Is SKODA KUSHAQ better than SELTOS and CRETA? | Emotional Analysis about VW 2.0 India strategy
#Skoda #Kushaq #VW #DSG #TSI In 2021, it will be win win situation for Indian Car Buyers who are looking for a compact SUV with above 4 meters size but lesser bulky than Harrier/Hector/Compass In this segment only Kia Seltos & Hyundai Creta are the best sellers and have the monopoly with long waiting periods. Other competitors like Nissan Kicks & Renault Duster sell very less in numbers because of poor network, old designs and poor dealer reputation. Prime reason for the success of Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta is good design, good space on offer, feature loaded, petrol & diesel engine with multiple variants like Turbo, non - turbo, various transmission options like Manual, CVT and DCT. They cover all kind of customers with the budget of 11-20 lacs. They are almost flawless cars with great resale value but only negative recently came is an questionable safety for Kia Seltos. Seltos score only 3 stars in GNCAP safety test for Indian made car. Sadly Creta is build on the same platform and we cannot expect different ratings here. To challenge these, Skoda has come up with #Kushaq which will have more powerful Petrol Engines, better space with longer wheelbase and better build quality than the Koreans. Taigun and Kushaq will be build on VW's new platform i.e MQB-A0-In It will have two engine options, 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI with manual and automatic transmission. In Automatic, both torque converter and DSG 7 Speed gearbox will be offered. It will be feature loaded with 6 airbags, electric sunroof, digital cockpit, 10" infotainment system, C-Type charging ports, auto dimming IRVM, leatherette seats, ventilated seats, dual zone climate AC, leather seats, 60:40 split seats, cylinder deactivation technology and much more to challenge Creta/Seltos duo. Price is expected to be 11-18 lacs with 5 models for each car. I believe European twins will do great and will capture good marketshare in this segment. They are aiming at 5% Indian Marketshare with these cars which seems little difficult but surely these duo will sell 3500 plus units per month. If these cars will be successful, VW-Skoda are expected to bring more cars on this platform like Virtus, Polo new generation and Indian made T-Roc with over 95% localisation to keep the costs in check. VW-Skoda have cult following in India especially the buyers who look for quality, solid build, flawless fit and finish, stability on higher speeds and premium feel of drive. Many existing Polo, Rapid and Vento owners are looking forward to replace their cars as VW-Skoda has not refreshed their portfolio for 7 years for under 18 lacs segment. However, VW-Skoda needs to work on increasing transparency for their service costs by putting on some info charts in the service centers and have more info about service cost in their official app. This will help customers gain more trust and increase transparency. Last I can, buyer will be actual winner in mid 2021 after so many quality compact SUVs on offer.
