By Ian Strachan.
The Skoda Kodiaq was the company’s first ever seven-seat sports utility, adding another dimension to the Czech manufacturer’s fast-expanding offering. Now, the latest generation Kodiaq has hit the showrooms, with a ground-up redesign, a new interior which mirrors Skoda’s excellent Superb executive car, and a host of safety features and creature comforts.
I test drover the Kodiaq SE L two-wheel-drive seven-seater, which is versatile, practical and exceptionally well-equipped. Four wheel-drive and five-seater versions are available.
The latest Kodiaq has a quality feel to it inside and out. In design terms it’s certainly an attention seeker, with Skoda’s new hexagonal grille sitting over a wide air intake. It has a strong side-on presence, with a gently sloping roofline, a high waist and neatly sculpted side panels. Smart 19 inch polished silver alloys add to its side-on style.
Inside the car has a lot of class about it with Skoda’s virtual cockpit and easy-to-use intuitive centrally mounted smart dials controlling several functions. Much better than fiddly buttons or controls that you can only use if you take your eyes off the road. My test vehicle had perforated artificial leather upholstery of a surprisingly high quality. The driver’s seat is electrically adjustable with memory, and the front seats and steering wheel are heated.
The dash is simple and attractive, with a central 13.5-inch touchscreen for satellite navigation system, integrated Wi-fi and the DAB radio and media system. You get wireless charging for two smartphones, three-zone climate control, cruise control with speed assist and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors with branded puddle lights.
Interior space is very good with plenty of of cargo space behind the power-operated tailgate. The third row of seats can be folded flat to the floor, with a 60/40 folding split second row. With the seats up you gewt 340 litres of boot space which can be increased to an enormous 2035 litres with the seats folded flat.
Other features on the SE L spec include seven airbags, dark chrome roof rails, front and rear parking sensors with rear view camera, LED matrix headlights, light and rain sensors, and of course, Skoda’s trademark umbrella in the front door compartment.
Safety features include blind spot detaction, front assist with vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist reaction, lane assist, rear traffic assist and traffic sign recognition.
I drove the diesel-powered 2.0 litre TDI petrol Kodiaq which gives out an adequate 150 bhp with a top speed, where allowed, of 126 mph. Linked to a smooth seven-speed stepless automatic gearbox, this is a very good unit, offering plenty of power with little fuss. Acceleration is pleasingly brisk for a vehicle of this size with an 0-60mph time of around nine and a half seconds.
Skoda claims fuel consumption of 48 mpg in mixed driving, which is respectable for a substantial vehicle.
The Skoda Kodiaq SE L 2.0 litre TDI has an on-the-road price of £42,505. That is competitive for such a high specification, and you get a lot of car for your money. My test car came with almost £4,000’s worth of extras including velvet red metallic paint at £1,045, electric folding tow bar (£1,270), a winter pack at £240 and a steel spare wheel at £170.
It’s difficult to fault this offering from Skoda. It’s a an impressive vehicle with a keen price. I was sad to see it go.
