We drove both the manual and the new torque-converter automatic back-to-back on the 2026 Skoda Kushaq Facelift. Here’s everything you need to know before buying.
What it gets right
- New 8-speed torque converter AT, smoother, more refined
- Excellent driving dynamics & handling
- Strong NVH levels for the segment
- Updated exterior, sharper, more premium
- Refreshed interior with improved quality
- Good performance from both MT and AT
What it misses
- No 360-degree camera
- No Level 2 ADAS
- No electric tailgate
- Massage seats only in the rear, not the front
- Ride is firm at city speeds
The Skoda Kushaq has always been a driver’s car at heart. It is precise, planted, and far more enjoyable through a set of curves than most of its rivals. The 2026 facelift doesn’t change that fundamental character, and that is both its greatest strength and, in some ways, its most telling limitation. While the Kushaq is still one of the best cars to drive in its segment, the competition has been busy loading up on features that this Czech SUV continues to skip.
We drove both the manual and the new 8-speed torque converter automatic across city roads, highways, and some genuinely entertaining stretches of tarmac to bring you this complete review. Here is everything you need to know.
Exterior: Sharper, More Premium
The facelift brings meaningful visual updates that lift the Kushaq’s road presence without changing what made it attractive in the first place. The front end has been reworked with a more assertive grille design, revised LED headlamps, and a sharper bumper treatment that gives it a more upmarket look. It sits more confidently on the road than the outgoing model, and in the flesh, the changes read as a genuine refresh rather than a cosmetic update.
At the rear, the changes are more subtle, revised tail lamps, updated bumper detailing, and cleaner overall surfacing. The side profile remains largely unchanged, which is no bad thing. The Kushaq’s proportions have always been one of its strongest suits, with a tight, European feel that stands out in a segment full of bloated silhouettes.
“The facelift doesn’t just update the 2026 Skoda Kushaq, it sharpens it. It looks like a car that means business.”
Interior: A Step Up in Refinement
Step inside and the improvement is immediately apparent. The dashboard has been redesigned with a cleaner layout, better quality materials, and a more premium ambience overall. The touchscreen infotainment system is responsive, the instrument cluster is clear and well-organised, and the overall fit and finish is a notch above what we saw in the pre-facelift car.
The seats up front are well-bolstered, supportive on long drives, and perfectly positioned for the kind of spirited driving the Kushaq is built around. The driving position is excellent, a low seating stance, good wheel reach adjustment, and a steering wheel that falls naturally into your hands. This car was designed to be driven, and the cockpit reflects that.
The Backseat & the Massage Seats Debate
Here is where things get interesting. Skoda has added massage seats to the 2026 Kushaq facelift, but they have put them in the rear, not the front. On paper, that sounds like a thoughtful addition for rear passengers on long journeys. In practice, it raises a question: who is this car really for?
The Kushaq is, by every measure, a driver’s car. Its dynamics, its steering feel, its suspension tuning, everything points toward the person behind the wheel. Giving the massage functionality to rear-seat passengers while the driver gets nothing feels like a misread of the car’s own identity. In our view, this feature belongs in the front seats. It would have made the Kushaq an even more compelling proposition as a vehicle for the enthusiast who also does long highway runs. A missed opportunity, and one worth flagging before you visit the showroom.
Our take
Massage seats are a welcome addition, but fitting them in the rear of a driver-focused SUV is a puzzling choice. If you are the one doing the driving, and in a Kushaq, you will want to be, you will not benefit from them at all. We would have preferred to see them up front.
The New 8-Speed Torque Converter Automatic
This is the headline change for the 2026 Skoda Kushaq facelift, and it is a genuinely significant one. The old 6-speed automatic has been replaced by a new 8-speed torque converter unit, and the difference in everyday usability is clear and immediate.
The new gearbox is smoother, more refined, and better calibrated for both relaxed city driving and confident highway overtaking. It hunts for gears less aggressively than the outgoing unit, holds ratios more predictably, and responds to throttle inputs with a naturalness that makes the car feel more polished overall. Kickdown is quick and decisive when you need it, and in normal driving the shifts are almost imperceptible.
Compared to the DSG units you find in some rivals, the torque converter has a more relaxed, fluid character, less responsive at the limit, but far more forgiving in stop-and-go traffic. For the majority of buyers, and the majority of driving conditions in India, this is the right gearbox for this car.
Manual vs Automatic
Manual vs Automatic: Which Should You Choose?
We tested both back-to-back, and the answer depends entirely on what you want from the car. The manual gearbox remains a delight. The clutch is well-weighted, the throws are short and precise, and the overall driving experience is more engaging and direct. If you enjoy driving, the manual is still the purer choice.
