[shekar.ca]

Many congratulations on the new car, it looks superb. And the best color choice too!

Wishing you a happy ownership experience and many 1000s of kms. Keep sharing your experiences whenever possible. Cheers!

[roadlover1705]

Congratulations and I hope you are enjoying the ownership! I myself have booked the same variant as I was disappointed with the lack of options in the market that are fun-to-drive. Fortunately, the color I was looking for (Carbon Steel) is readily available so not a long wait either.

That being said, the launch of Slavia has got my thoughts split in two - shall I go ahead with the Kushaq or wait to look at the Slavia. I also own a Figo 1.5TdCI so guess we are somewhere on the same boat when it comes to the transition.

How has your experience been driving the Kushaq now that it is close to 3 months of ownership? Would love to hear your thoughts and hope it'd help clear my brain fog as well.

[DragonHawk]

5000kms ownership update

Just back from a trip to Mantralaya which was supposed to be a post-monsoon drive and thanks to recent unprecedented rains, it turned out to be a monsoon drive and a first for Kushaq.

How trip started


How it ended


Somewhere near Hampi


Evening gala at Tungabhadra Dam, Hospet


One of the best roads in Karnataka, Hospet-Chitradurga highway


It has been 4 months since owning this machine and this 1200kms drive gave an opportunity to drive it under all kinds of road surfaces under the heavy downpour and also blazing heat. It was my first long drive with Kushaq and initially, I was a bit jittery to take it on an unknown stretch that too with so many breakdown stories flying around about Kushaq. Before the trip, as per usual practice, I did go out planning over a contingency plan on what if something goes wrong. Especially with family on tow and owning a new model like Kushaq, it is essential to have everything in place.

The default route from Puttur was via Bellary which took me through one of the worst roads I have ever driven, especially the stretch between Bellary - Adhoni. For the return journey, considering the road conditions I was forced to look for an alternative. On discussing with hotel staff, found that Hampi is 4 hr drive from Mantralaya. Since visiting Hampi has been long pending and was in no mood to drive back on the same road, we finally decided to visit Hampi. Considering it was a last-minute decision I was a bit unsure of getting a hotel room. Luckily got one at Royal Orchid Central Keer which I got to know later from hotel staff that there were many cancellations due to rains and heavy downpour. Except for the fact that maintenance was poor, the overall room and ambiance were good. Thanks to heavy rain, even though we couldn`t explore Hampi to its fullest but it did give a glimpse of glorious history.

Coming to Kushaq, since the beginning, I have been using 95RON petrol from IOC which is branded as XP95, and never had the opportunity to know how the car behaves with normal petrol. Even though 91RON is also recommended but it does come with drawbacks which I could experience during this trip. My usual pump had XP95 out of stock and was forced to use 91RON for the onward trip. Immediately I could experience throttle response was not crisp and could hear distinct clatter whenever I was revving above 1400rpm. Eventually, during my return leg, I did find a pump stocking XP95 at Hospet and beautiful Hospet-Chithradurga stretch which gave a good opportunity for Kushaq to stretch its legs.

Overall my journey with Kushaq has been excellent so far. Contrary to popular beliefs, my car hasn`t given any headaches or surprises so far. There are no new niggles or issues to report as such. One of the main highlights of the trip is the way the car behaved during this 1200kms round trip, which gave me enough confidence to go on longer trips across states. Kushaq showed what it can deliver given when it is taken across different road conditions.

Lastly, thanks to my friend and DBhpian paragsachania for his timely guidance and update on road conditions which was very precise and reduced my workload to a lot extent.

[sachin_cs]

I absolutely adore this shade and those alloys man, probably one of the best designs from Skoda. Good to see your Kushaq doing great miles there. It's a proper mile muncher and a cross country machine. And also, Karnataka looks beautiful, I shall definitely have it in my cards.

Happy motoring.

