With an aim to become the leading European carmaker in the country, Skoda has now officially entered the Vietnamese car market with the launch of two SUVs. carandbike is one of two Indian media outlets that were present at the event that featured key figures from Skoda's distribution and production partner in Vietnam, Thanh Cong Group (TC Group), where Skoda introduced the Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs, both of which are being shipped into Vietnam as full imports. This is the first step in Skoda’s plans for Vietnam, which include setting up 30 sales outlets and clocking sales of over 40,000 units a year by 2030.
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Both the Karoq and Kodiaq that will be sold in India are being produced at Skoda’s Kvasiny plant, and shipping them to Vietnam takes a little over six weeks. Attracting 49 per cent custom duty as completely built-up (CBU) models, the Karoq, in Vietnam, costs the Indian equivalent of Rs 34-37 lakh, while the Kodiaq costs between Rs 40-48 lakh (ex-showroom). In 2024, Skoda will also start imports of the Octavia and Superb sedans, with the all-electric duo of the Enyaq iV and Enyaq Coupe set to be launched in 2025.
In Vietnam, the Karoq is being offered in two trim levels.
Local assembly is also on the cards, with Skoda set to bring the India-made Kushaq compact SUV to Vietnam in completely knocked down (CKD) form. Sourcing of the CKD kits from the carmaker’s Pune plant will begin in the second half of 2024, and these will be assembled at a new production line currently being built at the Viet Hung Industrial Park in Quang Ninh province. After the Kushaq, the Slavia sedan will also be introduced in Vietnam as a locally-assembled model in 2025, following the same CKD route. Skoda believes there is potential to assemble up to 27,000 vehicles in Vietnam every year after 2027.
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Speaking at the Vietnam launch, Martin Jahn, Board Member for Sales and Marketing at Skoda Auto, said, "We are excited to engage with Vietnam’s dynamic economy and a new group of customers in this fast-growing market. This is also the next step in our accelerating internationalisation strategy, strengthening our brand in the ASEAN region and intensifying the synergies between our two key markets of India and Europe. During the preparations, it has been clear that in TC Group we have an excellent partner for the production and sale of our attractive model portfolio. I look forward to starting a successful future together."
Skoda’s expansion plans in Vietnam include adding showrooms in central and southern Vietnam, with the goal of establishing 20 dealerships by 2025 and 30 by 2028. Bearing in mind the strong growth potential in a market where there are fewer than 40 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants, Skoda anticipates annual sales of 30,000 units over the next few years, with that number expected to surge to over 40,000 units after 2030.
