Škoda offers a new crossover for India’s competitive sub-4 m long market, locally developed and made and priced at ₹789,000
 
Škoda Kylaq side view
Škoda Kylaq rear three-quarter view
Škoda Kylaq interior
 
Škodas have looked very conservative for the most part this side of the 21st century, apart from creative designs such as the Yeti, but the new Kylaq, débuting on the Indian market, shows some promise of a fresh, new direction for the storied Czech brand.

The Kylaq, Škoda India’s third locally developed model after the Kushaq and the Volkswagen Virtus-based Slavia, is a sub-4 m crossover, with a passing resemblance to the former, but with far more interesting surfaces and angles. Up front, slender LED headlights integrate neatly with the Škoda grille. The 4 m restriction seems to have helped the design, giving the cabin a truncated but sportier look. The design theme is what Škoda calls Modern Solid, with the Kylaq the first to adopt it.

With some 50 per cent of sales in India taken by the sub-4 m segment—longer lengths attract greater excise tax—and with A- and B-segment crossovers doing good business, the Kylaq makes perfect sense. Price is at ₹789,000 (c. €8,700).

Dimensions are what one might expect given its brief: 3,995 mm long, 1,783 mm wide, and 1,619 mm tall, with a wheelbase at 2,566 mm. Ground clearance is a generous 189 mm. The sole engine is the 115 PS, 178 Nm 1·0 TSI from the Volkswagen Group, mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic.

Active safety equipment includes six airbags, rollover protection, electronic stability control, even on the base model; go up the range and Škoda offers cornering lights, automatic headlights and wipers, and tyre pressure monitoring. Inside are clever storage spaces, and a 10·1 in infotainment display, plus an 8 in digital cockpit for the driver. Six-way electric ventilated seats for driver and front passenger are standard, and an electric sunroof is available on higher-line models. Sustainable materials are used in some parts of the interior.

The Kylaq is manufactured in the Chakan plant, where 30 per cent or 18·5 MW of the power comes from solar energy, with an aim of increasing to 75 per cent by 2026. It is a water-positive facility.

The Kylaq goes on retail sale in 2025.