[DragonHawk]

Originally Posted by sachin_cs

I absolutely adore this shade and those alloys man, probably one of the best designs from Skoda. Good to see your Kushaq doing great miles there.

Happy motoring.

Thanks, Sachin. I wish you many more happy miles with your Rapid 1.5TDI. We Skoda owners love this shade don`t we?. I think with Skoda's design language, carbon steel color suits well for all Skoda cars.


Last week went on an impromptu drive to Karwar from Mangalore on some personal work. On the way, did a found some time to visit ever beautiful Kapu beach and Mattu beach. It was a solo trip and turned out to be a great getaway.

Beautiful Kapu beach






Maravanthe - A Picturesque Locale in the Konkan Coast




A memorable evening at Mattu beach near Malpe.


Coming to the car, except for some issues listed below, the car performed flawlessly and this trip did give me an opportunity to try XP100 from IOC. Filled her up at IOC pump near Panambur, Mangalore by paying Rs160/ltr.. 1.5TSI engine really loves higher octane fuels, I felt the car was much more muted and the engine was happily singing in a relaxed manner. However, when compared to XP95, benefits and price aren`t really justifiable in any sense. Going forward will be sticking with tried and tested XP95, if unavailable then the usual 91RON from HPCL.

During my last visit to Tafe Mangalore, I had specifically asked to check the below issues.

• Noticed an uneven gap between the left rear door pad and panel.
  

• Squeaking noise seeping into the cabin while going over rough roads. This requires a replacement of door beading which Skoda is doing for free as mine is from initial batches and all the new Kushaq are coming with the latest door beadings from the factory.

• Remember the broken rear AC vents mentioned in my review. This along with door beadings and door clip parts were ordered.

I have been waiting for more than 20 days now and I haven`t heard anything from my dealer on parts availability. My emails to the dealer were going unanswered and finally had to resort to including Zac to get the balls rolling. It is indeed a sad state of affairs that, dealers like Tafe don`t do justice for the task they are supposed to carry out. My previous experience with them is nothing to write off. Once these guys had delivered my car without proper cleaning and were full of mucks and grease and had to get it washed outside as it was already for them to wash and was informed to come the next day for washing, so much of customer service. Since Tafe is the only dealer in Mangalore, I have to stick to them till the time I move back to Bangalore.

Parting shot with two beauties of our home.

[sachin_cs]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

Thanks, Sachin. I wish you many more happy miles with your Rapid 1.5TDI. We Skoda owners love this shade don`t we?. I think with Skoda's design language, carbon steel color suits well for all Skoda cars.

Thanks mate, and carbon steel really is a smart colour, in the evening it looks black and in the day time it looks grey. I love this colour so much so that my sister wanted a Silver Altroz but at last she ended up getting a midtown grey, which is almost a similar shade

Last week went on an impromptu drive to Karwar from Mangalore on some personal work. On the way, did a found some time to visit ever beautiful Kapu beach and Mattu beach. It was a solo trip and turned out to be a great getaway.

If you would have not mentioned, I would have easily considered it as Lakshadweep or Andamans. Looks really beautiful and that crystal blue water is so inviting.

Again, lovely pictures.
Happy motoring.

[DragonHawk]

10000kms update

Odo crossed 10k during my weekend trip to Karwar. Completed 7 months of owning this pocket rocket and barring a few visits to SVC as a part of the recall, I have thoroughly enjoyed owning this machine. Like GTO says, one should pick the variant with the best engine and he will never repent throughout his ownership. The more I drive, the more I feel that I have made the right choice of switching to 1.5TSI.

Last Feb, visited Tafe Mangalore for rear wheel hub replacement and other pending works from my previous visit. Even though I am happy with the overall work carried out in my car but it took 3 full days to complete the work which IMO is too much for the nature of work. I had provided my feedback on this to CRM and the Service Manager of Tafe and I don`t expect the status quo to change anytime soon.

