Planning for Turbo Petrol SUV under ₹10 Lakh? 5 Reasons to Consider Skoda Kylaq

Buyers, when exploring for a new sub-4m compact SUV, which has good performance, is safe, and has decent features, there are various options available in the market. Under ₹10 lakh, you have options like the Tata Nexon, the Hyundai Venue, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, and others. In this segment, if you are looking for a German SUV, then you can check out the Skoda Kylaq.

Skoda India recently updated the Kyalq with new variants and introduced automatic transmission in lower trims. It comes with decent features like a reverse parking camera, cruise control, a sunroof, front ventilated seats, and others. Talking about performance, it has a 1.0L TSI petrol engine, paired with a manual or an automatic gearbox. Moreover, it has scored a five-star in the Bharat NCAP crash test.

Recently, we drove the Skoda Kylaq in the city and on the highways and tested its performance, driving dynamics, comfort, and other factors. Here are the top five reasons that can help buyers decide if it fits their needs and preferences.

Performance

The Skoda Kylaq comes with a 1.0L inline three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, which makes 120 bhp and 170 Nm of torque, paired with a six-speed manual or a torque converter automatic gearbox. Since we drove the manual gearbox, it is one of the most fun-to-drive German SUVs available under ₹10 lakh in the market currently.

The performance from the engine is good and has a punchy character. Since we drove the manual, it was more fun and engaging to drive. The gearing in the Kylaq is on the taller side, and the third gear reaches to almost 120 km/h, and you still have three more gears to go. However, the clutch travel is a bit long, and you’ll require some time to get used to it. The turbo lag is there, and it requires downshifting.

Talking about the performance band, the low-end is decent, the mid-range is the sweet spot, and the top-end is where the engine screams a bit. However, if you have a mixed driving of city and on highways, you’ll enjoy driving this car. If you are concerned about fuel efficiency, then in the mixed driving conditions of city and highway, during our drive, it returned us a fuel efficiency of 12.3 km/L.

Features

Though Skoda does not offer flashy features in the Kylaq like other competitive models in the market, the features on offer in the Kylaq do the job well. It comes with a 10.1-inch infotainment system, a digital instrument cluster, a wireless charger, front-ventilated seats, and others.

The infotainment system comes with wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it connected instantly. However, there were times when it did not connected and multiple other Kylaq owners also reported this problem. Moreover, it comes with only a reverse parking camera, not a 360-degree parking camera, which is a missing feature at this price in this segment.

Comfort

The Kylaq offers a comfortable cabin space. The front seats are soft and cushiony, and have good bolstering support. There is decent cabin space, and the shoulders do not rub. Since it is a sub-4m compact SUV, with the seat moved back, there is hardly any space for the rear-seat passengers. Since it uses grey hard plastics, passengers can feel a bit claustrophobic in the cabin.

Talking about rear-seat comfort, there is decent space on offer. If you are a tall passenger, you may feel a tight space to be in, and to get a bigger boot, the rear seat space is a bit compromised. The seat cushioning is on point, and you get rear AC vents and Type-C charging ports to increase your comfort levels.

Design

The design of the Skoda Kylaq is striking and elegant. It comes with a split setup for the LED headlamps, and the throw of it at night is good. We did not face any difficulty while driving at night, and had a wide view. The fog lamps are integrated into the headlamps themselves.

Coming to the sides, since it is a sub-4m compact SUV, the difference in length and wheelbase is evident. It comes with black cladding running all around the car, giving it a sporty character. The doors feel heavy and have a chrome bar on them to give them a premium look. The Kylaq runs on 17-inch alloys, and it offers a comfortable ride quality.

At the rear, the design of the Kylaq is simple, and it has square-shaped LED taillamps. Though it comes with LED units, Skoda has cut corners as it provides halogen units for the indicators and the reverse lamps.

Price

The price of the Skoda Kylaq starts at ₹8.60 lakh (on-road, Noida) for the base variant. It is a great option for buyers who are looking for a turbo petrol SUV with great performance, comfort, and German driving dynamics. 

However, the recent update has introduced new variants to the Kylaq, making it more accessible for budget-conscious buyers. Though it misses out on some features that could be a dealbreaker for buyers. If you can compromise on some features, it is a good, fun-to-drive car under ₹10 lakh.

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