Škoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 190PS 4x4 DSG

Running the Kodiaq and the Volkswagen Tiguan (which share the same platform) at the same time makes for an interesting comparison, writes Alastair Clements. While it’s true to say that despite its firmish ride, the Škoda is a little less rewarding on a twisty road than the eager VW, the Tiguan can’t touch the Kodiaq for practicality. Legroom is superb in five-seater mode, the third row is surprisingly spacious for kids and if you fold all of the seats away you get a simply cavernous load bay. “That’s a useful bit of kit,” the warehouse manager of the hire firm I visited recently commented, as the Škoda effortlessly swallowed a 6ft table and a dozen chairs for a party, with room to spare.