Skoda Evaluating CNG Option For Kylaq, Kushaq, And Slavia’s Turbo-Petrol Engine

Skoda is evaluating a CNG version of its 1.0-liter turbo-petrol engine for the Kylaq, Kushaq, and Slavia, citing falling petrol confidence.

Skoda India is actively evaluating a CNG version of its 1.0-liter turbo-petrol engine, the same unit that powers the Kylaq, Kushaq, and Slavia. This marks the brand’s first real move toward alternate fuel options in a portfolio that has so far stayed entirely petrol (since the departure of diesel a few years ago).

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Why Skoda Is Making This Move Now

Speaking to Autocar Professional, Skoda India brand director Ashish Gupta explained how the decision is linked directly to a tangible fall in petrol demand. The executive attributes the development to Middle East-related crude uncertainty and unresolved confusion around ethanol blending in India. Both of them have altered consumer confidence in petrol as a long-term option for their primary car (or the only car).

“We are working very aggressively on our CNG strategy,” Gupta said. He also added that recent momentum toward alternate fuels across the country is likely to accelerate those plans further. The Kylaq SUV is Skoda’s stated priority, given that it’s one of the most successful products the brand has launched in India in a while, and that most of its direct rivals already offer CNG variants.

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The Performance Trade-Off Skoda Is Trying To Manage

Because the 1.0-liter TSI engine and MQB A0-IN platform are shared across all three models (Kylaq, Kushaq, and Slavia), each is technically open to a CNG variant. The bigger challenge is maintaining the engine’s performance character, which is why buyers choose Skoda cars in the first place. 

The company estimates a 10-15% power drop compared to petrol, which he believes is an acceptable trade-off for buyers, given that CNG should dramatically increase the effective mileage. CNG has moved beyond a purely budget-driven purchase and is now attracting premium buyers for its running-cost advantage.

To me, it sounds like the company’s way of saying its CNG option won’t be as affordable as others, but we’ll have to wait and see. What I’m more interested in seeing is how the company approaches the CNG cylinder: underbody, dual-cylinder in bood, or single cylinder in boot.

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