You could argue there was no better long-term test for the Skoda Kylaq than being driven 19,351 kilometres from India to Czechia. However, for those of us who can’t go on a two-month-long adventure full of culture, cuisine and continent-crossing, here’s what it’s been like trudging through Mumbai traffic for the last few weeks.
I’ve been fascinated by the Kylaq since its launch in early 2025, and apart from a few quick peeks at it when it came in for other shoots, I had never really driven one before this. So, now that it’s finally joined the Autocar India fleet, I’ve been more than happy to take it on for its first couple of weeks. And just as a proposition alone, I’m amazed that Group partner Volkswagen didn’t immediately jump on this idea and do a compact SUV in parallel. Guess we’ll just have to wait until 2027.
The formula is simple enough – a Kushaq, but slightly smaller and using only the lesser 1.0-litre engine. But the more time I spend in here, the more I wonder if there’s any need for a Kushaq 1.0 TSI at all – this thing offers pretty much everything it does. At no moment does it feel lesser in any way – same step up into the cabin, same solid slam on door shut, same high-set driving position. And features? Apart from the Kushaq’s newly added panoramic sunroof, bigger driver’s display and rear massaging seats, it has everything else!
There are two mechanical changes that I hope make their way to the Kylaq soon, though. The first is the 8-speed gearbox, which should help mask one of this car’s shortcomings – turbo lag. The older 6-speed AT in our Kylaq may be smooth while you’re on the move, but at crawling speeds, where I spend most of my time, it can never figure out if it needs to be in first or second, and sometimes changes its mind at the worst possible moment. If it chooses first, it will lurch you forward aggressively, but if it chooses second, it traps you in the dreaded lag zone. Off boost, this 999cc engine feels overwhelmed by the Kylaq’s 1,255kg.
Frustratingly jerky movement aside, where this indecisiveness has really hurt more is my wallet. The constant shifting, switching on and off boost and general inconsistent progress have hit the fuel economy very hard, and I struggle to get past 8kpl on my admittedly slow daily commute. Some of it might be down to the sudden advent of E20 fuel, but eight kilometres per litre in a compact car is criminal. I used to average 10kpl in our 1.5-litre TSI DSG Slavia a few years ago, and the team has been getting more out of our 2.0-litre TSI VW Tayron. So, it’s really down to an overstressed engine and a clumsy gearbox.
The other mechanical change is far less of a problem, and that’s the AC. While this still uses the fixed-geometry compressor from the original Kushaq, it’s a smaller car, so cooling the cabin is rarely an issue, and I drove it through at least one week of our awful heat wave. The thing is, you can feel it’s working overtime to keep the cabin cool, and when set to auto mode, the fan stays on full blast for most of my journey. I often find myself turning it down to have a conversation or enjoy my music.
These two niggles aside, it’s a very pleasing experience, as you might expect from a slightly smaller Kushaq. There’s a certain toughness to it you don’t find in cars from this segment that almost encourages you to seek out potholes and slam through them. There’s a similar firmness to the ride, but I actually like that; it suits my driving style better than something overly soft and rolly. And I’m also willing to forgive a lot for how good those 17-inch wheels look; a bold choice when most of the segment is still running 16s.
I’ll delve more into the interior, tech and other things in a future update, but in this short first experience, I can see how the Kylaq made it to Prague so comfortably and without incident. It’s compact only in size and is a uniquely European addition to the compact SUV segment.
