 "Skoda begins production of Kylaq SUV, over 10,000 units booked since launch")
Skoda Auto India has started series production of its recently launched Kylaq subcompact SUV at its Chakan plant in Pune at the ex-showroom prices starting at Rs. 7.89 lakh. It’s positioned to compete with the likes of Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon, Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue among others. The new Kylaq is the Czech carmaker’s entry model based on the MQB A0 IN platform and has already received more than 10,000 bookings since December 2, when pre-orders began.
To meet the demand, the company has announced a 30 per cent increase in production capacity at its Chakan facility, raising its annual output to 2.55 lakh units. This expansion is part of its Rs 15,000 crore investment to support both internal combustion engine (ICE) models and electric vehicles (EVs). Skoda had also shared plans to deliver the first batch of 33,333 units of the Kylaq by May 2025 out of which 3,000 units have already been sold out.
The tried and tested MQB A0 IN platform also underpins a range of Skoda and Volkswagen group cars including the Skoda Kushaq, Skoda Slavia, Volkswagen Taigun and Volkswagen Virtus. The platform itself has been localised heavily to align with its aggressive pricing strategy. Additionally, the company has expanded its supplier base capacity by 10 per cent to ramp up the procurement of components and enhance production efficiency.
According to the news reports, the automaker is targeting to roll out around 70,000 units of the Skoda Kylaq annually as it expects robust demand in both domestic and overseas markets. The production target has been set keeping both domestic and exports demand in mind. If the expected demand is recorded, the company will try to roll out around 5,500 units every month.
Piyush Arora, managing director and chief executive of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India said, “Kylaq is engineered and developed in India to cater to the evolving requirements of Indian customers. By manufacturing Kylaq locally, we support the Make-in-India initiative, maintaining Group’s DNA of delivering safety, comfort and driving dynamics. It was heartening to see the positive reception it received at the World Premiere last month, and I am confident that Škoda Kylaq will truly resonate with the Indian car buyers.”
The new Kylaq will be on display at Skoda’s pavilion alongside its existing line-up at the upcoming Bharat Mobility Expo (Auto Expo 2025) at Greater Noida which begins on January 17, 2025. The Kylaq will reach dealerships on January 27, 2025, with deliveries commencing the same day, alongside Skoda’s existing model lineup.