Skoda Kushaq: The Skoda Kushaq has firmly established itself as a formidable contender in India’s competitive compact SUV segment since its introduction. Now, with the 2025 model year update, Skoda has refined and enhanced this popular offering with meaningful improvements across design, technology, performance, and features. Let’s explore what makes the 2025 Kushaq a compelling option for discerning Indian buyers.
Exterior Design: Refined Evolution
The 2025 Kushaq retains its distinctive silhouette while incorporating subtle yet effective design enhancements. The front fascia now features a slightly larger butterfly grille with piano black finish and chrome surrounds, flanked by sleeker LED headlamps with integrated crystalline daytime running lights. The redesigned front bumper includes larger air intakes and new fog lamp housing, giving the vehicle a more assertive presence.
Profile changes include new 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels with a dynamic design pattern, body-colored door handles with chrome inserts, and more pronounced character lines. The rear gets updated LED taillights with animated turn signals and a redesigned bumper with silver skid plate elements that enhance the SUV’s visual appeal.
New exterior color options include Cosmic Blue, Terra Bronze, and Carbon Steel – each developed to highlight the Kushaq’s sculpted body lines while providing buyers with more personalization options.
Interior Comfort: Premium Ambience
Step inside the 2025 Kushaq and you’ll immediately notice the upgraded cabin materials. The dashboard now features soft-touch materials with contrast stitching, while the door panels incorporate fabric inserts that elevate the overall ambience. The redesigned center console houses a wireless charging pad with cooling function to prevent device overheating during extended use.
Seating comfort has been improved with new contoured seats featuring enhanced bolstering and multi-density foam cushioning. The top variants offer ventilated front seats with power adjustments – a welcome addition for India’s climate. Rear seat passengers benefit from reclined seatbacks, adjustable headrests, and dedicated AC vents with independent blower control.
Ambient lighting now extends throughout the cabin with customizable color options, creating a premium atmosphere previously found only in higher segments. The panoramic sunroof, now standard on mid and top variants, floods the cabin with natural light, enhancing the sense of spaciousness.
Technology Suite: Connected Intelligence
The centerpiece of the 2025 Kushaq’s technology offerings is the new 10.25-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system. This high-resolution display features wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, built-in navigation with real-time traffic updates, and an intuitive user interface with customizable widgets. The system responds to both touch inputs and voice commands, with enhanced natural language processing capabilities.
Behind the steering wheel sits a fully digital 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit display that offers multiple view configurations, from minimalist to data-rich layouts. The system seamlessly integrates with the infotainment to display navigation prompts, media information, and driving data without requiring the driver to shift focus.
Skoda’s enhanced MySkoda Connect app now offers over 75 connected car features, including remote engine start/stop, climate pre-conditioning, geo-fencing alerts, and vehicle diagnostics. The system can even predict maintenance needs based on driving patterns and alert owners proactively.
A premium 8-speaker CANTON audio system delivers immersive sound quality with customizable equalizer settings and acoustic calibration specific to the Kushaq’s cabin dimensions.
Performance: Refined Powertrains
The 2025 Kushaq continues to offer two turbocharged petrol engine options, both refined for better efficiency and responsiveness:
The 1.0-liter TSI three-cylinder engine now produces 117 PS and 178 Nm of torque, delivering a balanced mix of performance and efficiency. This powertrain can be paired with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission. Fuel economy has improved to 19.8 km/l (ARAI certified) through optimization of the engine management system and reduced friction components.
The more powerful 1.5-liter TSI four-cylinder engine generates 152 PS and 250 Nm of torque, making it one of the most powerful options in its segment. Available with both 6-speed manual and 7-speed DSG transmissions, this engine features active cylinder management technology that deactivates two cylinders during light load conditions, enhancing fuel efficiency to 18.2 km/l without compromising performance.
Both engines now comply with BS6 Phase 2 emission standards and can run on E20 blended fuel, demonstrating Skoda’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Driving Dynamics: European Engineering
The Kushaq has always been lauded for its driving dynamics, and the 2025 model builds on this foundation. The chassis has been fine-tuned with revised spring rates and damper settings that strike an ideal balance between comfort and handling. The electric power steering offers progressive weighting that increases with speed, providing reassuring stability during highway cruising while maintaining light effort for city maneuvers.
