The new Skoda Kodiaq crossover inside and out
An elongated body, two-story headlights, large rear doors that promise easy access to the cabin - these characteristic features of the Skoda Kodiaq are immediately recognizable in both the first and second generation of the car. However, what is special about the new Skoda Kodiaq? I've already talked about the rear roof pillar: it's an element that immediately attracts attention; and the roof pillar can have different finishes depending on the version of the car. There are also lights under the pillars that seem to be "cut" into separate elements with thin lines - it looks interesting. And the wheels with Aero pads are quite original.
But what was not so remarkable in the photos, but immediately noticeable in real life, is the design of the front end. Previously, the Skoda Kodiaq crossover had a slightly sloping grille in the form of an inverted trapezoid and pointed headlights, but now the grille is devoid of sharp corners and is installed almost vertically. The headlights have also lost their pointed edges, although they have not lost their two-story design. By the way, the new Skoda Kodiaq can be equipped with second-generation TOP LED Matrix headlights: 50% more LED elements (36 elements in total) for more precise cutting of objects on the road, as well as 15% more light. However, the availability of such optics depends on the car's configuration - the test car did not have them, but later I will show a version with them.
The new Skoda Kodiaq crossover has retained its general proportions, but has changed significantly in the details: headlights and lights, radiator grille, rear roof pillar, and door curves. The car has also noticeably gained in length, although it has hardly changed in other dimensions: length - 4.76 meters (plus about 6 cm), width - 1.86 meters, height - 1.68 meters, wheelbase - 2.79 meters. The vehicle's ground clearance is declared at 187 mm (without taking into account the load and body sagging under load).
It turned out interestingly: if the exterior is like an evolution of its predecessor, the interior is almost a revolution. There are two separate zones for the driver and front passenger, which are defined by the general shape of the front panel, as well as the color scheme and materials. In front of the driver is a flat 10-inch digital instrument panel without a visor and a two-spoke steering wheel; in front of the passenger are two covered niches for things. Between them is the center console, which was "unloaded" due to the absence of a gear lever. After all, from now on, all versions of Skoda Kodiaq have a DSG automatic with a joystick installed under the steering wheel. Accordingly, the center console has turned into a huge box organizer: niches and cup holders are hidden under the curtain, and there is a double wireless phone charger in the back. Above it, there are three round Smart Dials with displays inside: they can control the climate control temperature, air intensity, audio volume, seat heating, and more. The specific function of the switch changes depending on how you click on it; then you need to turn the washer right and left; then click-press again, and so on. It's an interesting solution, although it's been seen before - first on Land Rover and Range Rover cars, and now on some Volkswagen models.
The multimedia system menu and Virtual Cockpit dashboard settings are also familiar - they have already been seen in Skoda cars that have been the subject of numerous publications in recent years. In short: everything is logical and clear, everything is easy to customize. If earlier one could complain about the inconvenience of controlling the climate control, the Smart Dials solved this issue. But here's an unexpected impression from personal acquaintance with the car: due to the rather large size of the Skoda Kodiaq, due to this shape of the front panel, which seems to visually expand the space, the central 10-inch display suddenly looks... too small! Now a bigger 13-inch display is begging to be put in the cabin.
Behind, there is no longer a sense of revolutionary interior design, but there is definitely a phenomenal amount of space and maximum seating comfort. The rear sofa can be adjusted to suit the passengers, there is climate control and a wide armrest, and of course there are ventilation deflectors and phone charging ports. And even further back, a magnificent 910-liter trunk awaits you. And the question is not even about the volume figures, but about the organization of this space: numerous niches, shelves, clips, hooks - all of this is present here, which is typical for Skoda.
The front of the cabin of the new Skoda Kodiaq creates a real revolution in perception: emphasized separation of the driver and passenger seats, maximally "unloaded" center console, relocation of the DSG joystick to the right (which also required changing the switch on the left), original multifunctional "pucks" Smart Dials, an incredible sense of space (which makes even a 10-inch display seem too small) - designers and ergonomists have clearly gone wild! Behind, everything is traditional, but that doesn't mean a bad thing: excellent headroom, maximum passenger comfort, a large and practical trunk.
A few words about the car's technology and impressions on the road
The new Skoda Kodiaq crossover is still built using a unibody construction, fully independent suspensions of all wheels, transversely mounted 4-cylinder engines and a robotic DSG gearbox. A novelty for the second-generation Skoda Kodiaq is the appearance of a PHEV version based on a 1.5-liter turbo engine and an electric motor, but this story is relevant only for European markets. Moreover, in Europe, there are two options for the type of drive: front or all-wheel drive. In Ukraine, however, the situation is somewhat different, as the car is available only with a pair of 2-liter 4-cylinder engines - a diesel TDI (150 hp and 340 Nm) or a gasoline TSI (190 hp and 320 Nm) - and in both cases, it is all-wheel drive.
