Skoda Auto India has officially commenced the local assembly of the soon-to-be-launched Kodiaq SUV in India. The Czech carmaker will be finally bringing back the flagship moniker to India after a hiatus of almost two years, considering the BS4 version was discontinued in early 2020. Now the SUV is returning with a proper mid-life facelift and a BS6 compliant turbocharged petrol engine. The Kodiaq will be assembled at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India's manufacturing facility in Aurangabad, and it will go on sale in India in January 2022.
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Commenting on the latest development, Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited, said, "The New Kodiaq is part of the overall SUV offensive of the Group in India. With the start of production at our world-class facility in Aurangabad, we add yet another product that provides the Indian customer with the best of technology, safety and comfort. The New Kodiaq will appeal to the ever-growing tribe of Indian customers looking for a large, luxurious SUV, suited for city and weekend drives. We are confident that the New Kodiaq will set benchmarks in the premium luxury segment and carry forward the momentum of our growth strategy in India".
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The Skoda Kodiaq is also based on the same MQB platform and comes to India as a completely knocked down (CKD) unit
The Skoda Kodiaq is the second SUV from the company to enter production in India this year. The previous one was the Kushaq compact SUV. In fact, recently even Volkswagen launched the Tiguan SUV, the 5-seater, the German counterpart of the Skoda Kodiaq, which recently went on sale in India priced at Rs. 31.99 lakh (ex-showroom India). Like the Tiguan, the Kodiaq is also based on the same MQB platform and comes to India as a completely knocked down (CKD) unit.
Also Read: 2021 Skoda Kodiaq Facelift Revealed
Zac Hollis, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said that "The New Kodiaq is the second SUV to be introduced in India this year by Skoda. We believe that the offerings of the New Kodiaq, will lead connoisseurs of design and aesthetics to appreciate the SUV even more. Over the years, the resounding success of the Kodiaq has only fuelled augmentations in line with our ethos that power should be beautiful. The Kodiaq further drives home our vision to provide our customers in India a complete product portfolio".
The 2022 Skoda Kodiaq also comes with 20-inch alloys, LED taillights and sharper styling overall
Globally, the Skoda Kodiaq facelift was unveiled in April 2021, and in terms of visual updates, the SUV gets a new multi-slat butterfly grille, slimmer LED headlamps, and new LED DRLs. It also comes with new fog lamps and a new bumper which features a large end-to-end mesh grille, 20-inch alloys, and LED taillights. Inside, the Kodiaq gets a refreshed cabin with a new two-spoke multi-functional steering wheel, an updated 9.2-inch infotainment system and a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, along with new massage seats that will be optional.
The 2022 Skoda Kodiaq gets a new steering wheel, updated infotainment system and instrument cluster and new massage seats that will be optional.
Powertrain wise, the India-spec Skoda Kodiaq will be powered by the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder TSI engine, which also powers the Superb and Octavia sedans in Skoda India's line-up. The engine is tuned to develop 187 bhp and 320 Nm of peak torque and will be paired with a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission as standard.
