The age-old compromise for the driving enthusiast with a growing family is a tale as old as time. You need the space, the seats, and the practicality, but your heart yearns for something with a bit of poke, something that can put a smile on your face on a winding back road. For years, the Škoda Kodiaq RS has been the quiet achiever in this space, the seven-seat SUV that offered a surprising turn of pace. Now, the Czech brand has pulled the covers off its successor, and the all-new, second-generation Kodiaq RS is here to prove that you really can have it all.
Škoda is doubling down on what made the first RS a cult favourite, amplifying its performance, sharpening its dynamics, and packing it with an almost bewildering level of technology. It’s a flagship seven-seater that promises to blend three-row versatility with a level of pace and handling not typically seen in the mainstream large SUV segment.
A New Heart with More Grunt
At the core of any RS model is its engine, and Škoda has given the new Kodiaq RS a proper heart transplant. Under the bonnet lies a sportier turbocharged petrol engine that pumps out a formidable 195kW and 400Nm of torque. That’s a serious set of numbers for a family wagon. To put it in perspective, the sprint from 0-100km/h is dispatched in a mere 6.3 seconds. That’s enough to surprise plenty of so-called sports cars at the traffic lights, all while you have space for the kids, their friends, and the dog.
But brute force is nothing without control. Škoda’s engineers have clearly spent a lot of time ensuring this large SUV can actually dance. The new Kodiaq RS comes equipped with Dynamic Chassis Control plus (DCC plus), which constantly adjusts the suspension to suit the road conditions and your driving style. Coupled with Driving Profile Selection and progressive steering, it delivers a level of handling that promises to shrink the car around you, providing the kind of agility and feedback you’d expect from a much smaller, more focused performance vehicle. This is a seven-seater built for the enthusiast driver.
Dressed for the Occasion
The RS treatment is assertive but tasteful, signaling its performance intent without shouting. The package starts with a set of massive 20-inch ‘ALIAS’ black polished wheels that fill the arches perfectly, framed by the tell-tale glint of red brake callipers.The sporting aesthetic is reinforced with a host of black-painted accents, from the sports front and rear bumpers to the roof rails and window surrounds. Tinted rear glass adds to the moody look, while a pair of polished stainless-steel exhaust tips provide the finishing touch, promising a soundtrack to match the performance. The advanced Matrix LED headlights and LED tail lights with dynamic indicators not only look sharp but provide superior illumination and safety.
The Ultimate Command Centre
Step inside, and the Kodiaq RS continues to impress with a cabin that perfectly marries luxury, technology, and sporting intent. The driver is greeted by a flat-bottom, perforated leather heated sports steering wheel and grippy front sports seats with integrated headrests, trimmed in black perforated leather with signature RS red stitching. Those front seats aren’t just for show; they’re also heated, ventilated, and power-adjustable with memory function, ensuring comfort on long journeys. Even your rear passengers are looked after with heated seats and their own climate zone, thanks to standard tri-zone climate control. The cabin’s tech suite is truly flagship-level. The dashboard is dominated by a huge 13-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 10-inch Virtual Cockpit for the driver, supplemented by a windscreen projection head-up display.
Škoda’s clever new ‘Smart Dials’ provide intuitive physical control over key functions, blending the best of both worlds. For the connected family, there’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a fast 15-watt dual wireless phone charging pad (complete with active ventilation to stop your phone from overheating), a high-end 13-speaker CANTON audio system, and a remarkable five 45W USB-C ports scattered throughout the cabin.
It’s clear that with the second-generation Kodiaq RS, Škoda isn’t just aiming to compete; it’s aiming to lead. It offers a unique and compelling package that caters to the driving enthusiast and the whole family alike, wrapping genuine performance and razor-sharp dynamics in an upscale, clever, and supremely practical three-row SUV.
