► Roomier, techier and even more space
► CAR gets an exclusive UK-market studio preview
► Prices start from £37k, PHEVs to follow
Skoda has revealed pricing for its new second-generation Kodiaq, which arrives this summer with a £36,645 starting price.
A lot is riding on the shoulders of this large SUV, with the Czech firm recently selling its three millionth SUV – a Kodiaq, obviously – and needs to keep that momentum up. So much so that this new generation promises to be roomier, plusher and more technologically advanced than before, without losing sight of Skoda’s core values. Tricky.
CAR got a UK-exclusive walkaround of the new family SUV ahead of its reveal with Skoda’s head of exterior design, Karl Neuhold. Keep reading for the full debrief.
It still looks like a Kodiaq, then…
Yes, but a slightly tartier and trendier-looking one, don’t you think? Check out the aerodynamic wheel inserts, the contrast-colour D-pillar and the thin, glowing light bar nestling into the grille in this high-end model. Hell, even the colour is very vogue: Skoda calls it Bronx Bronze – a new shade that debuts with the Kodiaq.
And yet, Neuhold proclaims ‘we are not hipsters!’ as he talks us through the new Kodiaq’s exterior look. ‘It’s challenging because, as an exterior designer, we need to give you an expression of the car so early on. It has to look good, be convincing optically,’ he says. ‘What makes a car successful or not? That first glance decides! For Kodiaq, we wanted the car to be much more sculptural, and bring some added value not seen before. But more than anything, we wanted to show that it’s a true seven-seater – that there’s real space inside.
‘The light bar through the grille for example, we wanted to show a new interpretation of that [compared to the Enyaq] where people still know what they get with a Kodiaq. It’s not a car that boasts, we don’t want it to be that – we just want it to show off its great functionality.
‘For example, we didn’t want to have a single light band at the rear,’ says Neuhold, even though the Kodiaq’s rear lights are connected by a single piece of transparent red trim, ‘because I think for us, everyone’s doing one at the minute. It’s fashionable right now but too trendy for us.’ Ditto the coloured D-pillar insert, which is designed to draw your eye to the rear end.
There’s also a distinct lack of chrome in any of the trimmings, as Skoda focuses a little more on sustainability. ‘Even now I would still say chrome is a premium feature,’ says Neuhold, ‘but we need to make a new approach. The material we’ve used, which actually looks a little like titanium, still gives the Kodiaq a sophisticated touch, and I think it gives the look something new.’
Skoda has also confirmed the return of a SportLine model (pictured in blue), which benefits from bespoke wheels, a more aggressive looking bodykit and some sportier seats inside. Those titanium-like bits of trinketry on the brown studio car are replaced by gloss black.
Tell me about the new interior…
As you’d expect, Skoda’s really thought about this. It’s remained firmly in the user-friendly camp over the years, even as Group compatriot Volkswagen has willingly chucked out physical switchgear for touch panels and sliders – and it’s no different with the new Kodiaq. ‘Ergonomics are so important for us,’ says Neuhold. ‘We just want it to be logical inside. Natural. Obvious.’
In fact, Skoda arguably pulled off a communications masterstroke as it led up to the Kodiaq’s reveal, confirming that physical switchgear would remain part of the equation with its new Smart Dials. These also feature on the new Skoda Superb. Those new dials are a proper focal point for the swish and sculptured dashboard, which features digital instruments and a large 13-inch display in the centre. The two outer Smart Dials have fixed settings: temperature control by default, or push to switch to heating or cooling your seats. The central dial, meanwhile, is customisable – settings like fan speed or direction, the audio volume or even the drive mode can all be controlled physically.
And those physical dials are complementing that massive central screen, which runs on MIB4 – VW Group’s latest infotainment software. It’s the same tech that runs on VW’s new Passat and Tiguan SUV and, while it still controls so much of the car’s software, we can say it’s a marked improvement over the platform that launched in the Golf 8 and ID.3.
Elsewhere, Skoda has thrown all sorts of goodies and clever bits at its new family SUV. There are three interior trim designs: Loft uses grey fabric seats, Lounge uses a suede-like microfibre cloth with yellow stitching while ecoSuite deploys either a black or cognac-coloured leather (pictured) that’s treated and tanned using sustainable practices. Moving the transmission shifter to the steering column means the centre console can store so much extra stuff with a deeper pocket under the armrest and the option to include a twin wireless charging pocket that even comes with its own air vent to keep your phones cool as they charge. You can even spec luxuries like a head-up display, massaging seats and a parking assistant that remembers your manoeuvres from the options list.
It’s all about the space with this – still roomy?
Very much so. As has always been the way with Skoda, the engineering and design teams have managed to get the absolute maximum out of the platform it’s been provided. This time, it’s the refreshed MQBevo platform that underpins the new Passat and Tiguan from VW. The new Kodiaq will be available as a five- or seven seater when it launches.
Even if your driver is over 6’, rear legroom could arguably be measured in yards rather than millimetres, and the rear space includes high-powered USB-C sockets. There’s even a removable storage area that clips over the centre tunnel – a handy extra place to keep bits and pieces, provided there’s only two passengers in the rear. We’re yet to test the space in the third row, however, as our demonstration car was only a five-seater.
As for luggage space, all of the Kodiaq’s new volume ratings are significantly higher than the already-impressive first-generation car. The five-seat model features an enormous 910-litre boot space, while the seven-seat model’s luggage area is either 340 litres or 845 litres with the third row’s seats folded up and down respectively. The Kodiaq iV plug-in hybrid holds 745 litres. There’s precious little this side of a van that can hold so much of your family’s stuff.
Any engine and performance specs?
At launch there is a choice of one petrol engine and two diesel models. A plug-in hybrid will also follow.
The range starts off with a 1.5 TSI EA211 Evo2 engine developing 148bhp. This is the first Skoda Kodiaq to get mild-hybrid power, which now run on fuel-efficient Miller cycle and feature a variable vane turbocharger. It also features the latest-generation active cylinder technology (ACT+).
A sportier 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine will also follow but diesel still features quite prominently in the Kodiaq line-up, with VW’s renowned 2.0-litre TDI unit available with 148bhp or 190bhp – the latter also featuring four-wheel-drive.
CAR drives a prototype of the new Skoda Kodiaq SUV
The biggest news, though, is that plug-in hybrid offering (pictured in white) – the first time a Kodiaq has had a properly electrified option. The Kodiaq iV’s powertrain comprises of a turbocharged 1.5-litre TSI engine, an electric motor and a 25.7kWh battery pack. Skoda says that’s good for 62 miles of electric range, and is capable of DC fast charging – a rarity in the plug-in hybrid world.
When we asked about the potential of a new-generation Kodiaq vRS model, the question was met without an official confirmation, but knowing winks and nudges from Skoda insiders.
When does the new Skoda Kodiaq go on sale and what does it cost?
Orders for the new Skoda Kodiaq open on April 10, with the first examples expected to be delivered in summer 2024.
Prices for the new Kodiaq start from £36,645 – a £1500 increase compared to its predecessor. At launch, there will only be a fairly limited range available including two trims – SE and SE L – with a Sportline model to follow.
As before, entry-level Kodiaq models come with five seats as standard, and it’ll cost £860 if you want a third row. SE models come as standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, three-zone climate control and a 13-inch touchscreen.
Upgrade to the SE L, which costs from £40,205, and this comes with seven seats as standard. You also get 19-inch alloy wheels, Matrix LED headlights, an electric boot and keyless entry.