How will Skoda & VW cope in the tough Indian market | Deep Drive Podcast Ep. 17 | Autocar India

[@RoodeMenon]

Next Deep Drive should be about the state of Honda in India.

[@dr.sohammallick7515]

Are you also a disappointed Honda elevate owner?

[@vineethvish11]

Yup. This needs attention!

[@AshuSinghthealkiddo]

+1

[@meetadi4u]

Great brand hope they develop more products like elevate

[@curiosi-tea-96]

Agreed. It amazes me that Honda isn’t ashamed of its work in India.

[@pawasdayal]

I've learnt so much more about India and Global VW-Skoda operations from this podcast than 1 years' worth of reading on Team-BHP

[@vm-my6hg]

Mr. Sorabjee has no equivalent in the Indian automotive space.

[@__pratt07]

What a podcast for the VW Fans. My thanks to Autocar India. Key Pointers and suggestions: - Superb @70L CBU will be DOA, even if it comes with Diesel. - Bring Octavia not Octavia VRS as CKD around 30L to have something for 30-40L customers. - Skoda Sub 4m SUV has to be the right proportions - VW have to bring the Sub 4m SUV alongside Skoda - this will get them more volumes - Bring next gen Kushaq/Taigun on MQB A0 37 with proper Creta Size in 2026 end or 2027. - Bring some sort of Hybrid Tech to ICE Models, they don't have a Strong hybrid so atleast get a mild hybrid system in all the ICE Cars

[@Chopper153]

The biggest issue is the poor service center experience. Whatever you do, if your customer care is poor, you won't sell cars in India.

[@BertieJasokie]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2360">39:20</a> The polo is almost the same length (4,053-4,067 mm) as the euro spec i20 (4,040-4,075 mm) and all they did to make it fit was trim the bumpers down flat. Its not impossible, they are being extremely snobby. I'm waiting and saving eagerly for the sub 4m Skoda.

[@ArunMuralidhar]

They wanted to make more money trying to push it as a suv . Now skoda has learned it the hard way

[@Mirzadon007]

The SOP for making changes is not straightforward for Skoda VW

[@SuperImbadude]

Virtus is a polo with boot

[@ankitrawat4736]

💯 I agree with you. They just don't take india seriously.

[@rajandeepsinghbhullar4894]

After driving 2,00,000km Hyundai Verna 1.6CRDI I bought Taigun 1.0MT driven 40000km. Vw driving dynamics and handling is unmatched. You can't go back once you drive it for a while . These are much better cars in driving dynamics. They just lack features as compared to competitors

[@WEDRIVEINDIA]

Agreed and I wish you could try a Ford.

[@tanmaymishra8919]

Drive a newer Hyundai like an i20 nline manual and you will realise the extent to which Hyundai has grown. It literally handles the best in its segment with the stiff suspension and the weighted steering with good feedback ❤🔥🔥

[@ShobhitTechVideo]

I own a skoda slavia 1.5 dsg.. and believe me in future i have no choice but to go for a VW brand car.. i drove my friends new creta .. he was so confident that this was better car.. but in driving dynamics it's no where near skoda.. you don't get confidence at higher speeds at all.. creata is a good city car.. not good for highways.. and can attract accidental conditions..

[@Motorhead__]

How would you say is the 1.0 in comparison to the 1.6 crdi of hyundai? Especially in terms of low end performance

[@vardaansharmaa]

All I want is Hormazd Uncle talking about different companies history in India, for hours.

[@vivekaaraga]

I am a Škoda customer since 2021. I like what the brand stands for and it’s history. I don’t really mind missing some features that the likes of Hyundai offers. Because in return I get driving dynamics and solid safety. I appreciate the fact that they chose increased side impact protection as opposed to wide seats. Because it works for my small family. In India we still do tend to think of accommodating a larger family in our cars I think. Which is why Hyundai and Kia are so popular. Also, Škoda should start being true to their brand by offering more options and create more excitement like how Hyundai is doing.

[@dashkanishka]

VW Polo needs to make a comeback in India as a sub-04 mtr. car with a similar engine but, with all norms satisfied. Us Indians are big fans of the first generation VW Polo which was discontinued. Das Auto.

