Skoda Kodiaq
SECOND REPORT SUV has really made itself at home and quickly become part of the family
ONE benchmark of whether a family car really fulfils its remit is whether it feels like it’s part of the family. Looking back on holidays past, the car that took you all there is often as much a part of the break as the trip itself.
This was brought to mind readily during a recent family visit to Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire. The kids’ reactions as a lion passed by and a macaque jumped on to the door mirror, licked rainwater off the bonnet and leapt about on the roof is one that none of us will forget in a hurry: the Kodiaq has become an integral part of our lives.
Over the past few months, the SUV has been pressed into service to transport furniture, remove rubbish and as a commuter hack. But it’s the moments when the Skoda becomes part of those treasured family trips that are the most memorable.
It can swallow bicycles, scooters and buggies, plus the fact it doesn’t have a boot lip makes it a convenient place to sit while changing muddy wellies.
The Kodiaq also kept us moving while other cars ground to a halt in the recent snow and swallowed a sleigh’s worth of Christmas presents. It’s now the yardstick by which my four-year-old daughter measures cars, although the omission of a panoramic glass sunroof is her biggest complaint. And with seven seats, it’s able to carry three generations of family – just – and still has a decent amount of luggage room.
Despite all this, the Kodiaq isn’t a car that screams ‘family’ at you, like a large seven-seat MPV would. It’s comfortable and fun to drive, and as the bulk of my driving has been around town, fuel economy of 42.4mpg is acceptable.
Perhaps its biggest positive is that while it’s a fairly large car, it rarely feels like it. That means it’s easy to place on the road, whether that be on country lanes or in towns. It’s just a shame there are no front parking sensors on our model, because it’s only during lowspeed manoeuvres that its size is felt.
After a couple of false starts, I’ve finally got to grips with the Skoda’s wide range of connectivity features. It took several attempts to get everything up and running, but now I’m ‘in’, it’s proving to be very useful.
The main focus is the Skoda Connect system, which uses a smartphone app to provide a range of information, including driving data, the level of fuel in the tank and a precise location should you struggle to find the SUV in a car park. Should that be the case, the app can flash the lights or honk the horn to make its whereabouts known.
The functions operated through the model’s Columbus infotainment system are no less impressive. I haven’t yet found the need to read news through the configurable service, but the live petrol prices that can be displayed
alongside a list of the nearest forecourts and local car park charges are very useful.
Other neat features are the ability to import destinations into the sat-nav and display real-time traffic information.
The Myskoda smartphone app has more straightforward functions, such as a calendar, Parking Assistance, contact details for your nearest Skoda dealers and Skoda Assistance. It’s just a shame these features are spread across three apps, rather than combined into one.
When you’re connected to Android Auto, Google’s voice-control system lets you safely and easily search for music via online services, or enter a destination into the sat-nav. If you’ve got the correct kit at home, you can even activate your smart heating and lighting systems.
Being able to turn my living room light on and change my central heating thermostat while safely driving is one of the most impressive, if rather prosaic, instances of ‘smart’ tech I’ve encountered.