Small SUVs for emerging markets are becoming a trend in the automotive world and Škoda couldn’t be missing from the party. The Czech automaker is reportedly considering a new high-riding model with a length below 4 meters (157.5 inches) that could be sold in India and other similar markets.
Škoda has recently taken charge of the MQB A0 platform development for the whole Volkswagen Group. The Slavia sedan and the Kushaq B-SUV that were developed and produced in India are both based on the MQB A0 IN derivative of the platform as part of the India 2.0 plan.
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The Škoda Kushaq unveiled in March 2021 is currently the smallest SUV in the Czech automaker’s global range measuring 4,225 (166 inches) in length.
Speaking to Autocar India, Thomas Schäfer, chairman of the board at Škoda, admitted that the company is looking into a smaller SUV stating: “The sub-4m segment is a tough segment. It’s got to have a good margin and look good”. The high-ranked official added that the platform carries around 70 percent of the vehicle’s value, proudly stating that now they have the responsibility for the MQB A0, they can “really dive into it”. However, he said there is “still homework to be done” since it is not an easy task, adding “we’re not quite finished with it yet”.
Schäfer said that in order to make it feasible, the new product should not be limited to India but aim at global export. If the project gets the green light, the budget-friendly SUV could sit on a slightly shrunk version of the MQB A0 IN architecture. The naturally aspirated 1.0 MPI and the turbocharged 1.0 TSI gasoline engines from VW Group’s parts bin sound like a great fit for the ever-growing segment.
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The Škoda Kamiq is a B-SUV measuring 4,241mm (167 inches), slotting below the Karoq and the Kodiaq in Europe.
The sub-4 meters (157.5 inches) length would make it shorter than the India-bound Kushaq (4,225 mm / 166 inches), the European-spec Kamiq (4,241mm / 167 inches), and the Chinese-spec Kamiq (4,390 mm / 172.8 inches), which are all classified as B-SUVs.
The new model sounds like a direct rival to the Citroën New C3, which debuted recently as a small SUV for India and South America, measuring 3.98 meters (156.7 inches) in length. Other rivals sold in different markets would include the likes of the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite, Honda ZR-V, Toyota Raize, and Tata Nexon.