Skoda Kushaq

The thud from closing the door sounds satisfying and gives a sense of assurance regarding the 2024 Skoda Kushaq’s solid construction. The two-spoke multifunction steering wheel with the neat chrome roller controls look chunky and is nice to grip. It’s similar to Skoda’s international cars. The dashboard looks neat with horizontal lines, along with some three-dimensional elements. The chrome-lined air vets are hexagonally-sized and pop out nicely. A multi-textured and multi-layered strip runs across the dashboard. Hard plastics have been widely used in the cabin, particularly on the doors to keep productions costs low. The dashboard is dominated by a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment unit. The door handles are flimsy. The leatherette seat fabric is finished in grey with yellow piping. The stitching is uneven. But the cabin is overall clean and functional. 

The 2024 Skoda Kushaq has a tightly skinned body that sports a number of cut and creases. The headlight with the LED strips and crystalline elements peel back nicely from the distinctive Skoda grille. The car looks bigger when viewed from the front. At a length of 4.2 metres, the Skoda Kushaq isn’t the largest car in its class. But it’s 2,651mm wheelbase in the longest, along with the short overhangs. This lends the car a purposeful stance. The 17-inch ‘Atlas’ alloys forge an European look. There’ a liberal dose of chrome all-round. The car is raised at the rear, making the roof flat and not arched. The C-pillar is upright, and with the chrome accent, hits the right note. But unlike the front, the rear part doesn’t look impressive. The taillights are three-dimensional and with the crystalline structure, grabs eyeballs. Overall the car looks handsome. 

Like all five-passenger cars, the front seats of the 2024 Skoda Kushaq enjoy the maximum space. There’s a lot of under-thigh support and generous bolstering. The pedals are perfectly placed and with an adjustable steering, driving the Kushaq is never a pain. All seats are nicely designed to provide the right level of firmness. The front seats get cooling function. The rear seats are surprisingly spacious with a lot of headroom and legroom. Even with the front seats pushed back to the maximum, there’s no dearth of space. The seats are scooped out and hug the passengers. The back support is great for long trips. The suspension absorbs all the bumps and potholes. 

The 2024 Skoda Kushaq is available in a single version. It’s equipped with a turbocharged, four-cylinder, 1.5-liter petrol engine that produces 148PS/250Nm. The motor is mated to a six-speed manual. The clutch is a bit springy but not heavy. Driving in the city is never a problem. The powertrain is adequately powerful for an urban crossover-SUV. Handling is where the 2024 Skoda Kushaq excels. It’s marginally on the firmer side but never compromises on comfort. The car behaves better and flattens the road as it picks up speed. There’s a bit of body roll.

The 2024 Skoda Kushaq comes with six airbags. Other equipment includes multi-collision braking, brake assist, tyre pressure monitoring system, traction control, and electronic differential lock. Electronic stability control and parking sensors come as part of standard equipment. But the car misses out on a 360-degree camera. 

While the 2024 Skoda Kushaq offers nice driving dynamics and is a nice city car. It’s not very enthusiastic to drive and is more tilted towards daily commuting. Despite being European at heart, Skoda has managed to price the Kushaq affordably. Even without a panoramic sunroof and powered seats, the car is decently equipped and offers value for money.