Skoda's return to success will depend on its upcoming SUV
Skoda Auto has seen it all in India. From dizzying success to being branded as a luxury car maker, from being the Indian jewel in the Volkswagen Group's crown to a forgotten step-child.
With great plans and a return to top-dog status for the Group in India, Skoda is back, but whether it returns to the successful ways of yore will depend on the upcoming Kushaq SUV. Now that the Kushaq has been unveiled there seem to be a lot of things to like about the car and if it is built like all the other Skodas, then it will not only be a car to reckon with but also propel Skoda from super niche to mainstream. If Skoda can get the pricing right then it can challenge the Hyundais and Kias for supremacy in this very competitive segment. Otherwise, Skoda can give Volkswagen company in an exclusive niche of brands trying to bridge the gap between the mass market marques and the premium ones while not fitting in either.
The Jeep Compass is also back with a lot of nip and tuck and seems to offer much better value than before and we have driven it along with a host of other refreshed cars this month. Three new offerings that really stand out are performance cars that bridge the gap between the mainstream and the track oriented cars. Starting with the smallest, the A 35 AMG, BMW's M340i and Audi's S5, these premium cars can be put to daily use while hiding race-track genes underneath the ordinary demeanor. It seems that there are finally buyers for the performance oriented vehicles in India considering some of these cars already have relatively big order lists.
Our motorcycling pages are dominated by Honda including another variation of the CB350 as Honda adopts a multi-pronged approach to tackling these segments that it did not consider mass market enough for it to dabble in.
And while we always urge you to drive and ride safely, this month we also plead with you to beware of the pandemic and to get yourself vaccinated as soon as possible when your turn comes. Till next month then!