Skoda Kylaq Review: This Pint-Sized Czech Is Gutsy Too

You have been waiting for a proper drive review of the all-new Skoda Kylaq for a long time now. In fact, Skoda announced their intentions to enter the Indian market’s lucrative sub-four metre SUV segment almost a year ago. We saw the sketches in the teaser with a campaign for its name in August last year, followed by a Track Test Drive under camouflage in October. A proper reveal happened in the following month and was finally unveiled with a price announcement in December.

That’s a really long wait for someone looking to buy a sub-four metre SUV and doesn’t want any of the many well-established options. The Kylaq has been in the news a lot as it also scored a full Five Star in the Bharat NCAP crash test. But is it worth the wait? Or has it missed the boat by now?

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Since you have already made your judgement on how it looks, you know the pricing, the features on offer and not on offer, and even the variant-wise feature distribution. Let’s first focus on how it is to drive in detail.

Powertrain

For recap, the Kylaq gets only one engine option – the familiar 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and the same engine which also powers the elder siblings - the Slavia and the Kushaq, and oh, it has direct injection as well. Power figures are impressive, if not the best in the segment at 114bhp and 178Nm – which is the same as the Kushaq 1.0 and makes more sense over here, especially considering the Kyalq’s dimensions. Also, there’s the weight deficit you must consider for the Kylaq over its larger siblings. You can have it with two gearbox choices - a six-speed manual, or a torque converter automatic.

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Starting this engine, it is a bit gruff sounding and not the most refined start but that’s owing to its three-cylinder nature. That said, once you get going, this is a fairly usable and tractable engine. The vibrations disappear on the move, and the revs climb freely. The low-end grunt may be a bit dull for the starters, but keep the revs over and around 2000rpm, this engine will never give you a reason to complain. The mid-range is strong, almost like a diesel, and the engine revs up to just under 5000rpm before running out of steam.

For everyday driving, the Kylaq has the right ingredients. It is compact so even when driving in the narrowest streets of Goa the Kylaq felt right at home. The visibility is also good and the electric height adjustment gives a lot of leverage for height. That means both taller and shorter passengers can find the right driving position. The controls are light and easy too, so everyone in the family can take the wheel if and when the mood permits.

It's a relatively light car (tipping the scale at around 1200kgs kerb weight) and when you combine it with a decently powerful engine – it is quick off its feet as well. It's eager and likes to run after butterflies if you let it off the leash. Keep feeding the revs and it's followed by an acceleration. It makes a good sound for a three-cylinder too actually.

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At highway speeds, the stability is good and if there's a need for quick overtakes, a quick downshift sees you through with a strong pull from the engine and little to no drama or delay. For the highway manners, the stability seems more than adequate for this compact SUV. The brakes didn’t give any reasons to complain either with a progressive, and strong bite, which helps in building confidence each time you go hard on the throttle.

Transmission

Now the manual gearbox is slick with good short throws and has a satisfying motion if you love driving. There’s no rubbery or notchy feel to it. Complimenting this gearstick is the clutch action that is light and doesn't have a lot of clutch travel either. There's no spongy or springy feel in the clutch and that's a good thing. Even the ergonomics are friendly, and a bit sporty, if not a lot.

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I'd have loved it if the gearlever was positioned slightly higher so that it fell right in the palm when the elbow was rested on the armrest. But it isn’t too bad right now. As for the automatic, it's smooth and quick too. Of course, not as quick as the DSG, but it never gives any reason to complain even when you have to go hard on gas and get a quick overtake out of this pocket-sized Skoda.

Steering and Ride Quality

As for the steering, it is light but direct. I expected some heft to the steering but that’s not the case. It is quick still and has no dead centre either. So when attacking a corner, you get good feedback from the steering, offering connect without feeling artificial or devoid of feel. But more importantly, it comes in handy during city manoeuvrability.

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As for the ride quality, it has an underlying stiffness. As you would expect from some European cars, where the irregularities are felt inside the cabin, it’s not exactly jarring to be at a point of being uncomfortable. But on the contrary, it takes in the bad roads with good solid composure. When going around the corner, there’s a little body roll but it's better than other rivals in its segment. It also remains very planted, and the suspension works brilliantly offering a good mechanical grip.

Conclusion

So, the all-new Kylaq brings Skoda into a segment where the Czech carmaker has never played before. More importantly, this lucrative segment has takers who are large in numbers, and they have a lot many choices as well. Choices which are trusted, offer more powertrain choices and even features. And why should these buyers – 60 per cent of them are in fact first-time buyers – get the new Kylaq when they have so many other options already? Especially when the KYLAQ is the smallest of the lot, doesn’t have a lot of segment-first features, or even the cabin space. And pricing isn't undercutting any of its rivals by a significant margin?

Well, they should consider buying the Skoda Kylaq because firstly, it is lively to drive if not extremely sporty. It is a notch above the rest when it comes to driving fun, especially if you get the manual. Secondly, it has good built quality both inside and out and also the 5 Star Bharat NCAP crash rating to back up its safety quotient, which has gotten a bit important for buyers of late. Next up, they should buy the Kylaq because it has a good European car feel to it and if it comes in as a first car, they buy themselves into a family of legends like the Octavia, the Superb and the lot. The Skoda nameplate still holds an aspirational value amongst Indian buyers. So, they should buy it simply because it makes for a good first car from a reputed brand.

Pictures By Pawan Dagia and Vaibhav Dhanavade