If you’re someone who believes driving should be a bit more than just reaching a destination, then Skoda’s latest drive day might just be your cup of coffee. Or grilled chicken. Set in Alibaug, Maharashtra, the new Lonavala for restless Mumbaikars, Skoda India laid out an entire driving experience to showcase its core range. On the menu: the new Kylaq, the Kushaq, the Slavia, and the latest flagship, the new Kodiaq.
But before we got to the cars, we boarded a ferry.
The Ro-Ro service from South Mumbai to Alibaug is part of the Skoda experience, quite literally, as its decks are named after Skoda models. A curious bit of branding, but it does make the commute mildly entertaining. On arrival, a neat little tarmac track awaited us, lined with cones and an assortment of Kylaqs and Slavias gleaming under the sun. It felt less like a event and more like a Skoda-themed summer camp. After a modest refuel of iced coffee and chicken skewers, it was time to start the engines
Painted in a rather leafy shade of green, the Kylaq looked fresh. Under the hood is a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine pushing 114 bhp and 178 Nm, modest on paper, but enough to move this compact SUV with enthusiasm.
Acceleration & Braking: The car managed a confident sprint and just as confident a stop. Brakes bite well and inspire trust.
Autocross: The steering impressed here, direct and surprisingly responsive for a family SUV.
Moose Test: Swerving at 50 kmph to avoid an imaginary moose, the Kylaq held its line and composure.
Slalom: It weaved between cones without drama. And more importantly, it made you want to go again.
Same circuit, but a very different experience. With its lower stance and 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine churning out 148 bhp and 250 Nm, the Slavia felt more at home darting through corners.
The throttle response was more immediate, and the steering offered better feedback. Where the Kylaq danced, the Slavia sliced. For driving purists, it’s the better tool.
Skoda claims the new Kodiaq is as comfortable on dirt as it is on tarmac. A bold statement for a seven-seater SUV that costs about ₹50 lakh on-road. But this wasn’t just theory, they had a dedicated off-road course ready. And yes, I happily got behind the wheel.
Steep Climb: A calm throttle and the 201 bhp, 2.0-litre TSI engine did the job.
Controlled Descent: Hill descent control handled the tricky slope without any human interference.
Side Slopes: The kind of tilt that makes your passenger go quiet. The car stayed composed.
Axle Twisters & Ruts: One wheel off the ground? No panic. The AWD system did its thing.
Mixed-Surface Braking: With one tyre on concrete and the other on gravel, the Kodiaq still tracked straight.
Final Drop: One last steep descent wrapped it up. The car took over braking, I just steered.
The Kylaq, Slavia and Kodiaq aren’t just different body styles on the same bones. Each has its own personality. The Kylaq is lighthearted and friendly. The Slavia feels tighter and more mature. And the Kodiaq? Surprisingly elegant even when covered in dirt.
They aren’t perfect, fuel economy won’t win you awards at office banter, and the feature lists still play catch-up to Korean rivals. But what they do offer is a genuine connection between driver and machine. That’s something you don’t always find in cars that spend their lives in rush hour.
Skoda’s Indian lineup may be relatively compact, but it’s impressively focused. There’s a sense that these cars were designed by people who actually enjoy driving.
For buyers, it means a real choice: You can pick the Kylaq for its urban agility, the Slavia for weekend getaways, or the Kodiaq if you’d like to ferry your extended family through a jungle and still be fresh enough to explain Apple CarPlay.
As for me, I’ll wait for the next invite. Preferably with more cones and a vRS finished in Mamba Green please.