New made in Spain wheel hub


Overall Bill


Custom badge from drivenation


Due to the pandemic, the family outstation trip was limited to temple runs and some visits to Mysore. With reducing cases, we decide to go on a long drive and this time owing to much pressure from my kiddo, we had finalized to go for a beach vacation, and opted for Karwar. We had booked our weekend stay at Devbagh beach resort by Jungle Lodges and Resorts. Having visited a couple of other JLR properties, we knew it is going to be a unique experience. This resort has big beaches and a shallow coast. The main beach has an amazing view of the city of Karwar, its port, a lighthouse, some small islands, and the Arabian Sea. The Island boasts of beautiful birds like the peacock and lush green mangrove forests.

The serene beaches






The Mangroves




A visit to INS Chapal

[pkrish]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

This is a story of my journey from a humble Ford Figo 1.4TDCi to Škoda Kushaq 1.5TSI MT.

Thanks for excellent review and I too am in a situation similar to yours before you zeroed in on Kushaq, and there are so many similarities! I am thinking of upgrading from a Ford at the moment (Fiesta 1.5TDCi), [and I too am from KA21/19/70 area ]

My shortlist of upgrade options are similar to what was yours too, but not fully convinced with any one car yet. Can I pick your brain with some queries/concerns, unable to message you directly.

[DragonHawk]

Nothing much to report! The car has been idle except for some city errands due to incessant rains and trips abroad. Odo is slowly inching towards 15K and I have been getting service reminder alerts in the console for 1st service which is due next month. I have been regular with Tafe Access for campaign related works and overall I felt they are decent. However, this time I might try PPS Skoda Okhalipuram as I heard a lot of positive feedback from many in our owner`s group. No issues to report so far, hopefully, it will be a routine service.

Of late I have been thinking of replacing current OEM mats with 3D rubber mats, finally, I could source GFX TPU rubber mats from one of the friendly accessory shop. More info here (Skoda Kushaq Review).

[DragonHawk]

Life with my pocket rocket Skoda Kushaq 1.5TSI MT: 15000 km update


The car is just shod of 15000 km and this month marks the completion of 1st year of owning this pocket rocket. Having driven this beauty on all kinds of tarmac, one thing I have observed is that, it is a car that can do everything well, and nobody, not even the most ardent critic of cars, could make a practical argument against whatever else you may want to buy. Given how Kushaq has been all over the news with bad publicity it got and saying ‘can do everything well’ always feels not confidence inspiring, but Criticism? there are few, but worth mentioning.


The first and foremost thing is the number of campaigns/recalls Kushaq had received. My 1.5MT is one of the first batches and as expected niggles and issues are the perks of owing from the first production batches. But it doesn`t mean you will have to make frequent visits to carry out field campaigns. In total, my car got enrolled in 6 campaigns. Although except for fuel pump related recall, not all are related to critical parts replacement but these numbers aren`t really confidence inspiring. I am looking at you Skoda!!

Thankfully, the Skoda ASC experience has improved leaps and bounds from what I have heard before buying Kushaq. Clearly, Zac`s magic touch is working and now that he is moving out, only time will tell how much change in dealership experience is gonna remain.

The second major issue which I have been observing is the car alignment has been slightly off right from the beginning of my ownership journey and the car has been drifting towards the left. I usually stick to the schedule of getting WA checked every 5000 km and WB, WA, and WR every 10000 km. But this cropped up right from odo reading at 2000 km. I tried all SOPs like balancing, rotation and alignment at my usual FNG as Skoda ASC is a bit far from the place of living but the problem used to exist. Finally had to get alignment corrected at Tafe, Mangalore. However, I could see this issue cropping up every now and then.

