Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI AT: Post purchase issues & niggles

The volume mute button on the steering wheel wasn't working from day 1.

BHPian thilipk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My first post after been accepted to the Team BHP community few weeks ago. Have been reading the reviews and comments in the forum for as long as I can remember.

Recently purchased a Skoda Kushaq Ambition 1.0 AT (Jan 22 version) from SGA cars, Coimbatore. Sales experience was good, car was delivered within 2 weeks after being told that there was a 2 month waiting period. very cheap sales gimmick to push 2021 stock. Felt cheated when I had to pay full price for a car which was probably manufactured within days after 2021, when 2021 stocks where on 60k discounts, only because the Carbon Steel wasn't available.

It was looks, comfort and safety that made me choose the Kushaq. I personally have very low expectations on the performance criteria, being a sedate driver who doesn't push RPMs or cross 90 kmph speeds even on highways.

The shortlist was between the Kushaq and Harrier, and finally the 7 lakh price difference between the Kushaq 1.0AT and Harrier AT XZA (have my own reasons for comparing two different cars in 2 different segments) and slight body roll in Harrier made us choose the Kushaq over Harrier.

It was an immediate and continuing regret due to issues found during delivery and soon after. Not that Harrier would have been niggle free, but the helpless feel after having waited 6-7 months, multiple TD's of almost every car in the 15-25 lakh price bracket, pay 17 lakh of your hard earned money and still ended up with a sub-par car is heart wrenching.

Came to know that the auto folding ORVM is taken out from 2022 cars on the day of delivery. The sales guy till the date of my payment said that there is no intimation about taking this feature out from the 2022 cars. I have since followed up with Skoda customer service multiple times. Except for a call from the local dealer that I can retrofit this after the semiconductor shortage is resolved but no confirmation whether this will be recall or do I have to pay for it. Skoda didn't reply to my multiple follow ups. I am not on any social media sites, so not sure if this was decided already.

The volume mute button on the steering wheel wasn't working from day 1. Took it back the next day for inspection, and after a few days again after being told that replacement part has arrived. But after a day in the workshop, they discovered that the wrong part was delivered and I had to come back again later. 10 days since and still waiting.

The infamous door creaking noise, on both sides for me. What a frustration this is. A brand new car making horrible old car noises even on slight undulation. I had to put off my trips to show off my new car to the family. Can't imagine the feedback for a new car, when my own ten-year-old Hyundai i10 AT (70k) and my dad's 8 year old EcoSport (110k) are still like squeak free. SGA Service told me that the door beading was replaced when I took it for replacing the steering button, but noise came back within a day. Now waiting for a supposedly premium door beading and some tape that will arrest the noise. The tape thing sounded like some quick fix idea to mask a manufacturing defect.

I can't imagine how a supposedly premium German car manufacturer can let a car come out of its factory with so many issues. Really pathetic. On top of this, I am continuously being harrowed for feedback through phone calls and emails. Honestly, if Skoda spends a fraction of the money to hire QCs instead of hiring call center agents, they probably would not need to ask for feedback at all.

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