- Also available with 1.0-litre TSI petrol
- Seven-speed DSG is the only transmission on offer
The six-speed MT for the Skoda Slavia and Kushaq 1.5-litre engine variants has been removed from the offerings list for the automaker’s India 2.0 Sedan and SUV. The engine produces 148bhp/250Nm and, until recently, could be had with a seven-speed DSG or six-speed manual gearbox, which is now only available with the 1.0-litre TSI petrol. The Slavia 1.5-litre range now starts at Rs 16.69 lakh, while the Kushaq starts at Rs 16.89 lakh, and in both cases, it is for the Signature variant.
There are two major possibilities and a mix of both is likely to be the reason for the stopping of the three-pedal option for the 1.5-litre TSI. The first is that at that price point, the AT is a preferred option not just for Skoda but the segment as a whole and this is evident in offerings from Hyundai, Kia, MG, Honda, Maruti and Toyota. The second reason is that Skoda is likely to see higher demand for MT options in the Kylaq and has thus reallocated production capacity for the anticipated demand for its compact SUV.
Skoda is banking big on Kylaq to bring its volumes in anticipation of a five per cent market share that it wants in India by 2030. Skoda recently introduced a Sportline trim for the Kushaq and Slavia while the latter now also has a Monte Carlo variant as a part of the car’s upgrades for 2024. We have reached out to Skoda for an official comment on the discontinuation and will update you once we receive it.