Latest news with #SkodaKushaq
Hindustan Times
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Skoda to bolster pre-owned car business, targets double sales volume in India
Skoda India is targeting to set up more outlets, especially in lower tier cities as well as ramp up its pre-owned car sales business to increase its market share and revenue. Check Offers Skoda is aiming to scale up its pre-owned car sales business. The affordable premium car manufacturer that has witnessed significant success with the Skoda Kylaq and Skoda Kushaq SUVs now aims to ramp up its revenue in the Indian passenger vehicle market. In an attempt to achieve that target, the Volkswagen AG-owned Czech car manufacturer is now targeting to increase its efforts in both the new and used car segments, as revealed by a top executive of the company. Skoda India, which sold around 36,000 units of passenger vehicles in the country in 2024, expects that its SUV portfolio, which includes models like Kylaq, Kushaq and Kodiaq, will push its sales volume and market share in the country. In order to achieve that target, Skoda is planning to bolster its sales network as well, especially in the lower-tier cities alongside the top-tier cities. Speaking about the auto company's strategy, Skoda Auto India Brand Director Ashish Gupta said that the company ended last year with less than one per cent market share, which has now increased to 1.8 per cent in the domestic passenger vehicle market. "We expect it to be in the range of 2.5-3 per cent by the end of this year," Gupta said, while also adding, "We are looking to more than double our volumes this year. Our compact SUV will play a significant role, and in parallel, we are also expanding our sales network. Besides, we are also streamlining our product mix." Gupta also noted that the auto company aims to end the current year with around 350 sales outlets from 296 touch points across the country. These outlets will be set up across 200 cities in India. Currently, Skoda has a presence across 165 cities in the country. The Skoda official noted that currently 60-65 per cent of the company's sales network is based in the semi-urban areas. Gupta noted that from a ranking of 11th in the passenger vehicle segment, the company has now improved its position to seventh. "We would like to hold on to this position. Kylaq is going to play a pivotal role in the company's growth story," he noted. Gupta further stated that in order to scale up volumes, Skoda will scale up its pre-owned business this year, with a focus on many first-time buyers from the semi-urban areas to get into its fold. "If you want to grow the new car business, one needs to make its pre-owned business very now, almost 80 per cent of our facilities are equipped to handle certified pre-owned cars. Our network currently does around 3,000 cars a is to scale it up by almost three times by the end of this year," Gupta said. Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape. First Published Date: 15 Jun 2025, 10:28 AM IST
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Confident of Kushaq sales bouncing back in 1-2 months: New Skoda boss. Facelift coming soon
The newly launched Skoda Kylaq has been cannibalising sales of the Kushaq within the brand's stable. Nevertheless, the compact SUV is set to receive benefits, discounts, and a facelift soon Check Offers The Skoda Kushaq has seen a dip in volumes in the last few months, with the newly launched Kylaq cannibalising sales of its elder sibling in the brand's stable. With both models sharing the same underpinnings and even the feature list, the Kylaq has witnessed a phenomenal growth since sales began in March this year, albeit at the cost of the Kushaq. Nevertheless, Skoda Auto India's new boss, Ashish Gupta, says the sales volumes will come back to the Kushaq in the next one to two months. Why Kushaq Sales Dropped This Year? Explaining why sales have taken a beating for the Kushaq, Ashish Gupta said, 'It's not like demand for the Kushaq has gone down. Instead, our dealerships were used to deal with a certain type of customer. Our dealers knew how to handle that customer base very well. With the introduction of the Kylaq, a completely different set of customers are coming to our dealerships. Our staff is now on the learning curve on how to handle customers for these two completely different cars. And that learning is fast because the sales pressure is always there. I am confident that in the next one or two months, the Kushaq will bounce back." Also Read : Skoda Auto India aims for 2.5% market share in FY2026, outlines growth plan 'Of course, easier said than done, we will also, as a brand, have to take certain actions. We know that the Kushaq is now in the fourth year of its lifecycle. We know that we will have to maybe go aggressive in the market to compete with the rivals that exist in the market. There is already pressure on stocks, discounts are at an all-time high, so we will have to play the game," he added further. The Skoda Kushaq is built at SAVWIPL's Chakan facility in Maharashtra, alongside the Slavia and Kylaq, as well as the VW Taigun and Virtus Skoda Kushaq Sales Report Between March and May 2025, Skoda sold an average of 775 units of the Kushaq, a stark drop when compared to average sales of 1,624 units between December 2024 and February 2025. Meanwhile, Kushaq sales averaged about 1,546 units between July and November 2024. Ashish hinted at rolling out special benefits for the Kushaq to get sales back on track, while also acknowledging that a comprehensive update is in need. The Skoda Kushaq arrived in the market in 2021 and expanded the automaker's addressable market share to 21 per cent, up from just seven per cent in 2020. With the Kylaq, the brand's addressable market has risen to 58 per cent in 2025. Also Read : Skoda Kylaq may get a new variant, petrol-CNG powertrain in the plan The Skoda Kushaq facelift will see new styling and more features to tackle the highly competitive compact SUV segment Skoda Kushaq Facelift In The Works Thankfully, Skoda India is working on the Kushaq facelift that is currently under development. We've seen the test mules on several occasions, with the camouflaged bits indicating cosmetic changes to the front and rear, in line with the new 'Modern Solid' design language, which debuted on the Kylaq in India. Skoda is also expected to increase the feature quotient on the SUV with Level 2 ADAS, a 360-degree camera, a higher quality rearview camera, and more, as part of the package. The Kushaq facelift will continue with the same 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine options. The former makes 114 bhp and 178 Nm paired with a 6-speed manual and a torque converter. The latter produces 148 bhp and 250 Nm, paired with the 7-speed DSG automatic. The updated offering is expected to arrive sometime next year. Prices for the Skoda Kushaq range currently start from ₹ 11 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date: 14 Jun 2025, 16:17 PM IST