Another issue worth mentioning is the low battery voltage message displayed in the console, whenever I kept her idle for more than 3 days. Assuming I’d left an interior light on or something similarly silly, I jump-started the car and went on my way, but the cycle of the battery holding charge for a little while and then draining was set, and fear of stranding away from home prompted me to get the issue fixed. I started looking for any external device which is connected to the input slots because all these Type-C ports and 12V pin extract the juice out of the battery even when the ignition is switched off. After writing off all options, finally I zeroed in on the dongle which is connected to one of the OBD ports. So for folks who have no plans to use your Kushaq for an extended period of time, then make sure you remove this piece of device.



15K Kms Service Update:
15000kms service was carried out at Tafe Access, Kudlu gate, overall service experience has been good.

• Right side one-touch power window was getting stuck halfway. The power window motor was replaced under a warranty
• Stock wiper blade was making a squeaking noise and same was replaced as well
• Air filter was dirty and since 1st service doesn`t include air filter replacement and the same is not covered in SMP. So I had to pay extra for the air filter.
• Since I had SMP, I didn`t have to pay anything for Air Filter + Front Wiper set + Aluminium pedals which came around Rs 2600.

Mechanically the car has been the same as I didn`t want to complicate already complex things. However, did some cosmetic changes to enhance the looks.








Condition of stock Goodyear tires after 1 year, will be needing a replacement in another 5k km.


Apart from minor niggles and campaigns, touchwood my car ownership journey has been excellent so far. Overall Skoda has provided a practical softy SUV which does almost all things right. Even though the interior quality is a bit of let down and it may not possess a bling factor like Koreans but Kushaq does compensate the enthusiasts in you with a fantastic engine and gearbox combo, superb handling, and ride quality. The design isn’t radical, but it’s attractive and its ergonomics and usability are first-rate. And that’s where the Kushaq lands its first killer blow: it’s just so comfortable and easy to live with, err except for frequent campaigns by Skoda . The dealer experience has been good so far here in Bangalore. With Zac moving out, it will be a testing time ahead for us as customers. I hope Peter Solc the man of the moment, will carry and improve on the legacy left behind by Zac.

[Kalash_6324]

A 1 year old tire set needing to be replaced with just 20k kilometres of mileage?

Also, you mentioned an issue with the car habitually veering to the left.
Would recommend getting a thorough inspection of your suspension geometry. Something's off.
Better safe than sorry since this is an early batch unit.

[DragonHawk]

Life with my pocket rocket Skoda Kushaq 1.5TSI MT: 22000 km update
16 months and 22000 km? that is quite a mile-munching when compared with other cars I have owned. During this course of the journey, it did have its fair share of issues and niggles but mechanically it is a cracker of a car, especially with that sweet 1.5 TSI. The car doesn`t break a sweat and happily chugs around 100kmph throughout the day.

As I pondered the time with the Kushaq, I am in a more comfortable position in saying, I don’t hate it, but it ain`t the love of my life either. The problem here is the gap defined by Skoda with MQB A0 IN platform when compared with Skoda DNA it is known for. The car is solid enough, it looks good, 1.5TSI efficiency is excellent, the space is fine, the Skoda SVC experience is improved and the overall quality is fine. As you see, it scores solidly in the middle - and from a car that costs this much, it needs a couple of bigger scores to lift it from a kind of aggressive mediocrity. Especially with some annoying things like the way the car rattles, I don`t have much confidence in the longevity of the car. Skoda SVC is clueless and they have tried all they could or rather what is mentioned in the SOP of Skoda. In a way, I appreciate the Ford build quality because none of my Figo and Ecosport had this gift of rattles even after driving for more than a lakh km.

As posted in my previous update, stock Goodyear gave up sooner than I had anticipated. With not many options in stock size, decided to upsize to 215/55 in stock r17 size and went with Vredestein ultrac vorti which cost 11200 a piece. Having driven almost 5k km, tires have offered balanced performance in almost all types of tarmac. If one wants the performance of Michelin with stiffer sidewalls and a lesser sticker price, then this can be considered as one of the prime contenders.



