Skoda Kylaq

These days, when you get any car, you are presented with a true agony of choice with options like multiple engines, gearboxes, FWD, RWD, etc. Skoda has kept things decisively simple, and the only choice you have to make is between a classic 6‑speed or a smooth torque converter.

The fantastic 1.0L turbo‑petrol is your only choice. On paper, it makes 114 hp and 178 Nm, which sounds and feels perfectly okay for quick urban runs and highway cruising. On my usual test route of Udyog Vihar–Azadpur–GT Karnal Road, I found the engine to be very tractable from about 2000–5000 rpm.

Skoda has done a good job in keeping the usual NVH from three‑cylinder engines and turbo lag to a minimum. We were surprised to find that there wasn’t any insulation under the hood, and yet the engine was free of any buzzkill vibration—something Renault needs to catch up on.

The turbo engine seemed hesitant with its power when we gunned the pedal from a complete stop. The sweet spot is from about 1800–2000 rpm. From there to redline, the engine pulls nicely with noticeable thrust during in‑gear acceleration.

We drove the Kylaq with a torque converter, which proved to be something we were quite proud of in bumper‑to‑bumper traffic near Mahipalpur on our way back from Connaught Place.
The gearbox had no trouble finding gears and held onto them a bit longer in S mode, allowing us to bounce off the redline—something the owner knew we would do and told us not to. Oh well!

The Kylaq gave us about 17.7 kmpl on highways and 12 kmpl in the city—excellent figures considering our rev‑happy driving style. Frugal owners with light feet will do much better; we have seen a 20 kmpl readout in another manual Kylaq.

Kylaq is based on a highly modified platform shared with Kushaq and Slavia. We have driven the former and are pleased to say that the compact SUV from Skoda offered a similar amount of comfort and on‑road performance. The steering was very nimble at low and moderate speeds, which made tight turns a breeze. Its short overhangs and wider‑than‑normal track meant excellent stability and poise.

Unlike the 3XO, the Kylaq has a low beltline, which means hawk‑like visibility and awareness all around.

Most people, including myself, had very high expectations from Skoda in terms of build quality, given their Kushaq and Slavia lineup. But let's not forget that this is the cheapest Skoda you can buy. We felt this once we got inside the cabin; since we had the top trim, the leather steering wheel and faux‑leather seats with contrasting white stitching looked pretty premium.

The doors and dash were also covered with this fake leather (it's a 16‑lakh car, come on Skoda), which felt premium regardless. Hard plastics are also abundant near the center console and on the under‑dash, which may have worked on the entry‑level model but here ruined the experience a bit—it's the case with all cars in this segment.

The electrically adjustable, ventilated seats made chores hassle‑free.

The whole vibe of the car, in atypical German fashion, was a blend of minimalistic styling and tech.

I really do appreciate the Type‑C ports, which were a blessing given our phones, laptop, and camera adapter that required frequent charging. I found the seats to be quite body‑hugging and held me in place, but my coworker Sayan, with his broad waist and stocky build, was pouring out of the seats, LOL.

Skoda states that the Kylaq is good for five people, which is a bit of an overstatement. Four full‑sized adults can sit comfortably. The boot is big enough to hold several kilos of cargo on its own, and with the seats folded, it's practically endless. You also get a couple of cargo hooks with a 3‑kg weight limit.
Skoda has nailed the tech basics by providing must‑haves like wireless Android Auto and CarPlay, along with a 6‑speaker setup on higher trims. We felt the audio was okay but would have benefited from the addition of a subwoofer. The ambient interior lights were done tastefully, but we mostly left them on a static blue color.

 The sunroof did a good job of lending an airy vibe, given our dark, black‑on‑black interior colors.

At first glance—which I intentionally started at the front—the Skoda DNA is pretty evident in the Kylaq. All variants get DRL as standard, and ours included projector headlamps with automatic on/off. The 3D grille is eye‑catching, and the 17‑inch alloy wheels somewhat justified its 16‑lakh spruce tag.

I am not a fan of the bottom air/dam grille, though, as it will be a pain to clean in a few weeks' time—something the owner also admits. You also get LED fog lights and a customary sunroof; the latter, for some reason, is a priority for some Indian drivers.

The side profile is clean and simple—nothing admirable—while the rear, with its comically small tail lights, is amusing and takes some time to get used to. The big and needless plastic strip at the back screams budget segment/cost cutting; so do the plasticky wheel cladding and fake skid plates that kill the overall posh Skoda vibe a bit.

Skoda has taken care of the usual and then some. You get 6 airbags and all the electronic helpers like ABS, EBD, and TCS as standard. Little things like anti‑pinch windows and reflective tape on all sides are also welcome.

What is not welcome—and this goes for the VW offerings too—is the drum brake setup. Mahindra has started offering all four discs as standard, something Skoda should learn from. But in all fairness, the drum brakes are pretty well tuned as long as they are allowed to cool properly between high‑speed stops.

Skoda Kylaq is the sportiest in it segment but rivals like Breeza, Sonet, Punch 3XO, Magnite and Syros are equally impressive.

Skoda Kylaq blends performance, safety, and practicality in a very well‑rounded package that is hard to ignore. Skoda is offering pretty comprehensive maintenance packages and warranties to further sweeten the deal. The only gripe we have is that some bits that look okay on low‑end Classic variants quickly turn into an eyesore on Signature Plus trims, which cost 16 lakhs‑plus on‑road.