also keeps them comfortable with its ride, handling and safety package. The Kushaq then, isn’t the car with the most flash value but does what’s needed to keep you happy in the long-term. 

Other Options To Consider

Hyundai Creta/Kia Seltos

Reasons To Consider

• Better feature package

• Option of a diesel engine

• Better second row space

Reasons To Ignore

• Not as fun to drive

• More expensive top-spec variants

Maruti Grand Vitara/Toyota Hyryder

Reasons To Consider

• Better rear seat space

• Fuel efficient hybrid powertrain

Reasons To Ignore

• No turbo-petrol engine option

• Compromised boot space in hybrid variants

Honda Elevate

Reasons To Consider

• Better rear seat space

• Most affordable in the segment

• Premium cabin quality

Reasons To Ignore

• Less features

• No turbo-petrol engine option