Facelifted Skoda Kodiaq And A New Sedan To Launch By Early 2022

News from Skoda Auto India continues to come in thick and fast, with the carmaker confirming that the facelifted Kodiaq and the upcoming Rapid successor (will likely be called Slavia) will arrive in India by early 2022. Both models will be showcased by the end of this year.  

For the Kodiaq, it will be the first major update. The facelifted SUV will get a reworked front fascia, new alloy wheels, and revised LED headlights and tail lamps. The cabin, however, should be essentially unchanged aside from a new two-spoke steering wheel and fresh upholstery colour and trim options.

Feature updates could include 10-colour LED ambient lighting, a 12-speaker Canton sound system (a step-up from the 10 speakers right now), and ventilated front seats with heating and massage functions. Powering the facelifted Kodiaq SUV will be a 190PS 2-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with a 7-speed DCT driving all four wheels. Know the latest updates on the Kodiaq here.

Now, to the new sedan billed as the Skoda Rapid’s successor. It will likely be called Slavia and based on the VW Group’s localised version of the MQB-A0 platform (dubbed MQB-A0 IN). The sedan has been spotted testing in the country, and it will be larger and more premium than the current-gen Rapid. 

The Slavia could borrow certain features from the Kushaq, including the 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital instrument cluster, and connected car tech. Powertrain options are the Kushaq’s 110PS 1-litre TSI and 150PS 1.5-litre TSI turbo-petrol engines with manual and automatic transmissions. Read more about Skoda’s new sedan here. 

While we don’t know which will arrive in India first, we don’t expect much of a gap between their launch dates. The facelifted Kodiaq will likely retail from Rs 33 lakh (ex-showroom), while the Rapid successor from Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Skoda Kodiaq will take on the VW Tiguan Allspace and the Toyota Fortuner Petrol, while the Slavia should rival the Honda City, Hyundai Verna, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Toyota Yaris, and the upcoming VW Vento successor.