Czech yourself

From ferry decks to dirt tracks, Abhinav Jakhar spent a day sampling Skoda's present and future, from the brand new Kylaq to the rugged Kodiaq, and dived into the brand's bold new strategy for India

- Abhinav Jakhar

Our day with Skoda began at Mumbai's Princess Dock, where we boarded the RoRo ferry to Mandwa. Normally, a two-hour road journey, the ferry cut it down to just an hour. Onboard, the Kodiaq lounge stood as a sleek reminder of Skoda's 25-year journey in India. Awaiting us at the Mandwa jetty was a compact tarmac course—an appetizer before the main course. Designed to showcase agility and handling, the layout included a slalom, moose test, acceleration and braking zones, and a handling loop. After a demo lap by instructors, we got behind the wheel of the Kylaq.

The Kylaq, Skoda's sub-4m SUV contender, impressed immediately. The 1.0-litre, three-cylinder TSI engine did feel slightly sluggish under 2,000rpm, but past that, it responded with vigour. Body roll was contained, and its compact footprint made for quick direction changes. More importantly, it looked good doing all of it. Stylish and proportionate, the Kylaq is aimed squarely at young, urban buyers who want the badge value of Skoda in a friendlier package.