SUV SMARTS

Kodiaq is a sporty addition to the family

Rain showers which weren’t forecast. Trying to sleep and your head flops side to side. Wet grass at the park. Can’t find your way in the dark.

Skoda’s Kodaiq has in-house solutions for all those problems. The Czech brand has the “simply clever” catch phrase and it’s not a load of rubbish — they have small bins, too, in the SUV’s doors.

Among the little extras are two umbrellas hidden in the doors. Small wings fold down on the rear headrests to keep the passenger’s head in place. Then there’s the two picnic rugs housed in satchels which hang over the the middle row seats. And the boot light can flip out to be used as a torch.

It’s the small things which make a big difference to the seven-seater’s appeal.

Priced from just over $50,000 drive-away, it’s a sizeable outlay. But when stacked against the competition, it actually undercuts some of the big guns leading the segment yet possesses better features and more impressive on-road dynamics.

VALUE

Brand awareness is the one of the greatest stumbling blocks for Skoda. That makes resale the greatest uncertainly.

One thing you can be assured is European build quality.

Those with any history in the UK would have sketchy recollections of the marque, but things have changed over the past two decades.

Skoda is part of the Volkswagen group, and beneath the Kodiaq skin is the same platform which is also used in many VWs and Audis ... but it’s most closely aligned to the VW Tiguan.

The company lineage is plain to see from all angles. Get behind the flat-bottom steering wheel, flip through the driver’s digital display and it feels Audi-esque.

Already pleasing to the eye, apart from the ungainly badge design, this Sportline variant has only just been added to the range and comes with some extra sporting showmanship. Striking 20-inch alloys, the metallic “signature” red colour scheme (which adds $1000), alcantara leather trim on the seats with contrasting silver stitching, aluminium pedals and steering wheel mounted paddle shifters ensure it lives up to the moniker.

Other standard gear includes one of the clearest 9.2-inch colour touch-screens we’ve seen on any vehicle, armed with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and satnav, as well as push-button start, wireless phone charging with Qi enabled devices and dual-zone air con.

Skoda does a good job of its optional packs and if you tick all the boxes it takes the drive-away price just shy of $60,000 to get all the bells and whistles.

SAFETY

Gaining five stars courtesy of nine airbags, autonomous emergency braking (which can help reduce or avoid a frontal accident at low speed), radar cruise control that maintains a set distance from vehicles in front, LED headlights and foglights, rear view camera, blind spot detection, while there is constant analysis of the driver and warns if fatigue is detected. To get the full suite, you have to option the luxury pack.

ON THE ROAD

Also available in diesel for an extra $6500, we’d find it hard to go past this petrol derivative.

Reasonably lithe in a straight line it can reach 100km/h from standstill in less than nine seconds. With the steering wheel-mounted paddles and a set-up which detects when you want to pick up the pace, it feels quicker.

Compared to many other seven-seaters, the Koadiaq is nimble. At 4.6m it’s not small, but the likes of Mazda’s CX-9 is just over 5m, a Kluger is 4.8, while the Hyundai Sante Fe and Kia Sorento are 4.7m. The Honda CR-V is slightly smaller.

Running on premium unleaded, so far it has averaged about eight litres per 100km.

Despite having big 20-inch wheels with low profile rubber the ride is surprisingly good, while the steering is light and accurate.