Skoda Auto India started the calendar year 2026 by unveiling their Kushaq SUV with a subtle facelift and a features bump, while introducing a new 8-speed automatic gearbox option. At the same event in Kochi, Skoda also announced new variants of Kylaq to diversify the portfolio with a robust variant hierarchy.
However, that was not all Skoda announced today. There were some good news for India’s performance car enthusiasts as the company announced a fresh batch of Octavia RS for the market. Along with that, Skoda also announced the launch of Kodiaq RS, which will be launched some time in Q2 of 2026.
Skoda Kodiaq RS Announced For India
Currently, Skoda Kodiaq is the brand’s flagship offering in India, which is brought into the country via CKD route and locally assembled at their Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar facility. Now, Skoda has announced that they will be launching a high performance version of this three-row SUV in the form of Kodiaq RS.
To accentuate its high performance powertrain, Kodiaq RS will come with unique design elements to distinguish itself from its standard counterpart. Sportier front and rear bumpers, larger alloy wheels, bigger brakes for stronger bite, unique dedicated colourways, multiple RS badges are some of the expected exterior elements.
On the inside, Skoda Kodiaq RS for India might get an all-Black interior accentuated by Red highlights to strike contrast. Similar to Octavia RS, Skoda might offer Suede material too, which is often used in sportscar interiors. This is the first time Indian market is getting a Kodiaq RS, scheduled to launch in Q2 of 2026. It is the hottest and most performant version of this SUV.
Powering Kodiaq RS SUV will be the same 2.0L 4-cylinder TSI Turbo Petrol engine option we have seen and experienced in Octavia RS. Performance metrics might be similar to Octavia RS, which is 265 PS and 400 Nm, mated to a quick-shifting 7-speed DCT gearbox. Top speed is around 231 km/h and 0-100 km/h sprint is around 6.3 seconds.
Next Batch of Octavia RS announced
The first batch of Octavia RS containing 100 units for the Indian market was sold out in just 20 minutes, which made a wave of headlines. Octavia RS has been very popular in the market and Skoda has now confirmed the second batch for India which should consist of another 100 units. These 100 units will probably be launched in the coming months.
