PRAGUE: Škoda Auto and regional partner and investor, the Thanh Cong Group, officially opened a new production plant in Vietnam on March 26 for the assembly of Škoda Slavia and Kushaq cars.
In a statement, Škoda Auto said this marks a significant milestone in the brand’s internationalisation strategy, reinforcing its ambition to strengthen its presence beyond its European home market.
By importing completely knocked-down (CKD) kits of the Kushaq SUV from India and assembling them locally, Škoda is capitalising on geographical synergies.
The production programme will expand in the summer to include the Slavia sedan, which will also be assembled from CKD kits sourced from India.
Located in Quang Ninh province, the facility includes a welding shop, a paint shop, and a final assembly line.
Series production of the Kushaq SUV has started, with the Slavia sedan set to follow this summer.
Both models are assembled from CKD kits prepared at Škoda Auto’s logistics centre in Pune, India.
The plant’s location near one of Vietnam’s largest and most modern ports ensures an efficient supply chain.
The newly built facility is equipped with cutting-edge technology for both manufacturing processes – such as contactless 3D measurement – and production techniques, including a four-layer paint application and an anti-corrosion wax treatment for body cavities.
The assembly line is the largest section of the plant, which also houses a welding shop and a paint shop.
The site features a quality control centre, a precision measurement facility, and a nearly two-kilometre-long test track designed to replicate a variety of local road conditions.
Škoda rigorously tests all locally assembled models under real-world conditions ahead of series production.
The Kushaq, for example, has covered more than 330,000km on diverse Vietnamese roads and undergone extensive climate testing, including trials in temperatures ranging from -10 °C to +42 °C with high humidity.
The Kushaq SUV and Slavia sedan feature left-hand drive and come equipped with advanced safety and comfort features, including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and synthetic leather upholstery.
The locally assembled models are a cornerstone of Škoda’s portfolio in Vietnam, complementing the Karoq and Kodiaq SUVs imported from Europe.
Since Škoda’s entry into the Vietnamese market in September 2023, more than 15 sales outlets have been opened, including a new showroom concept, the Experience Centre in Hanoi.
The network is planned to expand to 32 dealerships by end-2025.
Škoda Auto draws on its expertise in price-sensitive entry-level segments.
Vietnam is currently the fourth-largest automotive market in Southeast Asia.
With just 34 passenger vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants in a country of 100 million people, Vietnam has the highest projected growth potential in the region.
Beyond Asean, Škoda Auto is also expanding in the Middle East, capitalising its production facilities in India.