[@goodtimes5483]

Skoda and Volkswagen needs to win trust in Rural India.. service centre, small dealerships

[@NalinKhurb]

They are not the target clientele. And neither will the cars last in those operating conditions

[@gpsinghjammu]

VW and Skoda need a Hatchback which must cost below Rs.10 lacs and they also need an MPV like Innova. Third, they need to understand that Taigun and Kushaq need to be a little more spacious to accommodate 3 on the back seat and must look a little bigger like Creta.

[@vivekmg2300]

Also they can add the 1.5 petrol dsg in Tiguan and sell it in 25 to 30L range. They are too expensive for what they offer

[@uaeindi]

VW group faces significant challenges. Their 60% profits are coming from China where they are losing market share rapidly due to EVs (BYD/MG/Geely)

[@Reddylion]

Hmm

[@uncleho3085]

Most international car brands are very much dependent on China. It is by some margin the largest car market in the world.

[@shabbufateh]

Nice Podcast. But I don't get the craze for Ev's as we don't have the infrastructure for it. I don't thing anyone is buying EV as a primary vehicle. Right now only hybrid could work but I don't think they have it to offer.

[@sanidhyashrivastava8020]

Please do a podcast on Honda India and their future in India.

[@cyrilmathew3755]

Also Volvo

[@humairaalam6664]

Dear mr hormazd and mr. Ketan, thank you for another informative podcast. Truck and bus manufacturers MAN and Scania are also a part of the VW group. The Skoda Fabia was a well designed product which was priced out of its segment. The Pumpe Deuse (PD) diesel engine has its own idiosyncracies and ultimately has to be pulled off the Indian market because of its inability to meet forthcoming emission norms. Another engine was the Peugeot diesel engine (TUD 5) installed in the Maruti Suzuki Zen at one point of time. From various youtube videos we understand that in the USA there are reliability issues with their large SUV like the VW Atlas (as per Consumer Reports).

[@Razique_Khan]

I think main problem with VAG is their clearly seen costing cutting, like reverse camera of Virtus, small ORVMs, no front praking sensor for long hood car

[@narigina6414]

Škoda introduced front parking sensors in their accessories list. Soon VW also gonna do I guess

[@KushalSharma]

Front parking sensors are available now at the dealerships as accessories. Please contact them

[@shriganeshkamath9940]

Now Indian consumers are ready to pay more. The golden problem with VW is their cost of service. Even after buying the service package their bill is more than double the Korean/Japanese cars without the package. This hampers the resale value of the car. Being less stringent and more localizing with the parts and labor cost would make a world of difference with their same ex-showroom price.

[@Chopper153]

Issue is not the service cost, but the poor quality of that service.

[@cineenthusiast1234]

With service pack it's pretty low, maruti services their vehicle at 5000kms and VW at 15000 kms do consider that too

[@stalinjitsingh1000]

Lack of TDI and 'jacked up hatch' styling of Tiagun and Kushaq are the main culprits . Bring back TDI power and see the sea difference in sales number

[@tushar-gokhale]

2014 auto expo they showcased Taigun as a Creta competitor, they launched this car in 2021… it took them 7 years and by that time Creta has 2 revisions! The Taigun fell short in every department in front of Creta, size, space, features, boot space… only area where they had edge was safety. So Kushaq and Taigun both fell short if expectations. They felt lot in competition with Nexon, Xuv300 sub4 than big suv. They VW, Škoda never felt value for money that most Indian aspire for in sub 20L cars.

[@heerakbhatt3454]

@autocarindia please do a podcast on toyota and why they are not bringing their full portfolio of sedans and hatchbacks to india.

[@ullas1thomas]

I think you need to do a podcast on service center issues in India. Not just for Škoda/volkswagen but for all manufacturers. What works for India and what is not working. May be it will give some pointers to these OEMs and thereby the customers would be benefited. Getting the service better would bring in more and repeat customers.

[@harshaddhavalikar9123]

I remember TOI had every alternate page a VW ad back then when VW entered. That was crazy marketing.