During my recent visit to SVC, got my horn replaced with the one provided by Skoda as an accessory with part no 6JM-093-806 which is the same as the one meant for Ambition. The total cost came to around 2500 which includes 1000 as labor
Apart from this, whenever the car was stationary for a couple of days, a low-voltage warning message was displayed in the console. The culprit was a damaged wire connecting to the alternator, which happened because of a rat bite.



Apart from this, the car ownership journey has been smooth, and except for the rear wheel bearing replacement, and broken power windows switches, I don`t have anything major expenses to report.



PS: Haven`t included Alignment/Balancing cost here.

During 2nd week of December, some of us from KA21 teambhp community went on an overnighter trip to Thirunelli, Wayanad. Here are some of the photos as seen from my lens.




Bhpians steed starting from left, mine, PrideRed, PetroNerd ,_chikku, Thilak29, Emvi, prasanna_indaje and Bdn317(not in the pic)


Our place of stay, Himagiri Zostelx managed by Agraharam Resorts. The resort is at a picturesque location and is highly recommended.






Parting shots of my steed

[SRISRI_90]

Glad you had a great Experience with the Kushaq.

Our experience with Tafe Skoda Service Mangalore was terrible , mainly due to non availability of parts and partly due to stupid mechanics . But this was 2009-2015. I've heard things have changed now .

You seem to have changed the tyres to Vredestein , how is their performance ?
Any particular reason not to go for Michelins?

Off Topic : I consider myself to be an expert Highway driver and i end up overtaking everyone and anyone ,lol.
But the only drivers i avoid having a 'spirited drive' with , has to be KA 21 Drivers. I mean you folks are just insane . If a KA 21 asks for way , i just let him go, because there is no contest .If i try to race with him , i'll lose and hurt my ego .

[DragonHawk]

Originally Posted by SRISRI_90

Glad you had a great Experience with the Kushaq.

Our experience with Tafe Skoda Service Mangalore was terrible , mainly due to non availability of parts and partly due to stupid mechanics . But this was 2009-2015. I've heard things have changed now .

My only issue with them is the SVC is a bit cramped because of which they don`t deliver the car on time. For the past 1 year, all my work are being carried out at Tafe Kudlu Gate, Bangalore. Vis a vis they are excellent, of course, parts availability is something Skoda needs to improve on. Like in my case, I had to wait for a month to get power window switches, at the same time, the rear wheel hub was sourced within a day but overall I am impressed by the workmanship of Tafe Kudlu Gate and my SA Sudharshan.

You seem to have changed the tyres to Vredestein , how is their performance ?
Any particular reason not to go for Michelins?

In comparison with Vredestein, I felt Michelin sidewalls are a bit soft and given the road conditions we have, I felt the stiffer sidewalls was one of my primary requirement. Also, Apollo offers an unconditional warranty for 2 years along with a 5-year guarantee against manufacturing defects plus a price difference of almost 1500 actually sealed the deal for me.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

Apart from this, the car ownership journey has been smooth, and except for the rear wheel bearing replacement, and broken power windows switches, I don`t have anything major expenses to report.

During 2nd week of December, some of us from KA21 teambhp community went on an overnighter trip to Thirunelli, Wayanad. Here are some of the photos as seen from my lens.

Your car is treat to watch the new tires has only made it look better. The stance has improved, subtle mods and gloss make it look great.

And yes it was amazing meet. Here are few more shots of your car:

Originally Posted by SRISRI_90

Off Topic : I consider myself to be an expert Highway driver and i end up overtaking everyone and anyone ,lol.
But the only drivers i avoid having a 'spirited drive' with , has to be KA 21 Drivers. I mean you folks are just insane . If a KA 21 asks for way , i just let him go, because there is no contest .If i try to race with him , i'll lose and hurt my ego .

Interesting, may I know why or can you please elaborate? There are few KA21 members here and I am sure, are keen to know. I hope its not because KA21 drivers are considered rash drivers .