Skoda Kodiaq

Expert Review by Maxabout

Introduction

Skoda Kodiaq, the flagship SUV of the Skoda brand, made its official debut in India in 2018 and was one of the immensely popular cars with impressive design and styling. It has gone through some updates in 2020 but owing to the implementation of BS6 norms in the country, the Czech manufacturer had to discontinue the SUV in the Indian market. However, since then the Kodiaq was awaited by the Indian audience in its new avatar.

Skoda Kodiaq has made its comeback this year after a long wait of two years. It has been tweaked in terms of styling, interior features, and interiors for 2022. However, there are a few significant differences: the engine is completely new, and the chassis has been modified. Brought to our shores through the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) route, the Skoda Kodiaq is set to win the hearts of Indians once more. Let’s know in detail all the features and specs of this facelift model.

Skoda Kodiaq Design and Style

To begin with the front fascia, the SUV gets a majestic facade and appears refreshed and premium. The crystalline headlamp is slim and adds a fashionable touch to the front fascia. The LED fog lights are located beneath the headlamps. Skoda's signature butterfly grille design can be found on the Skoda Kodiaq. The chrome grille is large and imposing, and the vertical slats on the grille are also adorned with chrome elements.

In addition, the new Skoda Kodiaq has a redesigned front bumper with a honeycomb design element in front of the intercooler. More angular lines, cuts, and creases can be found on the lower lip. The raised bonnet adds muscular styling to the new Skoda Kodiaq and completes the front-end changes. The sloping roofline is noticeable when viewed from the side profile. The B and C pillars are blacked out, as is the spoiler. The matte silver roof rails enhance the SUV's appearance even more.

Coming to the rear end, the rear bumper has the lettering "SKODA" on the tailgate. The SUV comes with a spoiler and a sharkfin antenna, as well as a new tail lamp design with angular styling. In terms of body dimensions, the Skoda Kodiaq gets an overall length of 4699mm, a width of 1882mm, a height of 1685mm with roof rails, and a wheelbase of 2791mm. While the kerb weight varies from variant to variant, as the Style variant is 1774kg, the Sportline variant is 1779kg, whereas the L & K variant is 1793kg. The SUV has a fuel tank capacity of 58 litres.

Skoda Kodiaq Engine and Gearbox

In terms of powertrain, 2023 Skoda Kodiaq is powered by a BS6-compliant, 1984cc, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine which is capable of churning out 190 HP at 4200-6000 rpm and a max torque of 320 Nm at 1500–4100 rpm. This SUV is 4x4-wheel drive and gets an automatic 7-speed, DSG gearbox with Tiptronic manual gear changing.

Skoda Kodiaq Interior, Instrument Cluster & Boot Space

Skoda vehicles are known for having luxurious interiors, and the Kodiaq is no exception. It gets a spacious cabin, and the choice of the interior's dual-tone Beige and Black colour scheme adds to its spaciousness. The upper half of the dashboard is covered in black leather, while the lower half is made of soft-touch plastic with a beige finish. The central part of the dashboard is divided by a strip of piano black that separates the black leather and beige soft-touch plastics.

In addition, umbrella holder pockets are also built into the front door panels of the SUV. It even has drain holes at the bottom to enable water to evaporate from the umbrella. Skoda has paid special attention to the seating section as well. The L & K model has heated and cooled perforated leather seats in beige. The front and second-row seats not only look good, but they also feel good and keep the driver and passengers comfortable even over long distances. However, the third-row seating seems a bit uncomfortable owing to less legroom.

Speaking of the instrument cluster, the Skoda Kodiaq features a 10-inch digital instrument console named "Virtual Cockpit by Skoda" that displays information in five different modes, and the display layout also changes with the modes. Now, coming to the offered boot space, the manufacturer has loaded the car with an extensive 270 litres, but you can expand the storage space up to 2005 litres by folding the second and third-row seats, which are flat foldable.

