The compact SUV space is a high-growth segment in India and newer models from the Korean carmakers have helped the market grow in terms of volumes. Now, the Volkswagen Group is gearing up to bring in new models in the segment. Skoda Auto India that's been leading the charge of the Volkswagen Group's India 2.0 strategy will be foraying into the segment next year with a brand new compact SUV based on the Vision IN concept. The new model will be a Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos challenger and will be locally manufactured in India. It will hit the showrooms by mid 2021.
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Skoda's upcoming SUV will be at par with the brand's other products in terms of quality and finish.
Speaking to carandbike, Zac Hollis, Director- Sales, Service & Marketing, Skoda Auto India said, "Our key suppliers are now here and our specialist technicians from Europe are also here to make sure that the production line is ready. So everything is on the track and we have quality cars on the production line coming through at the moment. So we should have quality cars in the showroom by the middle of next year." Skoda has also promised that the model will be at par with the brand's other line-up as far as quality and reliability are concerned. "I have very high expectations from this car. This car is coming in the key segment in India, it's coming in the mid-size SUV segment which is a booming segment and we have already seen the impact of new entrants from the Korean manufacturers. And of course we'll be bringing the car smack into that segment. It will be priced right and will have all the virtues that you expect from Skoda. So you know in terms of quality, styling and safety it will have everything that you expect from Skoda. I am very comfortable with this car going forward and it becomes a step up. So this year we'll be selling around 11,000 cars and the plan next year is to go to over 30,000 or so and our long term aim is to sell 100,000 cars in India," Hollis added.
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The Skoda Vision IN concept boasts of an upright stance for an urban yet butch appeal
Along with quality and durability, as Hollis mentioned, the model will also adopt the Skoda family design language. So most likely we'll get to see similar family design elements that we had already seen on the Vision IN concept earlier this year and even on the test mule that's recently been spotted. So the production model will feature basic design cues like the 3D grille with the winged arrow logo mounted atop and also expect few sharp sculpting lines on the face and along the profile. And also, the wide Skoda lettering is likely to be seen on the boot. As far as engines are concerned, we already know that the India 2.0 strategy is emphasising on localisation. While the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, TSI engine will be the mainstay for smaller cars, we expect Skoda to locally develop and manufacture a new four-cylinder turbocharged engine for the compact SUV. However, those details are yet to be officially shared by the company.
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The Skoda Vision IN based compact SUV adopt the similar design language.
Now the company is aiming really high volumes in 2021 and the new compact SUV will play a crucial role in improving the sales graph. That means that the company is planning to price it rather competitively and surely will undercut the Skoda Karoq by a margin. However, Skoda is also planning to increase its sales network next year in a bid to improve its customer reach and open to a wider set of customers. The company has a less than 100 sales network at the moment in our country and is planning to ramp up to a total of 130 dealerships by the end of June 2021.
