The Skoda Kushaq and the Kylaq have a lot in common, sharing some of the body panels, a lot of the equipment list, and even the interior dashboard. More importantly, both SUVs also have the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, including the manual and automatic gearbox options. The Kylaq, being smaller and lighter than the Kushaq, is obviously the quicker of the two, but by exactly how much? We test the petrol-AT variants of both SUVs to find out.
- Both Kylaq and Kushaq get a 115hp, 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine
- The Kylaq has a 29kg weight advantage
Skoda Kylaq and Kushaq engine and specs
Both SUVs are matched in terms of power and torque output
| Skoda Kylaq vs Kushaq specs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kylaq | Kushaq | |
| Engine type | 3-cyls, turbo-petrol | 3-cyls, turbo-petrol |
| Displacement | 999cc | 999cc |
| Power | 115hp | 115hp |
| Torque | 178Nm | 178Nm |
| Gearbox | 6-speed torque converter | 6-speed torque converter |
| Kerb weight | 1255kg | 1284kg |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 91.63hp/tonne | 89.56hp/tonne |
| Torque-to-weight ratio | 141.83Nm/tonne | 138.62Nm/tonne |
The 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine produces 115hp and 178Nm of peak torque on both the Kylaq and Kushaq. In their automatic guise, both get a 6-speed torque converter unit. Where the Kylaq edges ahead of the Kushaq is in terms of weight – being 29kg lighter, it has better power-to-weight and torque-to-weight ratios. Let’s see how much that gap affects their real-world performance.
Skoda Kylaq vs Kushaq 0-100kph acceleration
Kushaq is quicker off the line, but falls behind at 100kph
| Skoda Kylaq vs Kushaq 0-100kph | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Kylaq | Kushaq | Difference |
| 20kph | 1.47 sec | 1.08 sec | -0.39 sec |
| 40kph | 2.97 sec | 2.59 sec | -0.38 sec |
| 60kph | 5.13 sec | 5.06 sec | -0.07 sec |
| 80kph | 7.97 sec | 8.23 sec | +0.26 |
| 100kph | 11.69 sec | 13.16 sec | +1.47 |
| 120kph | 16.02 sec | 18.40 sec | +2.38 |
In our test, the Kushaq was actually quicker off the line, maintaining a slight advantage up until 60kph. However, by 80kph, the Kylaq managed to claw back an advantage. At 100kph, it pulled a gap of 1.47 seconds, which further expanded to 2.38 seconds by 120kph. It’s at the higher speeds where the Kylaq’s lighter weight played to its advantage.
.png?w=700&c=0)
Skoda Kylaq vs Kushaq rolling acceleration
The gap in rolling acceleration is much less
.png?w=700&c=0)
| Skoda Kylaq vs Kushaq rolling acceleration | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed | Kylaq | Kushaq | Difference |
| 20-80kph (3rd gear) | 6.38 sec | 7.35 sec | 0.97 sec |
| 40-100kph (4th gear) | 8.72 sec | 9.65 sec | 0.93 sec |
Our performance tests also showed that the Kylaq automatic posts a 0.97-second quicker time in the 20-80kph rolling acceleration in third gear. The gap was similar in the 40-100kph rolling acceleration in fourth gear, with a difference of 0.93 seconds in favour of the Kylaq. Here, both SUVs were more closely matched.
.png?w=700&c=0)
The top-end Kylaq Prestige AT is priced at Rs 13.99 lakh, while the top-end Kushaq Prestige AT is priced at Rs 17.49 lakh (both ex-showroom, India). If outright performance is your priority, and you do not have the budget to step up to the Kushaq’s 1.5-litre TSI variants, you’d be better off with the smaller and more affordable Kylaq.
Autocar India’s testing standards
Before conducting our performance tests, we check and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendation and ensure the car has a full fuel tank. The car is then tested in a controlled environment with two people on board, and the data is collected via highly accurate GPS-based timing equipment.
