Having a very good cost base critical in India: Skoda Auto Executive

Mumbai: Czech carmaker Skoda Auto plans to lower its cost base in India with the Kylaq, the sub-compact SUV and also grow its stagnating market share.

With its re-entry into the sub-compact segment after a 11-year hiatus, Skoda also hopes to change the perception that its cars are expensive to own, the company's top executives said.

"Four to five years ago, we decided to be a more important player, so we developed local cars. So, this commitment to grow market share is a recent one and Kylaq is the next step towards that," Martin Jahn, board member, sales & marketing, Skoda Auto, told ET.


The latest offering is also a manifestation of the strategy of lowering the cost base, which it embarked upon a few years ago with the introduction of the locally produced Kushaq SUV and Slavia sedan, he added.

Priced at Rs 7,89,000, the model undercuts market leader Maruti Suzuki Brezza, which has its entry level model at Rs 8.34 lakh.

Skoda Auto exited the segment with the discontinuation of the Fabia in 2013.