PUNE: Skoda, the Czech auto giant, on Tuesday announced plans to launch a compact sports utility vehicle in India, one of its top 5 markets and to cash in on the growing Indian appetite for SUVs.
Experts said it could be competitively priced in the Rs 9-14 lakh range to take on rivals and make it attractive with Skoda safety and features.
After its success with Kushaq and Slavia models, its new compact SUV will hit the road in the first half of 2025, the company said in a statement.
The compact SUV will be based on the MQB A0-IN platform that forms the backbone of Skoda and Volkswagen in India, sharing many of its aggregates and sub-systems.
Skoda expects that this new car will be the biggest volume generator for the company in the fiercest, price conscious world third largest car market, dominated by Maruti and Hyundai, together commanding about 70 per cent of the market share.
Skoda Auto India said it is targeting 100,000 annual volumes by 2026 and looking to increase its share in the Indian market to 5 per cent by 2030. In 2023, the company sold over 100,000 cars in a 2-year period. Earlier, it had taken the company 6 years to achieve the landmark.
"I am extremely pleased to announce that a year from now, Skoda Auto will debut an all-new car, a compact SUV for the Indian market. Like the Kushaq and the Slavia, it will be made in India, ready for the world,” said Petr Janeba, Brand Director at Skoda Auto India.
Dr Johannes Neft, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development, Škoda Auto said, “The new compact SUV will help us compete in the largest segment of the Indian automotive industry." The SUVs command about 60 per cent of the total passenger vehicles in India.
Neft said Skoda Auto has announced its new era in India, aiming to strengthen India's role in its global growth story. “This new chapter will be underlined by its entry into the largest segment in the Indian market - the compact SUV category,” he said.
About 50 per cent of Skoda cars manufactured outside of the Czech Republic are produced in India, Neft said, adding, the company's export strategy of India developed products continues to gain momentum.
"Our cars have already been exported to the Gulf countries. We've also announced our market entry into Vietnam, supported by our successful operations in India, and cars and components manufactured in Pune are taking Skoda Auto to new parts of the world," he pointed out.
