Škoda Auto India has announced an all-new compact SUV as the next step of its product offensive in the country after Kushaq and Slavia. The strategically important new car in the popular compact segment – developed and built in India – will strengthen Škoda Auto’s position in the market and further accelerate the company’s internationalisation strategy. The sub-4 metre SUV will debut in India in the first half of 2025.
“India is crucial to the global growth of Škoda Auto, both because of its own market strength and as a development and manufacturing base for our expansion in new markets including ASEAN and the Middle East. We have more than doubled sales in India since 2021 and we are now taking the next step by further expanding the range of models designed for customers in India and internationally. The all-new compact SUV due in 2025 will add an important segment for customers. I’m confident the expanding Škoda portfolio will contribute to our India growth target of achieving a market share for the Volkswagen family of brands of around 5 per cent by 2030,” Klaus Zellmer, CEO Škoda Auto.
“After the success of the Kushaq and Slavia, we are expanding our reach with the upcoming launch of an all-new compact SUV, targeting the largest segment in India. Our R&D expertise in India has already enabled us to incorporate highly localised parts and components for our entire range. With the new compact SUV, we are furthering this strategy by systematically developing our local supplier base to provide parts and components of global standards and quality at competitive prices. We aim to actively participate in the evolving landscape of mobility in India. We remain focused on our expansions and further enhancement of the Group’s wide portfolio of cars in India,” Piyush Arora, Managing Director and CEO, Škoda Auto Volkswagen India.
A compact SUV to attract new customer groups
The new model will be the brand’s entry-level product in India and intends on winning new customer groups in the strategically important compact segment. As a sub 4 metre SUV, the car uses the excise benefits for under 4-metre cars available in India and the car manufacturer will pass on these benefits to customers when it comes to pricing.
To directly involve customers and fans in the market even before the car hits the road in the first half of 2025, Škoda Auto India announced the #NameYourSkoda campaign. The car maker shared seven registered names with the public but also encourages customers to suggest their naming ideas for the new compact SUV. The final name after this participative approach will be officially announced later this year.
Extending the locally developed and built product portfolio on the MQB-A0-IN platform
The new compact SUV will be the third Škoda product on the MQB-A0-IN platform and will forward the same Škoda DNA of superior driving dynamics and safety as the other two locally developed and produced models Kushaq and Slavia. The platform was developed jointly by teams in India and the Czech Republic with a focus on high localisation, low cost of ownership, and quick turnaround times. It is the first platform developed by the company outside of Europe and tailormade for the Indian market. The platform enables the use of efficient engines and advanced safety systems, specifically for the Indian market and to meet the country’s new, stricter safety and emission requirements.
The MQB-A0-IN platform has already proven its mettle in India and the world with the Kushaq and Slavia earning a full 5-stars for adult and child occupants in Global NCAP crash tests in October 2022 and April 2023 respectively. They were the first cars in India to be tested under the then newer and stricter test protocols of Global NCAP and the first to earn 5 stars for both adults and children.