[@travellertripper]

Interoperability of service stations, Addition of fleet of hatch esp polo/fabia Introduction of compact suv This will keep them revving for a couple of years

[@desaiamol1]

You can laugh on VOC but the Quality of Polo was a landmark which we as Indians could set as a benchmark .. thanks to you Germans for the engineering 👍🏼🙏✌🏼✌🏼

[@aqeelbiker4762]

My fav was yeti of Škoda . Why didn’t they build Kushaq and taigun on that wheel base

[@tobythomas9056]

With the parts costing this much, even for 11 year old polo to change a bumper and bonnet panel costs 30k....I liked volkswagen so much...But Im planning of buying some Maruti car where repairs are readily available and are cheaper

[@vagabondwanderers]

Amazing in dept analysis! You guys sound like analyst from investor calls 😃💯. I don’t think any other automotive journalists have this much in-depth understanding or insights…

[@pratikjani1819]

I have suggestions. 1) Bring back last gen. Polo with some morden features it will help them to atleast stay in the market 2) Make ID.6 A Petrol and Diesel power car for Indian market. And most importantly make sure that Service cost is in check. And be serious about their efforts for Indian market

[@raghavendrabs8936]

Wow that’s candid conversation Hormazd and Ketan. It gives audience an overview of automotive industry where it is now and where it’s heading in future. Thank You so much 👊🏼❤️

[@ashutoshupadhyay3470]

After many many years i now feel i like Autocar India and subscribed, i really see this is nice and very informative podcast without killing my quality time by reading forums :)

[@vaibhavbijapur6037]

The VW Virtus has been on my radar for sometime now, just love the way it looks

[@mindfreeze0838]

i appreciate the discussion on why their cars are so much more expensive (bad choices in globalization) .

[@SkiNett]

Awesome podcast, to summarise VW sees every market with a German Lens and Indian customers don't care. Having spent more than half my life in Germany and finally now settling down in India, I know their thinking in and out. Hopefully they will find a middle ground as people learn more and more from their failures. It will be very sad to see them go as a hardcore VW fan and owning their vehicles here and in Deutschland for the past 20 plus years !

[@tonysoprano711]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="645">10:45</a> Diesel Engine Started

[@routegrey]

High service cost isn't a perception, its a reality. You have to own a VW to realize it.

[@Soorya-ry6ov]

Please invite CV Raman. It would be a great conversation.

[@minnalbabu]

Explaining Made for india suzuki products ??

[@atharvachikodikar2405]

What I think is VW group has to maintain some kind of dual delivery line what they are doing in the 2.0 project where the 1.0L is completely Indian assembled/made for a larger consumer with 80% standards they maintain because what they can do in that slot is more than some brands can do on their fullest, Secondly they should launch a GT/RS line for the enthusiast because someone like me who is ready to pay lets say 20-25 Lakhs for a slavia or virtus 1.5 we are craving for that authentic german characteristics and Slow build a more premium market on that basis too like bringing the golf in

[@narigina6414]

So much of information guys. Thanks to team for making such intriguing podcast. Loved it

[@Jassimran_Singh]

Vw is incredible . I have had polo 1.2 diesel for 11 good years. No problem till i sold it. I even have a Jetta which is going great even after 1.2 lakh kilometers. Vw killed itself, audi and skoda by pulling the diesel power plants. Those were their trump cards. People loved diesel’s from Volkswagen. I want to buy tiguan but due to lack of diesel engine i am not able to buy it. Come on Vw. Dont think like maruti. They make trash cans. You cannot. ❤ VW always

[@dhruvkadam99]

Skoda should keep getting CBU for 'no profit no loss' and CKD for a very low margin like 1%-5% maximum.

[@acromaniac001]

What a brilliant discussion about the state of VW and the amount of struggles the brand is going through to not negotiate on its quality! My brand loyalty has surged so much for VW in the last 1 hour! Thanks Autocar for echoing our sentiments.Booked my Taigun Sports DSG 🖤💪🏼

[@ankitrawat4736]

Was a huge fan of troc. I went to the showroom n cane to know they discontinued it.

[@i_am_samar]

One of the best podcast i have. Amazing work Autocar Team. This is just like case study

[@Ananthvenkat01]

Their products are very good. We have had Vw cars in South Africa and in the Middle East for over thirty years. On returning to India we bought a Tiguan in Bangalore. The car is great but the service is pathetic. You must see to believe the kind of dealers they have in Bangalore. How can they achieve volumes with such poor service standards? If they can sort out this they can grow the market share and be competitive in pricing.

