The midsize SUV market in India is really heating up with about a dozen contenders, many of which are all-new. With the Kushaq being launched back in 2021, Skoda needed to update the model to keep it fighting fit. Enter the 2026 facelift: there’s the requisite styling update along with some feature enhancements, and unlike typical facelifts, there are some notable technical changes too, so let’s get started with the tech bits first.
Skoda Kushaq Performance and Refinement -
As before, the new Skoda Kushaq comes with two turbo-petrol direct-injection engine options: the 115hp 1.0-litre unit and the 150hp 1.5-litre mill. The big news, however, is the introduction of a new 8-speed automatic gearbox (AQ300) with the 1.0-litre engine, replacing the earlier 6-speed unit (AQ250) – both being torque-converter units sourced from Aisin. The 1.0-litre engine is also available with a 6-speed manual, whereas the 1.5-litre powerplant comes mated only to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
The new 8-speed autobox helps lower emissions and fuel consumption. What has changed is that while the old car had a tendency to leap forward from a standstill, the new car’s initial roll-off, despite still being a bit eager, is much better than before.
On-the-move shifts are very smooth and seamless, as most torque-converter units are, and what’s also really nice is that manual shifts – effected via the paddles or tiptronic gear lever – are very quick, with an almost DSG-like character to them, where you can sense the shift taking place. In manual mode, it also allows for a high rev limit before an automatic upshift; in 1st and 2nd, this happens at about 5,800rpm, whereas in 3rd, it will rev until the 6,000rpm redline before the upshift. It makes for a very engaging drive, and the 1.0-litre engine can be coaxed into being a willing participant, providing a decent level of performance. Our initial testing clocked a 0-100kph time of 11.57 seconds, which is much quicker than the previous 6-speed AT’s 13.16-second time.
If there is any complaint about the gearbox, it’s that all ratios now feel very short; 3rd gear maxes out at a rather low 102kph, and cruising in 8th at 100kph has the engine ticking a little over the 2,000rpm mark, a bit higher than what would be ideal. This also means you are very close to the level where the engine note gets quite coarse. At idle, especially when cold, you can easily hear the rough note typical of a 3-cylinder mill. It settles down when driven in a relaxed manner, but extend the engine beyond 2,500rpm – for instance, when overtaking – and the coarse note does come through. For what is the smaller, less powerful petrol engine option, refinement should have been better, and Skoda would do well to increase the insulation package on the car.
The 4-cylinder 1.5-litre automatic is the same as before, delivering an effortlessly strong performance and brisk flat-out acceleration; shifts via the paddles are expectedly quick. In our tests, the pre-facelift car clocked a 0-100kph time of 9.54 seconds, and this should remain the same with the update. Between the two, this engine would be the one to have – not only for the stronger performance but also because it feels smoother, and its cylinder deactivation tech is efficient too. The system shuts down two of the four cylinders during low-engine-load cruising, and the switching is imperceptible, with only a ‘2-cylinder mode’ notification on the IP indicating its activation.
Like the smaller-engined version, insulation is lacking here too, and when revved hard – which it likes to do – the engine boom grows quite loud. The lower levels of insulation also mean road noise from a coarse surface comes through quite easily.
Skoda Kushaq Mileage and Efficiency -
With the new Kushaq, Skoda claims an increase in efficiency of the 8-speed auto, which sees a 1.0kpl improvement to 19.09kpl, up from 18.09kpl for the earlier 6-speed AT. However, the other two power units see a drop in the claimed ARAI figures, though only very marginally. The 1.0L MT drops from 19.76kpl to 19.66kpl, while the 1.5L DSG drops from 18.86kpl to 18.72kpl.
While we’ll have to wait until we can put the new Kushaq through our standard instrumented fuel-efficiency test cycles, in this drive, the 1.0-litre automatic Kushaq delivered an MID-indicated average efficiency of 11.7kpl over a mixed city and highway cycle. For reference, in our standard cycle, the previous 6-speed AT Kushaq returned an average of 10.45kpl (8.5kpl city and 12.4kpl highway).
Skoda Kushaq Ride Comfort and Handling -
Ride and handling is typically European, with a firm low-speed ride that improves as you go faster. This means that there’s a sharp edge to the low-speed ride over broken ruts and potholes, and due to the lower cabin insulation, you hear the suspension at work, too, which adds to the firm-ride impression. As you build up speed, pliancy improves, and it gets quite comfy. Between the two versions, the ride quality on the 1.5-litre felt slightly better.
Driving briskly over a dirt trail showed good ride and body control as well – roll was well-contained around corners, and the grip was excellent. The steering is light and could do with a bit more weight at speeds. As for braking, the 1.5-litre car now gets rear discs, and braking performance feels strong and confident.
Skoda Kushaq Features and Safety -
The Kushaq was never well-equipped, and with the update, Skoda has addressed some of the shortcomings, if not all. There’s the crowd favourite – a panoramic sunroof on top-spec variants, while other variants get a single-pane unit. Alloy wheels in multiple patterns, auto HVAC, rain-sensing wipers, rear wash-wipe, and an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror (IRVM) are now standard across the range.
There’s a new 10.25-inch fully digital instrument panel with quite a few display options, including twin dials, and on the Monte Carlo trim, there’s an additional single-dial display, along with, of course, a different aesthetic. The dashboard unit remains the same, with just a tweak to the decor bits. The red in the Monte Carlo edition is now a deeper terracotta-like shade, which looks richer than the pre-facelift car’s blood-red hue. The steering wheel, too, has been carried forward; it is nice to grip and comes with lovely knurled scrollers that have a good quality feel.
