In this interview, Skoda Auto India outlines its growth strategy for the Indian market, reflecting on 2025 as a milestone year and explaining why the Kushaq sits at the centre of its product roadmap.

In this conversation with Prerna Lidhoo, Ashish Gupta, brand director, Skoda Auto India talks about pricing strategy, the growth of the mid-size SUV segment, the rising dominance of automatic transmissions and why real automatics remain a key differentiator for the brand.

Skoda also shares its views on CNG penetration in compact SUVs, the potential for CNG options on Kylaq and Kushaq and how it is actively evaluating hybrids and EVs as future technologies.

The discussion also touches on R&D localisation plans for 2026 and the brand’s immediate priorities: volume growth, trust-building and operational excellence.

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