Skoda Kylaq embarks on a 20,000-kilometre overland journey from Pune to the Czech Republic

A Skoda Kylaq has set off on a massive 20,000-kilometre road trip from India to the Czech Republic, aiming to reach the automaker's headquarters near Prague. The journey spans thirteen countries, four mountain ranges, and numerous languages. The expedition started at Skoda's Chakan plant in Maharashtra, where the subcompact SUV was built. Navigating out of India proved to be a major test due to heavy traffic, rough roads, and tight city lanes in places like Mumbai, Udaipur, Jaipur, Agra, and Lucknow. Along the way, the vehicle stopped at key spots including Hotel Ahura, Amer Fort, the Taj Mahal, and Tunday Kababi, before meeting a convoy of fans in Gorakhpur.

Nepal Leg

Crossing into Nepal through Raxaul involved a manual paper-checking process at an old-style immigration post. The route took the team through Chitwan National Park, the birthplace of Buddha in Lumbini, and Pokhara, before reaching Kathmandu. Kathmandu's streets featured a heavy presence of Chinese electric vehicles from brands like Geely, BYD, and GWM. After exploring the city and visiting Durbar Square, the team headed towards the Chinese border over muddy back roads.

Context

Long-distance overland drives of this scale test vehicle durability across vastly different climates, road conditions, and border procedures. Automakers often undertake such publicity drives to demonstrate the reliability and build quality of their mass-market models under extreme conditions.