Skoda Auto forays into used car biz under 'Certified Pre-Owned' programme

Skoda Auto India on Wednesday announced its foray into the used car market with the launch of its 'Certified Pre-Owned' programme.

Skoda Auto vehicles bought under the 'Certified Pre-Owned' programme will come with a manufacturer-backed warranty that spans over a time frame of up to 24 months or 1,50,000 kilometres, whichever is earlier, the company said in a statement.

"The designated programme will also house automobiles that do not don the koda badge and can be purchased, nonetheless, with a warranty that spans over a time frame of up to 12 months or 15,000 kilometres," it added.

Through the programme, customers can also trade in their old car of any manufacturer and be rewarded with attractive exchange bonuses on purchase of a new Skoda vehicle, the company said.

"The used car business, in India, has registered multi-fold growth over the past many years. We have also identified an innate demand among pre-owned car buyers for Skoda Auto products owing to its superior built quality, outstanding reliability, and impeccable craftsmanship," Skoda Auto India Brand Director Zac Hollis said.

With 'Certified Pre-Owned', the company is venturing into the highly lucrative used car market and opening up a new chapter in Skoda Auto's growth story in India, he added.

The pre-owned car programme will initially be available in Mumbai, Delhi (NCR), Coimbatore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Hyderabad, and Goa, before a nationwide rollout in the subsequent phase, over a timeframe of the next 12 months, as part of the 'INDIA 2.0' project, the company said.

Hollis said through the initiative, Skoda Auto India aims to offer "a one stop shop to buy, sell, or exchange certified multi brand pre-owned vehicles to prospective buyers seeking cost effective personal mobility solution, more so in these unprecedented times.