Skoda Kodiaq Officially Revealed

Skoda has finally taken the wraps off its full-sized SUV, the Kodiaq, at a grand ceremony in Berlin. The Czech manufacturer has long been teasing the car in different shades of camouflaged skin, however, with the final reveal of the production vehicle, it seems safe to say that car surely has impressed us. It is also expected to boost Skoda’s market presence all around the globe. Let’s see what the company’s first seven-seater SUV has to offer.

Looks

Skoda and its parent company Volkswagen is well known for making simple yet elegant cars and the Kodiaq is no different. Moreover, other than the encapsulating elegance of a Skoda car, the SUV oozes a bold image, may be because of its size, which has seemed to have been missing from the Czech manufacturer's stable. The Kodiaq’s exteriors lend it an authoritative personality. It carries a unique face with sleek headlamps, the signature Skoda grille and the one-of-a-kind secondary lamps on either side of the fascia. It seems fairly muscular with a sleek shoulder line, which deepens in the middle and subtly merges into the rear fender. The car gets flared wheel arches and massive wheels.

The rear section of the car continues to impress with sharp tail lamp units and a stepped tailgate.

Dimensions

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At 4.7 meters long the Kodiaq doesn't seem to be a huge car. To put this in perspective, the Ford Endeavour is around 4.8 meters long. With that being said, the purpose of this SUV is not to look the biggest of the lot, but to be something that is more manoeuvrable and usable in cities and thus be more practical.

The Kodiaq has a boot capacity of 720 litres with the last row down and a whopping 2065 litres when both the last and the middle rows are folded down. Just for the record, both the mentioned figures are more than those of the Endeavour. Skoda has also claimed that these figures are best-in-their-class and even triumphs many from a segment above.

Powertrains

As usual, the car will be available with a plethora of petrol and diesel engine options in the global markets. However, if launched in India, it might get the 2.0-litre motor with both petrol and diesel fuel trims. The 2.0-litre TSI (petrol) will produce 180PS of power and 250Nm of torque, whereas the 2.0-litre diesel will produce 150PS of power and 320Nm of torque. Both the motors are expected to be offered with the choice of forward-wheel drive and 4x4 drive layout. For the transmission duties, it will get options of 6-speed manual and 6 or 7-speed DSG automatics.

Other than these, the Kodiaq will be available with several more engine options globally. Like a 1.4-litre TSI motor with a modest 125PS of power and 200Nm of torque, while the same will also be available with a higher state of tune (150PS of power and 250Nm of torque).

 Interiors

The cockpit of the Kodiaq offers many high-tech features and one can expect the same level of quality as found in the Superb. It will be made available with the latest infotainment system from the company and will also employ Skoda Connect. Customers will also be able to equip their car with an optional 8-inch touchscreen system along a 575W music system, while a 6.5-inch infotainment system will be a part of the standard equipment list.

Other features will include driver aids like adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, park assist, hill descent control, hill hold assist, etc. Moreover, Skoda will be offering a plethora of optional upgrades in the infotainment system department.

Underpinnings

It is a well-known fact that the new generation of the Skoda vehicles are based on the MQB platform and the Kodiaq too benefits from it. The platform makes the car lightweight, which will directly impact its driving dynamics and fuel efficiency, all the while maintaining a respectable safety quotient.

It is because of this platform that the Kodiaq is exceptionally light weight. How much, you ask? Less than 1600kg! And, this too with the top spec 4x4 trim. If you ask me, I can’t recall a single SUV which has seven seats and weighs this little. Especially at a price which is expected to be far less than the SUVs such as the Merc’s GLC, Land Rover Discovery, etc. albeit providing almost a similar set of features. 

The car will be launched in select markets by the end of this year after its showcase at this year’s Paris Motor Show. The Indian launch, though not confirmed, could take place by the end of 2017.