Skoda Auto India has been present in the mid-size SUV segment with Kushaq for a few years now. As part of its INDIA 2.0 strategy, Kushaq has played an important role in establishing the brand in India. Now, the SUV has received its first major update in the form of a facelift.
Other than the cosmetic updates, there have been a few other changes in the equipment and Skoda has come up with a new 8-speed gearbox as well. We drove the new 2026 Skoda Kushaq facelift at sunny Jaipur, Rajasthan, and this is what we think about the updates in equipment and the new 8-speed torque converter gearbox.
Skoda Kushaq Facelift First Drive Review
To start with, Skoda Kushaq facelift is one of those media drive events where we experienced the vehicle without knowing its prices, making it difficult for us to draw conclusions. It wasunveiled in January 2026in Kochi and all the updates and additions were announced then. At the national media drive in Jaipur, we experienced both 1.0 TSI 8AT and 1.5 TSI 7DSG.
The trim hierarchy starts from Classic+, Signature, Sportline, Prestige and Monte Carlo. With the 2026 Kushaq facelift, Skoda Auto is betting big on lower trims. Especially the base Classic+ where Skoda is offering a host of features and creature comforts that could prove logically enough for many. This move might bring more buyers towards Skoda than what the foot fall into the showrooms are now.
Where design is concerned, Skoda Kushaq Facelift comes with a new fascia, which is an iterative upgrade over its predecessor. New LED projector headlights, new LED DRLs in the headlights, new bumper and a new connected LED rib effect on the grille. Speaking of grille, there are vertical chrome slats on standard Kushaq, which are blacked-out on Monte Carlo trim.
There is a new design for 17-inch alloy wheels, finished in a dual-tone effect for both Standard and Monte Carlo versions. Skoda has introduced rear disc brakes for the first time, but only with 1.5L engine variants. Primary design distinctions can be seen at the rear where we now see new LED tail light signature and new bumper.
Skoda lettering at the back is now illuminated and is part of the tail lights, lending it a connected appeal. Roof rails and shark fin antenna are present too and Skoda is now giving a panoramic sunroof and sequential turn indicators with Kushaq for the first time. With Kushaq facelift, Skoda has increased the claimed boot capacity to 491L, which can be further increased to 1,405L.
New Features & Creature Comforts
On the inside, Kushaq remains more or less the same as its predecessor where design is concerned. 2-spoke steering wheel continues with nice and tactile steering mounted buttons. Behind this cluster is the new TFT digital cluster which also shows navigation when your smartphone is connected to the system wirelessly via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
On the top-spec trims, there are Skoda branded speakers mated to a subwoofer for a surreal audio experience with rich lows, decent mids and highs. New panoramic sunroof lets in more light than the single-pane sunroof which was offered before. The new panoramic sunroof allows more natural light into the cabin, enhancing the sense of space.
Both front seats continue to be electrically adjustable, which is quite rare in this segment. Also, both front seats are ventilated too. The same capacitive touch sliders continue on the single-zone climate control system (still not intuitive to operate). Theres also an auto-dimming IRVM, wireless charging pad and a dual-colour ambient lighting (White, Red).
With Standard Kushaq, theres a Black and Beige interior theme while Monte Carlo gets an all-Black theme with contrasting Nashik Red accents. There are centre armrests for both front and rear occupants and all-five headrests are adjustable. There are rear AC vents along with two Type-C ports for rear occupants.
Massaging Seats
Just below rear AC vents, there are two inconspicuous buttons that activate the massaging seats feature for rear occupants. This is a good-to-have creature comfort which is often only seen in high-end premium cars and luxury cars, but unheard of in the C Segment 4.2m to 4.5m SUV space. That too, in a market like India.
Massaging seat feature works reasonably well and is not just a gimmick. One can notice the massaging seats function and experience the pulsating motion against their back. We could not experience this feature extensively to comment on its effectiveness as we had very little time with this vehicle. But it does not fall into the gimmick category, at least from our first impressions.
That said, we would have liked it if these massaging seats were offered for front seat occupants instead of back seats. We say this because Kushaq is primarily designed for front seat occupants and drivers and all goodies and most of its creature comforts like powered seats, ventilated seats, infotainment screen and other elements are catered for front occupants.
New 8-Speed Torque Converter
Apart from the massaging seats feature, there is another headline figure with 2026SkodaKushaq Facelift which is the new Aisin-sourced 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. An 8-speed unit is industry-first for this price bracket and size bracket and this new gearbox is only mated to the smaller 1.0L TSI engine.
This engine is rated at 114 bhp of peak power and 178 Nm of peak torque, mated to either a 6-speed MT or the new 8-speed TC. Commendably, Skoda is giving this 8-speed TC as an option right from the base Classic+ trim. Sourced from Aisin, this 8-speed gearbox is expected to make its way into other vehicles in the Indian market soon.
It is a smooth unit with responsive gear shifts. It works like a typical torque converter would and didnt give us any surprises or huh moments. If you were expecting extreme hypermiling with this gearbox as it has 8 gear ratios, you should know that this gearbox keeps the engine at around 2,000 RPM when cruising at 100 km/h in 8th gear. Which is not too deep into the overdrive territory.
8 ratios in this powerband allows for closely-stacked short gearing with progressive power delivery. Shifts are smooth and reasonably quick. Sudden throttle inputs during overtaking and other scenarios is where the gearbox takes a wee bit of time to downshift a couple of cogs, but it almost always seems to find the right cog. The engine noise is well controlled in the cabin and is well damped too.
Rear Disc Brakes
After driving the 1.0L 8-TC variant, we also drove the 1.5 7-DSG variant. While it is identical in performance with pre-facelift model, there is an upgrade in braking as the facelift gets all-four disc brakes for the first time. Overall there is a noticeable bump in braking feel and bite. Also, disc brakes look better. Significantly better.
Where ride and handling is concerned, Kushaq still drives the same. It is a high-riding SUV and we didnt face any issues with ground clearance. Bump absorption is decent and high-speed dynamics is among the best in the segment. Because we drove both 1.0 and 1.5 engine variants back to back, we could notice that 1.5 engine variants have a slightly stiffer ride quality, probably to counter the extra weight of this larger engine.
Should You Buy One?
Without pricing, a final verdict is difficult. However, Kushaq facelift improves on an already strong package with better features and a new gearbox option. The 8-speed torque converter adds convenience, while ride and handling remain among the best in segment. There are still misses no ADAS, average camera quality and some fit-and-finish concerns. But overall, this update makes Kushaq a more well-rounded product than before.