The automatic, on the other hand, makes the Kushaq far more livable in daily traffic without sacrificing too much of the car’s inherent character. It is the more practical choice for most buyers. Both options are well-suited to this platform, the engine and chassis respond well regardless of which transmission you pair them with. Just the turbo lag seems significantly more in Manual compared to Automatic.
Ride Quality & Handling: The Two Sides of the Same Coin
The Kushaq’s suspension tuning has always been a deliberate choice rather than an oversight. It is firm. At low city speeds, on broken roads and sharp bumps, you will feel that firmness, there is less absorption of small irregularities than you get in some rivals, and passengers in the rear will notice it more than those in the front.
But take the same car to an open road with flowing curves, and that firmness becomes an asset. Body roll is minimal. The car changes direction crisply and predictably. The steering is well-weighted, communicative, and accurate. The Kushaq feels like a car that is genuinely in contact with the road beneath it, which is exactly what you want when you are pushing through a set of bends.
This is fundamentally a ride versus handling trade-off, and Skoda has made a clear engineering decision. If you want the last word in bump absorption, the Kushaq is not your car. If you want a car that rewards the driver, it absolutely is.
Performance: Confident & Well-Matched
Power delivery is strong and linear, with good mid-range pull that makes both city overtaking and highway driving feel effortless. The new 8-speed automatic manages the engine’s output well, keeping it in its power band when you want to make progress. The manual, as noted, offers a more direct and tactile experience.
NVH levels are genuinely impressive for this segment. Wind noise is well-controlled at highway speeds, road noise is well-isolated, and engine refinement is strong, particularly with the automatic, where the torque converter adds an additional layer of smoothness to the overall package.
Visibility
Outward visibility is one of the Kushaq’s underrated strengths. The greenhouse is well-proportioned, the A-pillars are not excessively thick, and the driving position gives you a clear sense of where the front corners of the car are. Rear visibility is adequate, and the side mirrors are well-sized. In a segment where some cars feel like you are peering out of a letterbox, the Kushaq is notably better.
What the Competition Has That the Kushaq Doesn’t
This is where the honest review has to get honest. The Kushaq facelift is a better car than its predecessor in almost every way, but it continues to trail key rivals on the features front. Specifically:
There is no 360-degree camera system which rivals are offering at comparable or lower price points. There is no Level 2 ADAS, no adaptive cruise control, no lane-keep assist, no automatic emergency braking. Also there is no electric tailgate, which has become near-standard in this segment. These are not niche features. They are items that buyers actively look for, and their absence will cost the Kushaq sales among buyers who cross-shop on a feature-by-feature basis.
“The Kushaq asks you to choose dynamics over a features checklist. For the right buyer, that is an easy decision. For others, it may not be.”
To Skoda’s credit, the features the Kushaq does have are well-executed and genuinely useful. The infotainment is polished, the connected car technology works reliably, and the build quality is streets ahead of some more feature-loaded rivals. But a 360-degree camera and Level 2 ADAS are now table-stakes in this segment, and the Kushaq’s absence from that conversation is increasingly difficult to ignore.
Key Specifications at a Glance
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Gearbox (New) | 8-Speed Torque Converter Automatic |
| Gearbox (Alt) | 6-Speed Manual |
| Segment | Compact SUV |
| Rear Seat Feature | Massage Seats |
| Ride Character | Firm, Handler-biased |
| 360° Camera | Not Available |
| Level 2 ADAS | Not Available |
| Electric Tailgate | Not Available |
| NVH | Strong, Above segment average |
| Verdict Score | 8 / 10, Recommended |
Final Verdict: Should You Buy the 2026 Skoda Kushaq Facelift?
The 2026 Skoda Kushaq Facelift is a more refined, better-equipped, and more capable version of a car that was already very good. The new 8-speed torque converter automatic is a meaningful upgrade that makes the car far more usable in daily traffic without blunting its core character. The updated exterior looks sharper and more premium. The interior is noticeably better. And the driving dynamics remain best-in-class for this segment.
If you are the kind of buyer who values how a car drives above all else, who would rather have a well-sorted chassis and precise steering over a features list filled with items you may rarely use, the Kushaq remains one of the most compelling choices in the compact SUV segment. There is nothing else quite like it in this price bracket when it comes to driver involvement.
But if you are cross-shopping on features, if 360-degree cameras and Level 2 ADAS are on your must-have list, the Kushaq will ask you to make a compromise that some of its rivals do not. That is a legitimate reason to look elsewhere, and Skoda would do well to address it in the next update.
For now, the 2026 Skoda Kushaq facelift earns a strong recommendation, with the caveat that you buy it knowing exactly what it is: a driver’s car, built for people who love to drive, wearing a sharper suit than ever before.
