Automatics for the People - Ashish Gupta, Škoda Auto India

On the service front, what is your plan?

Well, I was actually a bit surprised when I looked at the data on how customers perceive our service. If you compare us with other brands, our service costs are similar, our processes are similar – yet, the perception is where we seem to be falling short.

That said, it’s not that there’s no room for improvement. Some corrections are definitely needed. And those become more challenging when you’re simultaneously expanding the network. We're adding almost 100 facilities in the next six months, which naturally puts a strain on the entire ecosystem. So, at the moment, that’s the big puzzle we’re trying to solve – how to manage growth while also improving perception and delivery.

Why not use the same backend for both Škoda and Volkswagen, since the products are so similar?

This idea was considered, especially around the time we launched the Kylaq. But I don't subscribe to that view.

If you want to exploit the market with two brands fully – and that's precisely why both Škoda and VW are here – you need to maintain clear distinctions between the two. That means having separate dealer and service networks.

Just look at other group brands in India – Hyundai and Kia, Maruti and Toyota, Nissan and Renault – all of them maintain unique networks with no overlap. That’s the only way to grow in a competitive market. And service plays a massive role in that differentiation.

I’m not just talking about how many service points you have, but about the kind of experience customers have at those touchpoints.

Yes, in many cases, the dealer partners may be the same. But the real challenge isn’t about availability or whether VW partners could’ve done a better job. It’s about the speed of expansion – that’s what we’re working to get right.

Have you been happy with the Kylaq’s sales numbers?

Very happy, actually. Over the last four months, we've consistently sold between 4,000 and 5,000 units per month. And that’s despite some initial hiccups in the product mix, which, to be honest, no carmaker seems to get perfectly right at launch.

In our case, the demand was particularly high for the lower variants, but production couldn’t keep up in the early months. From May onwards, we’ve started correcting that, and by July, things should be more aligned. So we’re expecting the numbers to grow again soon.

What kind of feedback are you hearing from Kylaq customers? Any specific requests or changes they’d like to see?

The Kylaq is still a very new product, and initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Customers are especially happy with the pricing and the way we've structured the feature and variant lineup.

That said, I do feel there's a bit of a gap between the base Classic variant and the Signature variant. There’s no offering in between, and that’s something we’re actively working to address.

Given the demand for the Kylaq, does this suggest that Indian buyers are waiting for a Škoda product under ₹10 lakh?

I don’t think anyone’s waiting for a specific brand. At the end of the day, customers look for value – plain and simple.

If the product is good and it's backed by a credible brand, they will buy it. That's the reality of today’s market.