Skoda Kylaq Completes Epic Drive Through Central Asia and Europe on Prague Leg

Through Central Asia

Driving an Indian-built Skoda Kylaq through Central Asia, the expedition crossed from China into Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked nation known for its alpine mountains and the Orto-Tokoy Reservoir. In the oldest city of Osh, the team walked through the Jayma Bazaar and tasted kurut, a salted snack made from curdled milk. Entering Uzbekistan, the route passed through Fergana, where trees line the roads and local shops sell patir flatbread. The journey continued to Samarkand to view the Bibi-Khanym Mosque in the Registan ensemble, before heading to Tashkent's Chorsu Bazaar and trying the local plov. In Kazakhstan, the team drove across the Great Steppe past herds of Bactrian camels and past the Baikonur Cosmodrome, noting a fuel price of Rs 58.17 per litre.

Entering Europe

Moving into Georgia, the team visited Tbilisi near the monument of King Vakhtang Gorgasali and saw underground wine-fermenting jars, before eating khachapuri and driving to Batumi by the Black Sea. In Türkiye, the journey included a stop in Erzurum, a hot-air-balloon ride in Cappadocia, and a visit to Istanbul to eat döner kebab and view the Blue Mosque, before crossing the Bosphorus Bridge from Asia into Europe. The final stretch through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia brought the car past Bucharest's Palace of the Parliament and Budapest's Parliament Building. Finally, after covering nearly 20,000 kilometres over seventy days, the Kylaq arrived safely at the Skoda museum in Mlada Boleslav.

Context

Long-distance automotive expeditions like this are frequently used by manufacturers to test vehicle durability, handling, and fuel efficiency across diverse climates and terrains. The Skoda Kylaq, manufactured in India, faced conditions ranging from high-altitude mountain passes and desert steppes to congested European city streets. Such cross-continental drives demonstrate how compact modern vehicles handle varied road infrastructures far beyond their domestic markets.