Skoda Kylaq hits 50,000 sales: What made it the brand’s long-awaited success in India – The Times of India

Skoda Kylaq has crossed the 50,000-unit production milestone in a year. The Kylaq has played a key role in driving the Group’s 36 per cent year-on-year growth in 2025, with this performance supported by the expansion of its India operations and higher levels of localisation. Skoda made its entry into India’s sub-compact SUV segment with the launch of the Kylaq on December 2, 2024. The model has since seen strong market traction, emerging as a volume driver for the Czech automaker, with customer deliveries commencing on January 27, 2025.

Key factors behind its success This milestone underlines a shift in fortunes for the Czech carmaker, which had struggled to achieve sustained scale in India despite a strong global portfolio. A key factor behind the Kylaq’s performance has been its late entry into the sub compact SUV segment as demand was already firmly established at the time of launch. Hence, rather than relying on novelty, Skoda focused on core attributes. The Kylaq’s design stays true to the brand’s clean, sharp styling while remaining familiar enough to attract buyers moving up from hatchbacks and compact sedans, helping it appeal to a wider audience.

Competitive pricing has also played a central role. Departing from the perception of earlier Skoda models being priced at a premium, the Kylaq was launched with a competitive price tag and a structured variant lineup. The mechanical package further strengthened its case. With established powertrain options, predictable performance, and suspension tuning suited to Indian roads, the Kylaq addressed concerns around everyday usability. Improvements in localisation and after-sales support further complemented the product. Increased local sourcing helped manage costs, while simpler service plans, extended warranties, and revised maintenance packages worked to ease long-standing worries about ownership expenses. These measures helped build confidence among new buyers and encouraged repeat interest.The 50,000-unit milestone signals more than just short-term demand. It represents a potential turning point for Skoda in India, showing that a combination of pricing discipline, practical product choices, and focused execution can deliver the scale the brand has been pursuing for years. Whether this momentum can be sustained will become clearer over time but Skoda finally seems to have got a good start. In order to sustain growth over the longer term in a highly competitive compact SUV market, Skoda Kylaq will need periodic design & interior updates, along with meaningful feature additions that keep pace with fast-evolving segment expectations.

Talking about the key reasons behind the Kylaq’s success, Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India, added “The Kylaq was introduced as an important step in Škoda Auto India’s long-term growth strategy, marking our entry into the sub-4m SUV segment with a product designed to broaden the brand’s appeal. As our first SUV in this segment, the Kylaq has built strong momentum to become our best-selling model within a year, crossing the 50,000 sales milestone and contributing meaningfully to the brand’s sales performance in 2025. Its success has been supported by our efforts to expand reach across markets, strengthening the network and reinforcing Škoda’s positioning as a brand that offers strong value, robust safety, engaging driving dynamics and accessible ownership costs. Building on this momentum, we have further strengthened the Kylaq line-up with customer-led enhancements, making it one of the most accessible vehicles in its segment to offer a true automatic transmission alongside a comprehensive suite of safety and convenience features, while continuing to deliver European technology suited to Indian roads.”Now while the Kylaq seems to have checked most boxes, there are some that still can be checked. The Kylaq’s biggest limitation is its single 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, which can feel a bit strained when pushed hard, especially against four-cylinder rivals. Also, given the premium positioning of the vehicle, the parking camera’s resolution could have certainly been significantly better. Skoda Kylaq also skips some premium features offered by rivals, including 360-degree camera, ventilated seats and a panoramic sunroof. Rear-seat comfort is adequate but not class-leading, especially for three passengers, and the three-cylinder engine does let some noise and vibrations creep in at higher speeds. While most of these things aren’t deal-breakers, their inclusion will surely do a good job of maintaining the Kylaq’s competitiveness in the segment for times to come. We hope Skoda is listening.