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Skoda launched two new products in the Indian market in the last couple of years as part of the brand’s India 2.0 strategy. Both Kushaq and Slavia are performing well in terms of sales, and it appears that the brand is now planning to expand its portfolio. Skoda is now planning to launch a new model in the Indian market. The manufacturer has confirmed that it will be an SUV that will compete with the likes of Maruti Brezza and Hyundai Venue in the sub-4 meter segment, which has been experiencing immense growth and competition.
This is one of the most popular SUV segments in the country and it is continually growing. Skoda, with its new model, aims to enter this highly competitive segment. According to reports available online, the upcoming SUV from Skoda will be manufactured in India and will also be the smallest SUV in its global portfolio. Martin Jahn, Board Member for Sales and Marketing at Skoda Auto, told CarandBike, “For India, the next step is the sub-four meter [model] and then the electric car. The sub-four-meter [model] is a small SUV. It’s very much ready.”
While senior officials say that the sub-4 meter SUV is almost ready, we expect it to be launched sometime next year. Jahn also mentioned that Skoda is currently evaluating the international market to get a fair idea of whether exporting the upcoming sub-4 meter SUV would make business sense. He also mentioned that only India offers tax benefits to sub-4 meter SUVs or cars, while other countries do not.
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Skoda also mentioned that they will not be utilizing the sub-4 meter SUV platform to build a hatchback for the market, as it doesn’t see much potential for it in the current market scenario. Jahn added, “At the moment, we are focusing on the SUV because I think that’s what the customers want in India. I don’t think that bringing a sub-four meter hatchback would be successful.”
The upcoming sub-4 meter SUV will use a scaled-down version of the MQB A0 IN platform. The design of the SUV is expected to resemble current Skoda models. Depending on the response from customers, Volkswagen might also come up with a similar product, as both brands fall under the same group and their vehicles share the same platform as well.
We expect the upcoming sub-4 meter SUV to be a scaled-down version of the Kushaq. It will have a bold and premium-looking exterior design with a decent number of features. The upcoming SUV will compete with existing leaders like Brezza, Venue, and Sonet in this segment. The SUV is expected to offer features like automatic climate control, ventilated seats, an electric sunroof, leatherette upholstery, and more. The upcoming SUV from Skoda is likely to be offered with a single engine option, a 1.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine that is already available with the Kushaq. We are not sure whether the engine will be offered in the same state of tune. This engine is available with 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmission options.
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