The test car was provided with a 150-horsepower turbodiesel engine, and the impressions from it are, let's just say, quite expected. Although the engine does not surprise with power and does not impress with acceleration, we have quite sufficient traction starting from 1.5-1.7 thousand revolutions and further up to 3-3.5 thousand - that is, the typical behavior of a turbodiesel engine with good torque at midrange. What else I would like to note is a rather light steering wheel with medium sharpness: we have 2.5 turns from stop to stop. The car responds normally to the steering wheel, but there is no passion and thirst for cornering, which can be given by Mazda or Peugeot crossovers.
However, what the Skoda Kiaq does have, and what came as a pleasant surprise, is good ride comfort and suspension setup. The second-generation Skoda Kodiaq crossover rides quite softly on broken roads, it swings smoothly over bumps, and tries to carefully hide pits. It also does not make unnecessary knocks when the suspension is in the rebound. At least, this is the case for the car in the Selection configuration on 18-inch wheels. Moreover, such suspension settings are also supported by the transmission: the DSG automatic robot gearbox is set to shift up quite early, which again encourages measured and smooth driving. If you want to move a little faster, there is an S-mode of the gearbox, which provides for delayed upshifts - so the engine often runs at higher revs (which is clearly audible in the cabin) and accelerations seem more efficient, fast, sharp. However, this S-mode has no effect on the steering wheel or other settings - after all, this is not a comprehensive driving mode, but an additional mode of operation of the DSG box.
The test car Skoda Kodiaq was presented with a 2-liter turbodiesel engine with 150 hp and 340 Nm - I have no doubt that it will become a sales leader for rational buyers. All variants of Skoda Kodiaq in Ukraine are equipped with a 7-speed DSG transmission and all-wheel drive. For this car Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 7DSG 4x4 acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 9.9 seconds, top speed of 197 km/h, city fuel consumption of 8 liters per 100 km and highway fuel consumption of 5.6 liters per 100 km are claimed. My own measurements of the dynamics give 10+ seconds, but taking into account the high altitude and winter tires, I think that under optimal conditions, the car will confirm the declared figure. As for fuel consumption, I got even better than promised in the city - a little less than 8 liters per 100 km. By the way, pay attention to the digital instrument panel: you can change not only the overall view, but also the indicators in individual windows within the round scales.
Different configurations (and different prices) of the new Skoda Kodiaq
So, the new Skoda Kodiaq is offered in Ukraine with two engines and in two trim levels (Selection or Sportline); thus, there are four variants of the car in total. But there are six price tags, because now the new Skoda Kodiaq in the Selection version is on special offer.
The Skoda Kodiaq Selectioncrossover immediately offers: front and side airbags, central front airbag, multimedia infotainment system with 10-inch touchscreen display, LED headlights, multifunctional 2-spoke heated steering wheel, LOFT interior trim, heated front seats, virtual 10-inch dashboard, 3-zone climate control, 18-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, Simply Clever package (various nets and clips in the trunk), Jumbo Box center console (compartments for things, glass holder, etc.). The standard price of Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TSI 190 7DSG 4x4 Selection starts from UAH 1.72 million or $41 thousand; the special price starts from UAH 1.64 million or $39 thousand. Standard price Skoda Kodiaq 2 .0 TDI 150 7DSG 4x4 Selection - from 1.82 million UAH or $43.3 thousand; special price - from 1.74 million UAH or $41.4 thousand.
The Sportline version of the Skoda Kodiaq adds the following: sports bumper and black glossy finish, 19-inch alloy wheels, Safety Package III, sports seats and steering wheel, SPORTLINE interior trim, matrix headlights, heated front and rear seats, additional sound insulation, acoustic tinted side windows, etc. The standard price of Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TSI 190 7DSG 4x4 Sportline starts from UAH 1.97 million or $47 thousand. Standard price Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 150 7DSG 4x4 Sportline - from 2.06 million UAH or $49 thousand.
Here is the Skoda Kodiaq Sportlinecrossover , and this car stands out from the outside and inside: lots of black and glossy trim and 19-inch wheels, sports seats and a 3-spoke steering wheel. There is also an expanded list of equipment: the Sportline package immediately adds matrix headlights, a power trunk lid, a rearview camera, and other equipment that is available only as an option for theSelection . It has also been promised that a third row of seats will be offered as an option, which means that the Skoda Kodiaq crossover can potentially be a 7-seater.
Will the new Skoda Kodiaq crossover keep the popularity of its predecessor?
It is a difficult task, but it is possible. After all, the new Skoda Kodiaq has retained all the advantages of its predecessor and added new ones of its own: modern lighting technology and a multimedia system, beautiful interior design, comfortable and fairly quiet suspension - it's like a successful evolution of a well-known model. However, the rationality factor of existing owners may have a negative effect: if the new Skoda Kodiaq is not revolutionary, why rush to change your existing car for a new one and pay a lot of money for it? This raises the question of fierce competition in the market and the struggle for the wallets of new buyers. But it seems that the new Skoda Kodiaq is ready for this.