[@coastofkonkan]

I have owned VW Polo since Apr 2011. India is a whimsical market for sure & Vw group is too big to customize products for india. And when they did, their response time was slow compared to Koreans. 2015-16 they should have launched volume hatchback products like VW UP, but they chose to be perceived to be a premium. Indians surely don't appreciate quality yet. Not yet.

[@Sheela9999]

Receipe for sucess for vw/ skoda in india 1- only global models ,no cost cut 2.0cars 2- diesel / hybrid / phew/ electric -- no gas guzzlers turbo petrol. 3- CKD only cars at 5 lakhs plus on road pricing over Korean / japanese in every segment it operates -- this is justify premiumness and at the same time will justify additional cost of German eng.

[@nsbhagwat]

The rear suspension component mentoned at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="3247">54:07</a> is a classic example of how VW is shooting themselves in their foot. They could have asked their supplier to setup a JV to manufacture that component or worst setup a line in the VW India plant to assemble it.

[@nipungupta5511]

There is something called intellectual property. Also, no one sets up a factory for such a small number of vehicles sold.

[@vardanrathi7777]

No, they cannot. The manufacturer just wouldn't agree to manufacture its proprietary product elsewhere.

[@vinaysir1]

They mitigate high costs with volumes. It is possible. I feel they are hesitating to commit fully to India. They are happy dating but not willing to marry

[@cyrilmathew3755]

I honestly think if VW Skoda listen to people like Hormazd they get an Indian lens, very clear observations by Hormazd, this was a great podcast.

[@rcpratim]

Spot On Hormazd , both 1 and 1.5 LTR are not that over engineered. Proudly our Desi company already does that with tgdi with much higher power output with 1.2. The problem is not taking the Indian market seriously at a ground level whatever their global head says . I don't think updating or refreshing a car without an engine upgrade is that difficult until and unless you are a process confused company

[@Hrithik_Jayanth]

The 1.0 and 1.5 are over engineered. He's talking about the overall cars which are not over engineered like before. The TSI engines are very good tech compared to Desi 1.2

[@chandan4156]

This podcast about VW shows how much Maruti is better at everything in India!!

[@30harbakshsingh45]

I bought a well maintained preowned Škoda Yeti 4x4 for pennies when compared to the new cost, it’s the best car i have ever owned and now it has put me in a VW Škoda chokehold. I can’t even think of going to other brands now. To get the same quality and feel i would have to shell exorbitant amounts of money. The diesel torque of the 2.0 TDI is very addictive and coupled with the haldex 4x4 system it can do trips with ease and comfort, be it snow, sand or slush it punches right through it.

[@adithyanmb494]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2367">39:27</a> new polo is 4074 mm , that is 7.4 cm more than 4m . Won't a simple bumper redesign allow to be under 4m ? 😅. Is it that much of Hassel to redesign bumpers, because the facelifts are literally bumper redesigns and facelifts happen in 2-3 years for most car manufacturers. Plese excuse my ignorance if i asked anything foolish .

[@manishkapoor1104]

That's a good insight. Thanks for correctly mentioning that VW doesn't address the masses. Otherwise, a similar discussion should be available on many other channels in local languages that spread awareness/ marketing. 😊👍

[@ravishankarreddy1591]

I wonder why they used the 1.0 TSI for Kushaq and Taigun. I mean no one uses that in this segment as there is no tax benefit at all. All they needed was a simple 1.5 MPI engine. It might have saved them from bad AC performance terrible city mileage and EPC issues...!

[@deepsaurabh7579]

Absolutely right, they should have just focused on single 1.5L gem of engineering.

[@NalinKhurb]

1.2 turbo would be better since I believe the tax bracket starts after that. And then there's a bracket over 1.5 as well

[@SUGHOSHGOWDA]

The ride and especially the handling of of the Virtus GT is truly commendable. But what so frustrating and unacceptable is the poor materials, interior fit and finish, the rattles, squeaks i faced especially throughout the centre, console in the first week of of my purchase itself which I still face even today,.. and tell me how, but twenty three lakh rupee doesn’t have a basic seat belt height adjustment, these things are outrageously, annoying, and unacceptable

[@AmanSharma-my9df]

