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Volkswagen and Skoda both have recently launched the facelifted iteration of both of their popular mid-size SUVs, the Taigun and Kushaq, in India. Both of these models, although based on the same platform, offer a number of key differences. Now, if you are someone who is wondering what those differences actually are, then you have stumbled upon the right spot. Here are the differences between the newly launched Skoda Kushaq and the Volkswagen Taigun facelifts.

First off, let’s start with the pricing difference between the two SUVs. The Skoda Kushaq facelift starts at Rs 10.69 lakh. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen Taigun facelift starts at Rs 10.99 lakh. There is a difference of Rs 30,000. As for the top-of-the-line variants, the Kushaq tops out at Rs 18.99 lakh. Meanwhile, the Taigun top-spec is priced at Rs 19.29 lakh, which again is Rs 30,000 more expensive.

In terms of value for money, the Kushaq base variant Classic+ is the most value-for-money offering. For Rs 30,000 less than the Taigun facelift, it offers 16-inch alloy wheels and a single-pane electric sunroof. The Taigun Comfortline, on the other hand, only offers steel wheels with covers and no sunroof.

As for a unique ownership benefit, the Volkswagen Taigun facelift is being offered with an assured buyback scheme. In this scheme, the company will offer up to 75 percent of the buyback value after 3 years or 30,000 km. Skoda, on the other hand, is not offering any such buyback offer for the Taigun facelift.

Now coming to the features which are exclusively being offered with the Kushaq facelift. The first is the rear seat massage function. It is a segment-first feature, and no other SUV currently offers it, including the Taigun facelift. Another unique feature offering is a single-pane electric sunroof on the base variant.

As for the shared features, both the Kushaq facelift and Taigun facelift are being offered with a new 10.25-inch digital instrument gauge cluster and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with an updated interface. Both also get a panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, ventilated and powered front seats, and many others.

The Kushaq facelift and the Taigun facelift both share the same 1.0-litre TSI, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, which makes 115 PS and 178 Nm of torque, and a 1.5-litre TSI, four-cylinder turbo petrol engine making 150 PS and 250 Nm of torque. As for the transmission, they both also get the same new 8-speed automatic gearbox, which has replaced the old 6-speed torque converter automatic (with the 1.0-litre TSI) and 7-speed DSG gearbox (1.5-litre TSI).

Now, the key difference between the two siblings comes in variants and pricing. The Kushaq offers the 8-speed automatic gearbox from the base Classic+ variant, making it the only mid-size SUV in the segment to offer an automatic in the base variant. Meanwhile, the Taigun facelift does not offer an automatic gearbox option in the base Comfortline variant.

As for the design differences, the Kushaq facelift offers a unique dashed connected LED DRL on the front with new and sharper LED headlights. Meanwhile, the Taigun facelift offers a standard connecting LED DRL, but it also gets an illuminated Volkswagen logo, which gives it a unique appearance.

On the sides, the lower variants of the Kushaq offer 16-inch silver alloy wheels. Meanwhile, the Taigun facelift offers steel wheels with wheel covers on lower variants. As for the rear differences, the Kushaq gets Skoda lettering illuminated within the connecting light bar, and the Taigun gets an illuminated Volkswagen logo within the light bar at the rear.