Skoda Kylaq Long Term Report: Month 4 - On a Vacation

After a couple of months of intense adventure, the Kylaq had a slightly easier time this past month. Having seen a hectic period of extensive travel already, the Kylaq was for the past month mostly used by me for urban driving in Delhi-NCR. What did happen though, is that we’d recently gathered a bunch of cars for a test feature, and while driving the Kylaq with its competitors and even some much more expensive cars, I once again realized what a fantastic package it actually is. Based on the stellar MQB-A0-IN platform means that the base of the Kylaq is an excellent place to start with when it comes to dynamics and refinement. Pair this with the excellent 1.0-litre turbocharged engine and it makes the Kylaq a rather dynamic package.

The suspension has just the right amount of stiffness for enthusiastic driving and yet provides very good ride comfort. If there is one aspect that I would like to see some improvement in, it would be the throttle response at low speeds, which can feel a bit laggy and the response from the engine in low-speed conditions could be a bit better. One aspect that I wouldn’t change though is the steering setup, which is light and yet offers tons of steering feel, which just adds to the driving pleasure. Given how dynamically sorted the Kylaq is, I always wonder what a pocket rocket it could be, if it was offered with the 1.5-litre turbo engine that the Kushaq has. It can clearly fit the engine bay of the Kylaq, and with its 148bhp output, Skoda could even sell it as a Kylaq RS! That would be one hell of a car to drive with the Kylaq’s compact size and sorted dynamics and could be a lot of fun.

I’ve in the past criticized the dual-spoke steering wheel that Skoda’s products now feature, but having spent time with the Kylaq, I’ve actually come around to how they look. Sure, I still prefer a three-spoke steering wheel, but the dual-spoke is not bad either. However, it is now time for us to briefly bid goodbye to our Kylaq, as it is going on an adventure with the Skoda India folks all the way to Ladakh. Skoda India has introduced a new program for its customers to experience Skoda’s range of products on challenging terrain, and Kylaq is one of the cars being offered for the experience. And while the Kylaq will soon be back with us, I have to say, with the price reduction post the GST changes, the Kylaq, now starting at `7.5 lakh (ex-showroom), makes for a very tempting proposition for anyone looking for a sub-4 metre SUV.