2026 Skoda Kushaq Facelift - Czech it Out

If there’s one thing Indian car buyers and European manufacturers have struggled with, it’s a shared love language. For years, we wanted German engineering in an affordable SUV form, but we weren’t always willing to pay the premium for ‘European’ maintenance. Then came 2021, and with it, the Skoda Kushaq - the first model from the company’s India 2.0 strategy. It wasn’t just a car; it was a promise that you could have your enthusiast-friendly cake and eat it too, without a heart-attack-inducing service bill.

The Kushaq, built on the well-tuned MQB-A0-IN platform, made daily commutes feel like a weekend around the BIC. However, while we loved the 1.5 TSI’s punch, the market was evolving. Korean rivals were busy stuffing their cars with cooled seats and panoramic glass roofs, making the Kushaq’s single-pane sunroof and drum brakes feel a bit... 2010.

2026 Skoda Kushaq Facelift: Engine, Design and Feature Updates

Enter the 2026 facelift. Skoda is now offering more muscle and better gadgets, in a smarter-looking tuxedo. Think of it like Daniel Craig replacing Pierce Brosnan as the new-age 007. The most significant mechanical update is under the hood.

The 1.0 TSI finally ditches the 6-speed automatic for a more sophisticated 8-speed torque converter. It’s a move clearly aimed at those who found the older unit a bit jerky in the stop-go madness of city traffic - and that too, not very efficiently. Meanwhile, the 1.5 TSI finally gets rear disc brakes.

Visually, the Modern Solid design language has evolved well. The new illuminated light band across the grille and the connected LED taillights with sequential indicators give it a premium, high-tech glow.

Inside, the cabin feels more premium. We now get a massive panoramic sunroof and a segment-first rear seat massage function. Yes, you read that right - the Kushaq can now knead your back while you’re stuck in heavy traffic. The only caveat: the feature is available only to rear-seat passengers, not to the driver or co-driver, the Kushaq’s core target group.

2026 Skoda Kushaq Facelift: Standard Safety and Feature Upgrades

But the real kicker is Skoda’s aggressive move to make premium features more accessible. The new Kushaq offers 6 airbags, alloy wheels, LED headlamps, and Climatronic Auto AC as standard. It’s a bold statement which more manufacturers should follow: safety, style and convenience shouldn’t be optional extras.

So, the verdict? For a while, the Kushaq was the smart choice for the enthusiast who didn’t mind missing out on a few toys. That has changed with this update. By integrating Google Gemini AI for context-aware voice commands and upgrading the mechanicals, the Kushaq has moved from being a niche alternative to a segment frontrunner. It’s still easy to love, but now, it’s significantly harder for consumers to ignore.