There’s also dual-colour ambient lighting and an on-board Google-powered AI assistant, but compared to others, it has limited functions and requires you to share your phone’s data connection, which, annoyingly, kills Android Auto connectivity. The big feature addition is the rear-seat massagers. Yes, seat massagers – an offering unique to this segment and the one above, too. However, for a car that isn’t typically chauffeur-driven, the decision to offer massagers at the rear only seems odd. Front-seat massagers or even rear-seat cooling would feel like a better deal. Currently, front seats offer ventilation, while the rear ones have back massagers.
Other features include 6-way powered front seats, front parking sensors and a rear camera. It would have been nice to see Skoda get rid of the touch panel HVAC controls and provide a 360-degree camera, or at least a crisper rear unit, as the feed is a bit grainy. On the safety front, 6 airbags and ESP are standard, and Skoda says the new car, too, is engineered for a 5-star crash-safety rating.
Skoda Kushaq Interior Space and Comfort -
Front-seat ventilation offers two speeds and works quite well; notably, Skoda has improved the AC performance on the new Kushaq. We had often reported that the AC performance was quite weak, with occupants having to resort to keeping the temperature setting at least 2 degrees lower than one would in another car or cranking up the fan speed. This was apparently due to Skoda using a fixed-displacement compressor, which has been replaced by a variable-displacement unit. The cooling improvement is noticeable, and while it is still not peak summer, at no time did we need to increase the fan speed.
Space inside remains the same as before, so rear headroom and legroom are quite sufficient. However, the Kushaq does not feel as spacious as newer rivals such as the Tata Sierra or the new Kia Seltos. The panoramic sunroof does add to the airy feel, though. All seats are comfy with the right level of firmness, and a whole day of driving left us with no complaints. The massagers are provided on the two outboard rear seats, covering the lower and middle regions of the back, excluding only the shoulder area. The massage pattern or intensity cannot be varied, so it is a simple on-and-off function. It works well but is on the lighter side – more of a back rub than a firm kneading – which is how I prefer it.
In terms of interior storage, there’s a large glove box, and the door pockets are spacious too. Boot space remains the same at 385 litres, but it’s really very well-shaped, and we managed to pack six cabin bags quite easily.
Skoda Kushaq Exterior Design and Engineering -
Being a facelift, the Kushaq carries on with the previous car’s MQB-A0-IN underpinnings, and while sheet metal such as the bonnet, fenders and tailgate remains the same, the facelift is still quite dramatic. At the front, there’s a new bumper with a larger air-intake area, and the fog lights are now slimmer and have a vertical extension at their outer edges. The grille is wider and features segmented daytime running lamps (DRLs) that run right through it – similar to the Kushaq’s larger sibling, the Kodiaq – giving the front end quite a distinctive look. The headlights have a new DRL eyebrow-like signature at the top as opposed to the previous car’s L-shaped design below.
The side remains the same except for new alloy wheels with a unique design for each variant, so there are as many as six patterns on offer. At the back, too, sheet metal remains unchanged, but with a new bumper and tail-light signature, the rear looks very distinctive. The tail-lights have a different lighting pattern and are now connected; instead of using a continuous light bar, Skoda has opted for a segmented section along with illuminated Skoda lettering in the centre. On the whole, it is nice and striking without looking too over-the-top.
Skoda Kushaq Value for Money -
The Skoda Kushaq range begins at Rs 10.69 lakh for the manual 1.0-litre Classic+ version, which places it just a bit above entry-level variants of the Maruti Victoris and Renault Duster while offering a more powerful direct-injection engine and a longer standard equipment list. However, the premium for the automatic range is a little steep, with prices starting at Rs 12.69 lakh, though that gap shrinks to Rs 1 lakh and below as you go higher. That said, it’s an 8-speed unit, more than others in the segment. What’s also nice is that Skoda has not limited the 1.0-litre engine to lower trims, and even the top-end Monte Carlo is available with the 1.0-litre powerplant; for most buyers, this will be all the car they need. Should you want more power, the corresponding 1.5-litre variants cost approximately Rs 1 lakh more, priced at Rs 18.79 lakh for the Prestige and Rs 18.99 lakh for the Monte Carlo.
So, the pricing is right there in the mix with the rest of the segment and quite smartly done. Skoda has also put a lot of effort into this facelift, addressing aesthetics, features and even technical updates. There are, of course, still some shortcomings. The overall size and stance are compact, and that’s not what most buyers here want. The NVH levels remain high, and while equipment has been enriched, some notable omissions remain, such as a 360-degree camera, a branded audio system and an ADAS suite. But it gets all the basics as well as a few nice-to-have features, and, of course, there are the rear-seat massagers, which, if you are chauffeur-driven or buying the car for someone who is, make for an interesting USP. It’s also spacious and comfy enough for most adults, and those who drive will enjoy the lively and peppy nature of the car. The 1.5-litre engine serves up a strong and effortless performance, and the smaller 1.0-litre unit with 8-speed torque-converter transmission delivers a smooth and seamless drive feel but can also serve up performance to a very acceptable extent when called for. The handling character is also stable and secure. Thus, all in all, the Kushaq will easily delight those who enjoy driving. To sum up, then, the Kushaq isn’t the best in class in certain areas, but it delivers enough to keep you interested, and with the update, Skoda has managed to keep it fighting fit.