Skoda Kylaq To Get A More Affordable Variant Soon
The Skoda Kylaq has been witnessing good demand in the Indian market. Since its market entry in December last year, the Kylaq has been selling well in most parts of our country. We also saw the carmaker coming up with variant and feature rejigs to maximize the SUV's appeal. In the latest development, Skoda is known to be working on a new, more affordable variant of the Kylaq which would bridge the current price gap between the Classic and Signature trims and offer kit levels accordingly.
The Kylaq is available in four broad trims- Classic, Signature, Signature Plus and Prestige. The Classic has an ex-showroom starting price of Rs 8.25 lakh. The Signature has an ex-showroom price of 9.85 lakh. There is thus a price gap of Rs 1.6 lakh between the first two variants- mostly brought about by the enhanced feature list.
Skoda hasn't revealed a precise launch timeline for the new variant. We, however, expect it to be out by the end of this year. It will make the Kylaq appeal to more buyers who are capped in the sub-10 lakh budget range. At present, it is just the Classic that sits well under the 10-lakh mark, as the Signature's on-road cost would go well above 10 lakh rupees.
Much of the initial demand for the Kylaq was for the lower variants- a fact that the carmaker didn't hesitate to admit, later. Skoda entering the value-centric segment interested many.
The new variant with its ex-showroom price between Rs 8.25 lakh and 9.85 lakh, could appeal to more such people and also offer a better cabin experience than what the 'Classic' does- which honestly, is fairly rudimentary! Having several variants on sale in a tight-packed price range, is a strategy we have seen many volume players adopt- Hyundai and Tata Motors to cite a few examples. If pulled off well, this game plan could give Skoda a solid place in the segment.
Skoda Kylaq Classic vs Signature: Variant Comparison
Let's start with the base-spec 'Classic' variant. It comes with just the six-speed manual transmission and rides on 16-inch steel wheels. Inside the cabin, we get to see fabric seats, tilt-adjustable steering, manual air conditioning system, a front armrest, powered ORVMs, auto engine start-stop, rear AC vents, power windows, four speakers, and analogue dials with a digital MID. It misses out on an infotainment system though.
On the safety front, the Classic variant gets 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC (electronic stability control), central locking, three-point seatbelts for all passengers, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and traction control. The Kylaq has one of the best-loaded base variants in its segment.
When it comes to the Signature variant, the feature list sees a major revision. It is also the first Kylaq variant to offer the choice of an automatic transmission. It rides on 16-inch alloy wheels, and gets a rear defogger. The door handles here, are Chromed.
Inside, the variant comes with a 6.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired smartphone mirroring, dual-tone seats, dashboard and door panels, steering-mounted controls, chrome garnish on AC vents and door handles, 2 tweeters to increase the sound quality, USB type-C charging ports at the front, and a rear parcel tray. The safety suite sees the addition of a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
Both variants are powered by Volkswagen Group's 1.0TSI turbocharged petrol engine that produces 118hp and 175 Nm of torque. Skoda is known to be developing a petrol-CNG dual-fuel powertrain that would make an appearance on the Kylaq, sometime soon. It is expected to deliver diesel-like fuel efficiency and better running costs.