Czech carmaker Skoda will be launching a petrol-powered version of its biggest SUV, the Kodiaq, in India next year. The news was confirmed to CarDekho by Zac Hollis, the director of sales, service and marketing at Skoda Auto India. In the global market, Skoda offers the Kodiaq with the choice of two petrol engines – a 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre TSI unit.

Currently, the Skoda Kodiaq is only offered with a 2.0-litre TDI engine, which it shares with the Superb and Octavia.

• The Skoda Kodiaq could get either a 1.5-litre TSI or a 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine by 2020.
• Expected to be more affordable than the Kodiaq diesel, which is priced from Rs 35.36 lakh (ex-showroom India).
• Currently, Skoda offers two petrol engines in India – 1.4-litre and 1.8-litre TSI units seen on the Octavia and Superb.
• Kodiaq petrol will be offered as an alternative to the petrol-powered Toyota Fortuner and Honda CR-V.
• The diesel-only, go-fast Kodiaq RS is also expected to be launched on our shores soon.

Skoda is gearing up to launch a petrol powertrain for its flagship SUV, the Kodiaq, in India. Zac Hollis, the director of sales, service and marketing at Skoda Auto India, has revealed to CarDekho that the Czech brand is planning to launch the Kodiaq with a petrol engine in 2020. Internationally, the Skoda Kodiaq is offered with two 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines – a 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre TSI unit.

About the Powertrain:

Power for 1.5-litre TSI, 2.0-litre TSI and 2.0-litre TDI (existing unit) are 150PS, 190PS and 150PS respectively. Torque are 250Nm, 320Nm and 340Nm accordingly and Transmission are 6-speed MT|7-speed DSG, 7-speed DSG and 7-speed DSG respectively. 4X4 are Yes (Only with DSG), Yes (Standard) and Yes (Standard) respectively.

The 1.5-litre TSI unit makes better business sense here in India as the same engine can also be used to power other cars from Skoda, Volkswagen and Audi. The smaller 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine is identical to the existing diesel unit in terms of power. It also comes with active cylinder management technology which shuts down a couple of cylinders during low and medium loads to reduce fuel consumption. Being a smaller engine, it can help Skoda offer the Kodiaq at a much more affordable price. However, we still expect the flagship Skoda powered by the petrol engine to cost a tad over the Rs 30 lakh mark. The prices (ex-showroom Delhi) of Honda CR-V (Petrol), Toyota Fortuner (Petrol) and Skoda Kodiaq (diesel) are Rs 28.25 lakh, Rs 27.83 to Rs 29.42 lakh and Rs 35.36 lakh to Rs 36.78 lakh respectively.

Also on the cards is the Skoda Kodiaq RS, a diesel rocket which currently holds the record for the fastest seven seater SUV around the Nurburgring. Speaking to CarDekho, Zac Hollis said, “The car I’d really love to bring to India is the Kodiaq RS . That’s a car. I’m not saying I am, I said I would love to do. It’s an incredible car. It is beautifully designed. It’s crazy fast. It’s a lot of fun.”

This go-fast version of the Kodiaq puts out 240PS of power and 500Nm of torque. It’s powered by a 2.0-litre TDI engine, albeit with a  biturbo, allowing it to sprint from 0-100kmph in just 6.9 seconds. Top speed is rated at 221 kmph. The Skoda Kodiaq RS has a claimed fuel efficiency figure of 15.6 kmpl. If launched in India, it is likely to be priced close to the Rs 40 lakh mark.

Meanwhile, Skoda is set to kickstart its ‘India 2.0’ strategy with the launch of a made-in-India SUV based on the Kamiq. It is likely to be launched in 2020 alongside the Skoda Karoq, the much-awaited replacement from the Skoda Yeti.