Just increase space and interior material quality that’s it only this much change can increase the sales up to a very high levels even better than creta …… because I was waiting for Kushaq to come to buy it but it didn’t strike to me to buy it my Skoda journey started by my friends rapid 2014 which I really liked and the quality of doors sheet metal and materials are way higher than kushaq as I was buying rapid in 2019 I waited for kushaq and I was highly disappointed by the product quality overall which made me realise in the name of cost cutting they have cut the true soul of Skoda be cars that’s what I feel and newer cars dosnt feel an upgrade to old car they seems in development phase

[@sunilsg24]

Skoda should bring back Fabia. It was a good hatch, the high cost let it down. Localization and adapting it to the MQB-I platform will help in addressing the price issue. The reach in terms of dealership and after sales is already established with 2.0, so that will help the Fabia.

[@shantanu_d]

This was quite enlightening, Thank You. Cleared so many doubts and honestly something positive to look forward to.

[@TheShank86]

Skoda and VW can easily challenge the Honda, Hyundai,Kia in all segments if they could provide better seating keeping in mind the family oriented needs for Indian households. Their Suv's and Sedans are 4 seater and hatchbacks are useless for passengers.

[@vardanrathi7777]

Had Kushaq been flawless from day one, people would have accepted VAG 2.0 with wider arms. But after all the hype, what did people get? Ineffective ACs, Malfunctioning Windows, Plastic squeaking interiors, Noisy Brakes and "bhagwaan-bharose" service.

[@tarunthomas407]

I still own a vw vento 2010. Its still a beautiful car which is reassuring when you still sit in the driver's seat. The biggest drawback with vw was the exorbitant after sales maintenance cost for spares that eventually let the car maker down. Every second person who owned a vento/rapid whould have had to spend a fortune to get their shady diesel injectors replaced often along with their wheel sensor. Vw & skoda are always way behind others to bring in creature comforts in their cars. These guys don't fore see the future & do not know what Indian customer needs. Their virtus still doesn't feature Aidas. Maybe they will learn and move on..... rather than crib for poor sales.

[@driveyourway8682]

Similar podcast on Mahindra would be highly appreciated

[@germany123ification]

Great video as always, kinda lovin' the Deepdive Podcast past some time now. As a Skoda Superb owner, I must really admit their cars are just built to last, if maintained well. Ofcourse being a European brand, maintenance costs were always going to be higher comparatively, but the sheer driving experience and overall features clearly makes it worth it!!! VW and Skoda should continue to launch more India-specific cars, like the 2 Twins they have currently. Also @autocar please sort out the glitch at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="645">10:45</a>.. scared the hell out of many here!

[@freeworld2192]

High taxes reduces purchasing power of middle class forcing them towards low end cars. Government need to act as enabler to support the entire auto value chain.

[@raahul021]

we want a vw / skoda car under 10 lakh ...

[@Indians247]

1) Skoda Octavia and VW polo,were good Vehicle in their time 2) then something changed, and they harped on same models. 3) Lot of Technology Failures Resulted in the reliability. The components that failed were electronics, Thermal stuff and seals. Which actually was because of Heat, Dust and Indian Roads not accounted. The cars were perfect in ride, handling, fun to drive.

[@kingNM01]

Brilliant analysis by hormaz !!!! His knowledge talks hats off

[@krishna29791]

ppl are not worried about spending on VW or Skoda, they are afraid of maintainence cost.

[@akshayballal6683]

SAVWIPL should retain Slavia/Virtus on MQB A0 27 and move only Taigun/Kushaq and their 7-seater variants on MQB A0 37. Possibly they can even chop off boot off Virtus/Slavia to give birth to a new hatchback.

[@gp3232]

Please do a podcast on Honda's future in India.

[@bakuljavadekar6767]

In what way was Vento a great product? It’s boot was not very well integrated with the rest of the body. It’s petrol engine was no patch on engine of City. It’s diesel was noisy and harsh compared to the diesel Verna. They were not as committed to India as Suzuki and Hyundai were. They thought that they can take Indians for granted.

[@TheShank86]

The day when a reviewer will come up and say that the car has ample space for 3 passenger in the back seat and can enjoy comfy ride , their sales will go up atonce

[@chaitanyachaurasia]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="645">10:45</a> scared the shit out of me.

