Skoda Kylaq Turbo-Manual: Here’s My Experience On A Morning Run With This Fun-to-Drive SUV

Ever since it was launched, it is said that the Skoda Kylaq carries the soul of the dearly missed Volkswagen Polo. I never drove the Polo myself, but if I had to judge the statement for a verdict, this one early morning drive to Lonavala with the Skoda Kylaq let me understand why people draw that comparison. It delivers a kind of driving joy that feels super fun in this segment and size.

The Sweet Part - Performance!

As we headed out early in the morning with the Kylaq, driving through light city traffic before heading onto the highway, its 1-litre TSI turbo petrol engine (115 PS/178 Nm) started quietly and didn’t give out much floor vibrations.

While in the city, the Kylaq felt easy to drive as the engine’s torque delivery is quite smooth, and the clutch felt lighter than I had expected. Thanks to the TSI engine, it felt like the car wanted to leap ahead as soon as you lifted your foot from the clutch. This makes navigating through stop-and-go traffic quite effortless. 

On the highway, the car feels more at home as it accelerates linearly and is most comfortable cruising in the 80-100 kmph range, because the engine sits in the sweet mid-range. 

The car responds quickly to throttle inputs, making overtakes feel effortless. I didn’t feel the need to plan overtakes in advance. While there is a slight noticeable turbo lag at lower RPMs, somewhere below the 1,800 to 2,000 rpm range, you will need to be a little careful when you are particularly trying to pick up pace quickly in a higher gear. However, once past this range, the engine settles into a strong, predictable mid-range, where it feels most comfortable. The engine refinement is also noteworthy, and gear shifting is quite smooth. 

On the return journey, I encountered a stretch of about 10 km of heavy traffic. This is where the Kylaq’s flexibility stood out. It holds second gear comfortably at low speeds and allows occasional use of third gear without feeling strained. This reduced the need for constant gear changes, which can otherwise become tiring in dense traffic conditions. Also, thanks to the Kylaq’s compactness, which makes it very easy to manoeuvre in such situations. 

Ride & Handling

Coming to my experience in the ride quality and handling department, the suspension of the Kylaq feels firm, and you do feel smaller road imperfections, even on relatively smooth surfaces. This might be bothersome for the buyers prioritising comfort. However, the case is different when you drive the Kylaq with more passengers or luggage.

Through corners, the Kylaq feels very stable. The body roll is well-managed. The steering is light and remains accurate enough at higher speeds. Interestingly, the ride quality appears to improve with added load. With more passengers or luggage, the suspension feels more settled and balanced.

The Look & Comfort 

The Skoda Kylaq quietly distances itself from the rest of the segment in terms of design. It looks clean, almost understated, and that works in its favour. What I appreciated more over time was how well-proportioned it looks. It’s the kind of design you don’t think much about at first, but it grows on you the more you look at it.

I also appreciate Skodas for how premium their cabin looks. The same is for the Kylaq. The cabin design is quite minimalistic and upmarket. While there are hard plastics, the overall build quality feels solid, with panels that seem well assembled and durable. The driving position is easy to set up. The combination of power-adjustable seats and adjustable steering allows for a comfortable and slightly sporty seating posture without affecting visibility. 

Seat comfort is what I really loved in driving the Kylaq. The firm cushioning might seem a bit on the harder side for starters, but that will support you with great comfort for longer runs. The bolstering is also good and provides adequate support, especially over longer drives. The Kylaq feels well insulated. You almost sit in great peace inside. The engine and road noise are reasonably cut off.

The air conditioning, however, takes a bit of time to get going, especially in Pune’s late morning heat. During my drive, the cabin didn’t cool down immediately and needed higher fan speeds initially to bring the temperature down to a comfortable 24 degrees. That said, once the cabin is cooled, the system manages to maintain the temperature consistently without needing constant adjustment. Maybe Skoda could have added a rapid cooling system to trade off with this issue; however, it’s not a dealbreaker.

Fuel Efficiency

I tracked the Kylaq’s fuel efficiency over my drive, and the cluster showed an average of around 11.2 kmpl at the end of my trip, which is not frugal for sure, but quite honest for the way I drove it. I did not hold back on the highway and took full advantage of the engine’s peppy nature. I believe a more restrained right foot and calmer city conditions could push the efficiency slightly higher to a generous 14-16 kmpl on highways, which is a good enough figure for a car of this nature.

ZigSays…

The Skoda Kylaq feels like a car that knows exactly what it wants to be, and more importantly, what it doesn’t. After spending time with it, what stood out to me is its consistency in performance. The way the engine responded, the light but predictable controls, and the slightly firm ride, that starts to make sense the moment the road opens up. All of these brought a wide grin to my face, as someone who loves to be behind the steering wheel.

In a segment where most cars are focused on mass catering naturally aspirated petrol options, the Kylaq does the job perfectly with its single turbo petrol engine. It focuses on getting the fundamentals right and leaves it at that. So, even if it’s just a daily commute with the occasional open stretch, the Kylaq offers something that’s getting harder to find at this price, starting at Rs 7.59 lakh. That’s what gives the Polo comparison some weight. Not because it tries to replicate it, but because it carries forward that same focus on driving feel.