Skoda Kylaq SUV first-drive review: Biggest offensive in compact packaging

Skoda is sure that the Kylaq can sell upwards of 8,000 units each month. It is a bold claim considering no previous Skoda model in the country has done this kind of sales number. But for claims, confidence and promise, the Kylaq will have to fight out of its skin. It will be the best-selling Skoda in India but will it be one of the stars in its segment?

Here is our first-drive review of Skoda Kylaq:

Skoda Kylaq: Exterior Design Highlights

If elder brother Kushaq is one of the smallest models in the mid-SUV space, the Kylaq is one off the largest in the sub-four-meter segment. Measuring in at 3,995 mm in length, 1,783 mm in width and standing 1,619 mm tall, the Kylaq is fairly large for its segment. In particular, its wheelbase of of 2,566 mm is longer than that of Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon and Kia Sonet, and marginally less than that of Mahindra 3XO.

As far as styling is concerned, the Kylaq looks dapper without trying way too hard. From the front, a shiny Black front grille takes centerstage – quite literally and is flanked on either side by LED DRLs and LED headlight units. The sculpted bonnet and a fairly muscular bumper lends a lot of visual appeal to the SUV.

In comparison, the side profile is simple and clean. The SUV stands on 17-inch alloy wheels, gets Black roof rails and door sill cladding with hexagonal patterns.

Even at the back, it is more a simple design philosophy with squarish tail lights, shark fin antenna and a Black band with ‘Skoda’ lettering running all across it. The rear bumper has also been given a bit more pronounced shape to add some visual flavour.

Overall, the Skoda Kylaq looks quite smart from all sides without being extravagant in any way. Available in seven single-tone colour options, the SUV doesn’t really try to stand out and follow trends and to us, that’s actually good.

Skoda Kylaq: Cabin Space and Features

The Kylaq cabin is a sensible, practical place to be in. While you may not be bombarded with features, it offers comfortable seats and a lot of space at the back -for a car in this segment.

The rear seats get generous under-thigh support and decent amount of leg and knee room. The head room is also acceptable and there are three dedicated headrests, foldout armrest with cupholders, AC vents, Type-C charging points and a scooped section behind the front seats to place your phones in. Points though need to be taken off because the center console eats into the feet space for the passenger in the middle.

At the front, Kylaq offers a 10-inch infotainment screen that is responsive to touch but with a lot of glare. There is an eight-inch all-digital driver display which is easy to read, a two-spoke steering wheel with mounted controls and rake/reach functionality, seat ventilation, grip-type cupholders in the middle, storage space on the dashboard, large glovebox compartment with sunglass pocket and automatic climate control. The front two seats can be adjusted electronically as well and a standard-sized sunroof has been incorporated as well.

But what is underwhelming is the pathetic feed from the rear cameras which is ancient by today’s standards. HD quality – and nothing less – is what ought to have been in place even if we understand why a 360-degree view has been skipped. And then there is the wireless charging pad that has a mood of its own – working only occasionally, at least in our test unit.

Overall, Kylaq’s high drive height – 189 mm of ground clearance, spacious cabin and practical features should satiate the needs of the everyday buyer. A special mention here of the 446 litres of cargo area that is the biggest in the segment, plus the option to split-fold the rear seats.

Skoda Kylaq: Drive Highlights

The Kylaq is powered by a 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder petrol motor that is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and a six-speed automatic transmission unit.

Press the engine start button and the Kylaq instantly tells you it is a Skoda. Well mannered till the time you want it to be a bad boy, the SUV is very well planted at low to moderate speeds and can pick up pace fairly well all the way towards triple-digit speeds. While we only briefly drove the MT – the stick was fairly easy to shift, the AT was quite capable of dancing around the numbers as well.

With 114 bhp and 178 Nm of torque, the Kylaq is fun on open stretches while ambling well within city limits too. And while the suspension setup remains a bit too stiff for our liking, the SUV manages to treat most road faults with flair.

On the flipside, there is some degree of engine noise at idle and some of it also seeps into the cabin. On the move though, the noise is less noticeable unless pushing the RPM meter to higher numbers aggressively.

Skoda Kylaq: Verdict:

Not having a sub-four-meter SUV in current times is blasphemous for any mass-market player. And thankfully, Skoda is not in the space only to mark its attendance. The Kylaq – as a standalone model – ticks several boxes that would be on the list of potential buyers. Exciting drive? Sure. Spacious cabin? Sure. Decent number of features? Yes.

But there still isn’t something that’s remarkably impressive, something that will make jaws drop, no absolute wow factor. And that’s where at least few of its rivals will still stand out. Kylaq may fightback to an extent with its attractive pricing towards the lower and mid variants but the full package – at ₹14.40 lakh (ex-showroom) – is right in the same league as many of its rivals.

In our opinion, Kylaq will surely seek out a younger customer base that prioritises fun drive traits in a fairly smart-looking package. It has the potential to sell in good numbers, just not by the truckloads. And that’s because of the competition at hand.

First Published Date: 25 Jan 2025, 10:57 AM IST