Volkswagen-owned Czech-carmaker Skoda Auto India has announced the name of its upcoming all-new compact SUV, which will be called the Kylaq. 

The name has been selected through a unique campaign initiated in February 2024. Skoda Auto India invited users and customers to come up with their suggestions for the upcoming compact SUV, which will mark its global debut in 2025. 

Through the ‘Name Your Skoda’ campaign participants suggested names for the compact SUV that begin with the letter ‘K’ and ends with the letter ‘Q’ with one or two syllables. This was in line with Skoda’s tradition of naming their ICE SUVs. The campaign saw over 200,000 entries with over 24,000 unique names.

In the next phase, participants cast their vote for the choice among 15 shortlisted names. Basis the number of votes, from the 15 shortlisted names, 10 names were announced by Skoda Auto India. From the list, the winning name, which received the most votes and met all legal compliance criteria, was chosen for the all-new compact SUV. Kylaq is derived from the Sanskrit word for crystal, reflecting both the vehicle’s pristine qualities and inspiration from Mount Kailash.

Petr Janeba, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said: “Our new compact SUV Kylaq is for the people of India. We wanted them to be part of every milestone of our biggest-ever launch in the country. The ‘Name Your Skoda’ campaign aimed at inculcating a sense of pride and belonging among participants and potential customers. The results are humbling with over 200,000 entries. It reinforces our legacy in India and showcases the great affinity people have towards the brand Skoda. The naming process of a car is important for us. And this upcoming all-new compact SUV represents the ultimate milestone within the fastest-growing and biggest segment in India. With the Kylaq, people, customers and fans have themselves named our newest family member, which is developed jointly by the teams in India and Europe, and will be locally manufactured.”

The winner of this naming contest will be the first owner of the Skoda Kylaq when it hits roads in 2025, lending them the unique opportunity of owning a car they named. Another 10 winners will visit Skoda Auto in Prague with a tour of the Skoda Museum and of the city. 

Kylaq

The all-new Kylaq is Skoda Auto India’s first-ever foray into the compact SUV segment. It is based on the MQB-A0-IN platform, the same as the one of the Kushaq SUV and the Slavia sedan. The MQB-A0-IN was specifically developed for India by teams in India and the Czech Republic with an eye on versatility, safety, dynamics while focussing on localisation, low maintenance costs and a hassle-free ownership experience.

The Kylaq will be the company’s first implementation of the Modern Solid design language in India. It will also have a high ground clearance and space around the wheel for tackling uneven road surfaces lending the car that SUV character. The upcoming SUV will also feature a hexagon pattern on the side and rear of the car. At present, it is undergoing rigorous testing across India and the company is preparing for production with local supplier ramp-ups. Based on a larger car platform, the compact SUV will have the ‘big car’ feel within a compact footprint.

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Maruti Suzuki India has been awarded a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating for its e Vitara, marking a moment for the company's electric vehicle strategy.

The e Vitara is built on Suzuki’s Heartect-e platform designed for electric vehicles to deliver strength, structural rigidity and advanced high voltage protection. The ‘Made-in-India, Made-for-the-World’ e Vitara is designed and tested for temperature conditions across the world, ensuring performance from as high as 60deg Celsius to as low as -30deg Celsius. The model is offered with 49 kWh and 61 kWh battery options.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, said, “Congratulations to Maruti Suzuki for achieving 5-star Bharat NCAP in both adult and child occupant protection for their e Vitara. I am especially glad that Maruti Suzuki has shown real leadership in providing 7 airbags as a standard across all variants of the e Vitara.”

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “The 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for e Vitara, our first Battery Electric Vehicle, is a moment of immense pride for all of us at Maruti Suzuki. Using the Bharat NCAP 5-star rating, we will export the e Vitara to more than 100 countries of the world. Bharat NCAP’s globally benchmarked stringent vehicle test protocols have been a catalyst in empowering customers to make informed decisions. I thank the Minister Gadkari, the officials in his Ministry and test agencies for their rigorous efforts and commitment in shaping India’s journey towards safe mobility.”

The e VITARA’s body structure uses more than 60 percent ultra-high tensile and high-tensile strength steel. Its battery protection system incorporates a structural design with an energy-absorbing battery pack mounting structure.

Key safety features include 7 standard airbags (including the Driver's knee airbag), Level 2 ADAS (Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control), Hill Hold Control, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and a 360-degree Surround View Camera.

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Mahindra has marked a major milestone in its nationwide electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure expansion with the inauguration of its first dealership-based ultrafast charger – a 180 kW Charge_IN station.

This is the first of many such installations planned across Mahindra dealerships, forming a key pillar of the company’s commitment to building India’s ultrafast charging network.

This initiative scales up Mahindra’s Charge_IN ecosystem, complementing the 250 highway fast-charging stations already announced. The new 180 kW ultrafast chargers will enable EV users to charge quickly and conveniently at strategically located dealerships across the country, with 24x7 on-ground support.

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Hyundai Motor India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has reported wholesales of 66,840 units in November 2025, up 9.1 percent YoY as against 61,252 units last year.

This includes domestic sales of 50,340 units, up 4 percent YoY and exports of 16,500 units, up 27 percent YoY.

Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director & Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India, said, “Supported by GST 2.0 reforms, we continue to carry forward sales momentum with a year-on-year growth in our monthly domestic sales in November 2025. Further, our commitment to bolstering India’s role as a global manufacturing hub is further solidified with 26.9% year-on-year growth in monthly exports.”

He further added that the all-new Hyundai Venue SUV, the company's first software-defined vehicle in India, has received more than 32,000 bookings within a month of its launch. The new Venue features ccNC infotainment powered by Nvidia.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has announced its wholesales for November 2025, reporting total sales of 33,752 units, up 28 percent YoY.

This includes 30,085 units sold in the domestic market and 3,667 units exported.

Varinder Wadhwa, Vice-President, Sales–Service–Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, “Following a positive festive season supported by the government’s progressive GST reforms, we continue to witness a strong momentum, with a growth of 19 percent. The recent introduction of the Urban Cruiser Hyryder Aero Edition and Fortuner Leader Edition has also continued to help us reinforce this growth trajectory, receiving recognition across the country. The innovative initiatives such as the Drum Tao and the launch of the toyota experiential museum (tem) in Bangalore, have been highly appreciated, further strengthening customer engagement and brand connect.”

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