SKODA’S NEW SUV
Why king-sized Kodiaq is a true game-changer
gearbox emits 142g/km. The more powerful diesel can cover 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds; it emits 153g/km of CO2.
The high-powered petrol, meanwhile, is the fastest of all, with a 0-62mph time of 7.8 seconds, but its CO2 emissions of 171g/km mean it’s likely to be a niche choice.
The Kodiaq will get Driving Mode Select on its options list; this allows the driver to choose different settings which alter the engine response, gearbox software, power-steering and air-conditioning, depending on the terrain and surfaces being traversed.
Four-wheel-drive editions get an extra Snow mode, which alters the behaviour of the anti-lock brakes and the transmission’s clutch to improve stability on slippery roads. Adaptive suspension will be an option, as will an off-road mode that includes hill descent control.
Skoda has acknowledged that the seven-speed DSG transmission is rated at up to 600Nm as a result; it’s likely that
“The overall stance of the Kodiaq is stronger and more angular than we’ve seen in the Yeti”
the VW Group’s 237bhp twin-turbodiesel will appear in a high-performance version, probably later in 2017.
The firm’s head of research and development, Christian Strube, admitted that he has been evaluating a faster edition. “I was driving such a car only last week and it was fantastic,” he revealed at the Kodiaq’s launch event in Berlin.
“From an engineering perspective, of course we want to give the Kodiaq even more performance, and we’ve been working on this.” Inside, the Kodiaq gives us Skoda’s sharpest-looking cabin yet. It’s clearly recognisable as a close relative of the Superb’s, but gets a more stylish facia design that includes two distinct areas ahead of the driver and passenger, narrowing down to a central display in the middle of the dash.
There’s a 6.5-inch touchscreen multimedia system, which comes as standard, but Skoda’s Bolero set-up, based around an 8.0-inch display,
is available as an option. There’s also a phone box that incorporates inductive wireless charging for smartphones to cut down on interfering cables.
Skoda has a reputation for producing cars with large load-spaces for their class, and the Kodiaq looks set to continue the trend. In five-seat form, and using the second row’s ability to slide forwards and backwards by up to 18cm (standard across the range), the car’s boot capacity can be as much as 720 litres – almost 140 litres up on the Santa Fe’s.
The angle of the second-row seatbacks can also be adjusted to cope with bulky loads – and as a further option, the back of the front passenger seat can fold down completely, allowing loads of up to 2.8 metres in length.
With the seats lowered, the Kodiaq’s load capacity breaks through the 2,000litre mark, at 2,065 litres, compared with the Discovery Sport’s 1,698 litres. If specified, the third row of seats will fold down flat into the boot floor to offer the same load bay as the five-seater.
The Kodiaq gets plenty of driver assistance systems, including Tow Assist, surround-view cameras, City Emergency Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The entry-level trim will have 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, while higher-end versions will move up to a choice of 18-inch designs. Skoda also plans to offer 19-inch wheels as an option.
The Kodiaq is due on sale at the end of this year, with first deliveries likely in early spring 2017.
Skoda will confirm prices at the Paris Motor Show but it’s believed to be planning an aggressive policy, so the entry-level edition could cost as little as £23,000. Even a well specced diesel automatic could undercut the Santa Fe and Discovery Sport by as much as £4,000.