[@bbanaji1]

Mr Sorabjee... You have a great depth of knowledge!

[@user-vv6bm7kr4g]

Don’t understand why so much focus on EV.. we don’t even have the infrastructure for the EV.. I guess Hybrid should the way forward for while till infra is developed… they can keep working on EV and launch it little later that would also work…

[@virajdave6973]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="649">10:49</a>❤

[@zaq8205]

Good day to all my type people .. I came here just to hear about the octavia . My heart aches to know that we dont even mention jetta and passat anymore . Here in korea we still have jetta and the super cool arteon . Sedan segment is very much alive here . Its a paradise for me seeing Genesis g 70 g 80❤ g90 Hyundai sonata avante grandeur Kia k5❤ k7 k8 k9 Vw arteon jetta passat And this is not even 30% of the lineup

[@aathiaathi7306]

they will be done soon in indian market... if they are not bringing hybrid concepts in india

[@prithivirajnandakumar8538]

What a video! Kudos to you guys for such a detailed explanation. A lot of work has gone in 👌

[@autocarindia1]

Glad you liked it!

[@vivekmg2300]

VW is still trying to sell based on their brand value. Rather they need to get next gen tech like EVs, Hybrids to get their customers excited and get competitive. If not, soon they will be extinct in India

[@AmitGupta-ki6gb]

One more great blunder was VW & Skoda both competing each other. Better approach could be just selling cars & Suvs under VW brand. No point competing against yourself. Better could had been they focused on building more competitive cars under 1 brand.

[@anuragkumar-fm7hc]

simply Waaooo conversation....learnt soo much👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@SriniVenkata-my4uw]

What exactly is SAIC platform

[@jbrightj]

Skoda should stand with its class and make sure they deliver for who wants them. So it stands in line with the luxury segment

[@nuzhatsultana9072]

I have been driving skoda Octavia since 2006 the car is awesome.. only grudge i can't purchase oem parts ..i think they should get diesel back

[@puneetmakhija3777]

This is a very informative conversation, got to know a lot about these brands. Thank you :)

[@vishnusalim3296]

It excellent discussion and gave a lot of insight about the Skoda lineup😊

[@chandermotwani3493]

Brilliant Content 🤘🏻💯 Volkswagen should launch a VW sub 4 metre as Skoda would do. Below 11 lakh portfolio is completely empty and they have the platform as well. Great to hear That they are working on MQB AO 37 platform. Yes SAIC is basically a Chinese government company. Their brand MG motors already in India. JSW has taken stake in SAIC. As SAIC has EVs platform and sharing platform makes sense. Both VW/Skoda cars are Awesome. TAIGUN/KUSHAQ both require major face-lifts and interior as well. With latest technology gadgets. Hopefully they get it right. The international market has already got the face-lift in form of T-Cross. That looks awesome. Hopefully they bring them here as well. Awesome analysis as usual 🤘🏻💯

[@shivamrc1020]

Loved the podcast. Was very insightful.. 👍

[@jayeshpathade8320]

This was a brilliant video. Hope for more such insightful ones.

[@ronald9827]

Tsi engines on astor will be hot

[@denn4490]

Just increase the size of taigun to match creta and see the magic

[@gauravpatil9536]

I have kushaq 1.0 AT, happy with car but thinking to replace kushaq by MG ZS EV. Confused now, while ev has instant torque but does mg zs has good driving dynamics?

[@rohitjoseph]

Great insights and knowledge Hormaz!

[@sivakumarbalasubramanian5925]

Amazing podcast as always, loads of information. As sorab ji mentioned didn't bring in good peteol power trains when government norms are liberal, 3 cylinder engines big flap, still 2.O same 3 cylinder in 1 litre. On introduction Indians thought powerful TSI will be equipped in Polo as international market, but things are different. Obviously great driving dynamics but without Good engine Driving is not pleasant.

[@SwarupNayak-ix4jn]

Really great podcast .. Learned a lot of things

[@ravip1049]

I own skoda rapid diesel auto and completed 2 lacs km still get 20 kmpl

[@nitinmodi6675]

Please do a podcast on Real true Automatic transmission cars in India.True Hybrid VS EV future cars in india.

[@repeatrepeatrepeat]

Skoda desperately needs to bring the 2.0 ltr diesel in Kodiaq!