The first-generation Skoda Kodiaq was certainly a strong seller for the Czech arm of the Volkswagen Group. Having been the recipient of numerous accolades from the specialist global motoring press, the current second generation Kodiaq has a tough act to follow. Is this follow up able to continue the vibe of the first album while giving us something new at the same time? After five days of parking this revamped crowd favourite SUV up the drive, here is what I found out.
Like its predecessor, the second gen Kodiaq certainly isn’t a bad thing to look at. Up front you have a revised LED headlight cluster joined by the now familiar Skoda bar vented grill and L shaped accents either side. A matte-chrome finish grill surrounds finishes it rather well.
From the side, I love how the rear three quarter, particularly the rear doors and rear side windows seem to blend into one. It is really clean-cut and further adds err of simplicity to the design. At the rear you have a new set of LED taillights with a full width black accent bar running betwixt the taillight cluster. A bold new Skoda emblem in block letters takes centre stage too. All in all, it’s a handsome brute. Expect the forthcoming RS model to be just that bit more rakish and flamboyant.
The range is split into three spec levels with things kicking off with the entry level TSI 110kW petrol a $57,500. You then have the mid-tier Kodiaq+ TSI 110kW for $64,500 and finally you have the flagship which I had on test, the Selection TDI 142kW for $78,300. The Selection is significantly different over the previous two in the range as it features the sole diesel engine and four-wheel-drive and an additional third row of seating. Actually, come to think of it, in this price bracket there aren’t that many seven-seat diesel SUVs around.
Power, which is 142kW in case you didn’t guess already, comes from a 2.0L turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine which also serves up 400Nm of torque and sends this to Skoda’s four-wheel-drive system via a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission. Skoda claim a combined 6.8L/100km in combined fuel consumption and 170g/km of CO2. Underneath, the Kodiaq is based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform which it also shares with the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.
Inside you have a further revised interior. The cabin has been brought bang up to date and Skoda have adopted a more minimalist look. The gear selector is now situated next to the steering column and the stalk doubles as controls for the indicators and wipers. This relocation of the former leaves for a greater level of space below the centre console.
The centre console also plays host to this minimalism which brings us to probably my favourite interior feature. The two outer of the trio of toggle switches located below the air vents can not only operate the climate control, but when pressed, change to reveal the seat heater icon. It is then a simple case of moving it around to your desired heat level and pressing it again to return to the temperature function. When pressing the centre switch, it will change to become the volume control, zoom for the sat nav and many other features. I really like how a feature like this can have multiple uses.
Standard equipment includes a 360-degree camera, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto with Smartlink, ambient lighting, driver monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and warning, the light of which is now located on the inside of the mirror which the driver can see through the driver’s window. There is also a good selection of other modern safety features which we have come to expect in a premium feeling SUV at this price point.
Being the flagship selection, you get additional fruit such as a power tailgate, leather electric front seats with heating capability, chrome scuff plates, a much larger 13” infotainment screen with “Laura” voice interface system, 19-inch alloys and a very nice sounding Canton audio system. The driver’s door also holds an umbrella just FYI.
Seating for rear passengers is pretty generous and legroom is quite considerable. I quite liked how the rear doors were able to open quite wide to aid in ease of entry and exit. The seats themselves are also relatively plush and you have dual USB C-ports back here too. For the wee ones getting restless on a long drive, you also have mounting points for smartphones fixed to the front seat head rests so visual entertainment for rear passengers, whether they be tots, teens or troublesome taggers-on, is easy enough.
With the third-row seating in place, you have a very large hatchback-esque 490L of boot space to play with. You can also have a Kodiaq embossed durable boot floor in case you need to carry some dirtier items, or the fact your huntaway has come back from the dog park with muddy paws. There are also L-shaped supports to prevent packages from sliding around. Drop the third row and the aforementioned 490L swells to 845L, and if you fancy it, 2035L can be on tap with the second-row seats stowed away.
Selecting drive via the new drive select stalk a bit awkward at first but it soon became second nature. Twist away from you for drive and towards you for reverse. A quick turnaround in a suburban street can become a somewhat longer one if you aren’t in sync with this new feature.
You can also twist it forward to activate Sport mode, though the use of a simple button on the centre console might have been more intuitive for the driver. The again, I am probably nit-picking here, because once you get going you come to appreciate just how much a good drive the Kodiak Selection TDI is.
The quote a certain rather epic song by Sade, the Kodiaq’s 2.0L turbo diesel operation is rather “smooth operator.” From low down, right up to the very diesel-y 4500rpm redline, you have a strong and incredibly refined delivery of power and torque. Very little effort is required to get things going too as the Kodiaq Selection TDI is quite happy to saunter along with a certain degree of pluck and verve.
Underneath it feels well balanced and while there is a smattering of tyre roar, on the whole you have a comfortable ride and nicely weighted steering. There is some minimal at worst body roll in the corners and you do feel its 1925kg weight, but on the whole, it does feel nicely sorted.
Its happy place is a motorway cruise. The 7-speed DSG is a slick unit and while you can cycle through the gears yourself, naturally, half the time I just preferred to leave the Kodiaq to it. One could quite happily saunter down to Queenstown in one of these.
I was really quite impressed with the new Kodiaq. Props to Skoda for the smoothness of that diesel engine, its ability to smooth your fevered brow on a daily commute and solid levels of refinement and equipment. The new Kodiaq is yet another clear snapshot of Skoda’s ability to continue a winning formula, Basically, this second album is more than worthy of your attention.
RATING: 8/10