Skoda Kodiaq Brakes, Suspension & Tyres

When it comes to braking and suspension duties, the SUV has a vacuum servo-assisted hydraulic diagonal dual-circuit braking system that consists of disc brakes at both the front and rear ends. McPherson suspension with lower triangular links and a torsion stabiliser at the front and a multi-element axle with longitudinal and transverse links and a torsion stabiliser at the rear handle the suspension duties. Skoda has offered the Kodiaq with 18-inch alloy wheels that are shod with 235/55 tubeless tyres at both the front and rear.

Skoda Kodiaq Key Features

The manufacturer has loaded the Skoda Kodiaq with a plethora of sophisticated features to make it worth buying. The SUV gets crystalline full LED headlights with illuminated eyelashes, full-LED taillights, electrically-adjustable panoramic sunroof, LED ambient lighting, 12-way electrically-adjustable front seats with built-in memory, 3-zone climatronic A/C with Air Care function, a 20.32cm SKODA Infotainment System with Proximity Sensor, Apple Carplay & Android Auto, keyless entry, start-stop button, wireless mobile charging, two USB-C ports, rear A/C vents, a 12V socket, and ventilated front seats.

The vast feature list further consists of a driver’s storage box below the steering wheel, a virtual pedal to open the boot lid, integrated telescopic headlight washers, roll-up sun visors for rear windows, height and length adjustable steering wheel, anti-theft alarm with interior monitoring, Dynamic Chassis Control with Drive Mode Select (Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, and Individual), front glove box with cooling and illumination, and much more. For the occupants' safety, the Skoda Kodiaq comes equipped with 9 airbags as standard across all variants, an anti-lock braking system(ABS), multi-collision brake, park assist, 360-degree camera, rollover protection, traction control system, two Isofix child-seat preparations on the outer second row of seats, ESC, EBD, hill hold control, and many more.

Skoda Kodiaq Top Speed, Acceleration & Mileage

The ride and handling of the new Skoda Kodiaq are good, and it accelerates from 0-100 kmph within 7.8 seconds and offers a top speed of 192 kmph. Skoda claims a mileage of 12.78 kmpl, but this varies from the highway to city traffic areas, and you could get 7-9 kmpl depending on traffic density.

Skoda Kodiaq Variants & Colour Options

Skoda has offered the 2023 Kodiaq in three variants called "Style," "Sportline and the top-end "Laurin & Klement." There are various colour options according to the variants. The base variant, Style, comes in only one colour, Moon White Metallic, while the Sportline variant comes in three colour choices named Race Blue Metallic, Steel Grey Metallic, and Moon White Metallic. The top-end variant, L & K, comes with four different paint options called Lava Blue Metallic, Moon White Metallic, Magic Black Metallic, and Graphite Grey Metallic.

Ex-showroom Price & On-Road Price

As far as the pricing is concerned, at present, 2023 Skoda Kodiaq is available in the Indian vehicle market with an ex-showroom price of Rs 37.49 lakh for the base Style AT variant and goes up to Rs 39.99 lakh for the top-spec L&K AT variant. Now, to explain the difference between off-road and on-road pricing, a car's ex-showroom price is the sticker price that does not include the cost of road tax, insurance, or registration. The on-road price, on the other hand, includes the previously mentioned costs as well as the cost of insurance, RC, one-time road tax, extended warranty, and all vehicle accessories. It is important to note that in our country, on-road prices vary greatly from state to state.

Skoda Kodiaq Competitors

In the Indian car market, the Skoda Kodiaq locks horns with the likes of Toyota Fortuner, MG Gloster and the Mahindra Alturas G4.

Verdict - Should You Buy Skoda Kodiaq or not?

In the end, we must say the SUV is full of cutting-edge technology and features that some luxury cars don't even have. However, some people may be disappointed owing to the lack of a diesel engine option, but that doesn't seem like a bigger thing in today’s times, and the petrol engine is refined and offers better performance. The shorter space for the third-row can be a concern, but the children can sit comfortably there instead of adults. Also, being a CKD product, the prices are quite expensive. However, when you consider everything you get for your money, the Kodiaq is an excellent value.