Mumbai, 21 August 2024 – Today marks a major milestone for Škoda Auto India as it approaches a new era in India with its all-new compact SUV. Announced in February and following a recent teaser of its design, the vehicle has been named through an imaginative nationwide campaign. Reflecting the choice of thousands of people, Škoda Auto India’s new SUV will be called the Kylaq, embodying a unique connection with its future drivers.
Speaking at the name unveil, Petr Janeba, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India, said: “Our new compact SUV Kylaq is for the people of India. We wanted them to be part of every milestone of our biggest-ever launch in the country. The ‘Name Your Škoda’ campaign aimed at inculcating a sense of pride and belonging among participants and potential customers. The results are humbling with over 200,000 entries. It reinforces our legacy in India and showcases the great affinity people have towards the brand Škoda. The naming process of a car is important for us. And this upcoming all-new compact SUV represents the ultimate milestone within the fastest-growing and biggest segment in India. With the Kylaq, people, customers, and fans have themselves named our newest family member, which is developed jointly by the teams in India and Europe, and will be locally manufactured.”
Named by the people
The Name Your Škoda campaign, rolled out in February 2024, enabled the involvement and engagement of users, customers, and the Fans of Škoda in picking the name for the all-new compact SUV that is to make its India and world debut in 2025. Through ‘Name Your Škoda’, participants suggested names for the compact SUV that begins with the letter ‘K’ and ends with the letter ‘Q’ with one or two syllables, in line with Škoda’s tradition of naming their ICE SUVs. The campaign resulted in over 200,000 entries with over 24,000 unique names.
In the next phase, participants cast their vote for the choice among 15 shortlisted names. Basis the number of votes, from the 15 shortlisted names, 10 names were announced by Škoda Auto India. From the list, the winning name, which received the most votes and met all legal compliance criteria, was chosen for the all-new compact SUV. Kylaq is derived from the Sanskrit word for crystal, reflecting both the vehicle’s pristine qualities and inspiration from Mt. Kailash.
Voters are the winners
The winner of this naming contest will be the first owner of the Škoda Kylaq when it hits roads in 2025, lending them the unique opportunity of owning a car they named. Another 10 winners will visit Škoda Auto in Prague with a tour of the Škoda Museum and of the city. Winners will be announced at 2pm today across Škoda Auto India’s social media channels.
The Kylaq
The all-new compact SUV, now christened Kylaq, positioned as the ‘SUV for you’, is Škoda Auto India’s first-ever foray into the compact SUV segment. This SUV is based on the MQB-A0-IN platform, the same as the one of the Kushaq SUV and the Slavia sedan. The MQB-A0-IN was specifically developed for India by teams in India and the Czech Republic with an eye on versatility, safety, and dynamics while focussing on localization, low maintenance costs, and a hassle-free ownership experience.
What to expect
The all-new compact SUV will be the company’s first implementation of the Modern Solid design language in India. It will also have a high ground clearance and space around the wheel for tackling uneven road surfaces lending the car that SUV character. The design will retain the typical Škoda SUV language and add details like refined and precise DRL light signatures. The upcoming SUV will also feature a hexagon pattern on the side and rear of the car. The compact SUV is currently undergoing rigorous testing across India and the company is preparing for production with local supplier ramp-ups. Based on a larger car platform, the compact SUV will have the ‘big car’ feel within a compact footprint.
The naming tradition
It is a tradition going back to the company’s first-ever full-fledged 7-seater luxury 4×4, the Kodiaq, in 2017. The name reflects the qualities of both, the Kodiak bear and the Kodiak Archipelago to the south of Alaska, USA that it inhabits. The nomenclature is a reflection of the beauty, grandeur, and toughness of both the bear and the terrain it calls home. The Škoda Kushaq takes this legacy forward as its name is derived from the Sanskrit word for Emperor. The all-new compact SUV, the Škoda Kylaq will make its world debut in India in 2025, taking the nomenclature voted by the people, while following Škoda’s SUV family naming tradition.
The India fleet
The Kushaq SUV debuted in India and the world in July 2021 and the Slavia sedan in March 2022. Since then, these two India-developed cars have taken Škoda Auto India to witness its biggest year in sales and take the shortest time to achieve the landmark of over 100,000 cars sold. The Škoda Kylaq will be the third all-new, India-specific product developed by Škoda Auto India.