Braking performance comes from disc brakes on all four wheels in higher variants, with enhanced electronic brake force distribution and a more responsive brake pedal feel. The electronic stability control system has been recalibrated to better suit Indian road conditions, engaging more seamlessly when needed.
A new drive mode selector offers Eco, Comfort, and Sport settings that adjust throttle response, steering weight, and transmission shift patterns to match driver preferences. The Sport mode particularly transforms the Kushaq’s character, holding gears longer and sharpening throttle response for a more engaging driving experience.
Safety Features: Comprehensive Protection
Safety remains paramount in the 2025 Kushaq, with significant enhancements to both passive and active safety systems. The vehicle’s structure continues to utilize high-strength steel in critical areas, providing robust crash protection that earned it a 5-star safety rating in Global NCAP tests.
Active safety features now include six airbags as standard across all variants, electronic stability control, multi-collision brake system, and hill-hold control. Higher variants gain additional features like tire pressure monitoring, blind-spot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert.
The Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) package – a first for Skoda in this segment in India – includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, and driver attention monitor. While not offering full autonomy, these features provide crucial assistance in potentially dangerous situations.
A 360-degree camera system with high-resolution display makes parking in tight spaces significantly easier, while front and rear parking sensors provide additional guidance through both visual and audible feedback.
Practicality: Thoughtfully Designed
Skoda’s “Simply Clever” philosophy is evident throughout the 2025 Kushaq. The 385-liter boot space can expand to 1,405 liters with the rear seats folded, featuring a variable floor height that can be adjusted based on cargo needs. The boot opening is wide and low, facilitating easy loading of heavy or bulky items.
Interior storage options abound, including cooled glovebox, large door pockets designed to hold 1-liter bottles, smartphone pockets on front seatbacks, and a center console with flexible dividers. Umbrella holders in the front doors, ticket holders on the A-pillars, and bag hooks in the trunk demonstrate Skoda’s attention to practical details.
The 60:40 split rear seats now feature a pass-through for long items, while maintaining seating for two rear passengers. Rear AC vents ensure comfortable climate control for all occupants, complemented by USB-C charging ports for front and rear passengers.
Ownership Experience: Customer-Centric Approach
Skoda has significantly expanded its service network across India, now covering over 150 cities with 250+ touchpoints. The 2025 Kushaq comes with a standard 4-year/100,000 km warranty, extendable to 6 years/150,000 km for additional peace of mind.
Service costs have been optimized through longer service intervals (15,000 km or one year) and standardized labor charges across the network. The MySkoda app provides transparent service cost calculators, online booking, and real-time service tracking.
The Peace of Mind package includes 24/7 roadside assistance, courtesy car during servicing periods, and three free RSA calls annually. Skoda’s new Service Care program offers prepaid maintenance packages that can reduce lifetime maintenance costs by up to 25%.
Value Proposition: Competitive Pricing
Despite the significant improvements, Skoda has managed to keep pricing competitive. The 2025 Kushaq range starts at ₹10.89 lakh for the base 1.0 TSI manual variant and extends to ₹18.79 lakh for the fully-loaded 1.5 TSI DSG Style variant (ex-showroom prices).
When factoring in the expanded feature set, enhanced technology offerings, and improved powertrain efficiency, the 2025 Kushaq presents compelling value against competitors like Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder.
Conclusion: Raising the Bar
The 2025 Skoda Kushaq represents a thoughtful evolution of an already impressive package. Rather than pursuing radical changes, Skoda has addressed customer feedback and market demands with meaningful improvements across design, technology, performance, and practicality.
The result is a compact SUV that stays true to Skoda’s European engineering heritage while being thoroughly tailored for Indian conditions and preferences. With its blend of driving pleasure, premium features, and practical utility, the 2025 Kushaq continues to raise the bar in India’s competitive compact SUV segment.
For buyers seeking a vehicle that goes beyond basic transportation to deliver genuine driving enjoyment and sophisticated features, the 2025 Skoda Kushaq makes a compelling case as one of the most well-rounded options in its class.