As happened in 1996 with the arrival of the Skoda Octavia, the brand’s first car manufactured under the umbrella of Volkswagen, the Czech firm uses the group synergies for the development of the Kodiaq, the first SUV in its history

Skoda Kodiaq

The Skoda Kodiaq is the first true SUV in the history of Skoda. He has only been in the market for a year and he is no longer alone, as the Czech brand has just launched a more compact model, the Karoq. If this is positioned as an alternative to the Nissan Qashqai and Seat Ateca, it is situated in a higher dimension: that of the SUVs of more than 4.60 meters and seven seats, such as the Nissan X-Trail, Peugeot 5008, Mitsubishi Outlander or Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.

As happened in 1996 with the arrival of the Skoda Octavia, the brand’s first car manufactured under the umbrella of Volkswagen, the Czech firm uses the group synergies for the development of the Kodiaq. Of course, 20 years later, the market demands other types of bodies and Skoda has acted accordingly: launch a family car, with high ride comfort and a first level technology, but in SUV format.

Is the Kodiaq an elevated Octavia? Simplifying it a lot, you could say yes. Both derive from the same platform, sharing mechanics and transmissions; they measure exactly the same length (4.7 meters); and inside the dashboard and the instrument panel are traced and the load capacity of passengers and objectives is much higher than their alternatives.

As standard, the Kodiaq enables a space for five occupants and a trunk of 650 liters. With the configuration of seven seats, which will have to pay 850 euros more, it is reduced to a volume of between 270 and 560 l. The central row is composed of two asymmetrical halves, with the reclining backrest and the sliding bench, being able to modulate the available space depending on the occupation of one and another row.

In addition to a large and spacious vehicle, the Skoda Kodiaq is a well-built car. It is appreciated in the materials used and in the adjustments between parts, but especially once the march starts: the engineers have done an impeccable soundproofing work and have tuned the suspensions, prioritizing the ride comfort of the passengers.

There are two more allies to emphasize the character of the Kodiaq. First, a dynamic chassis control (DCC, in English, Dynamic Chassis Control) that in its most amiable configuration (Comfort mode of the five possible) still makes smoother and more progressive the damping of the damping. And, secondly, the automatic double clutch (DSG), with six gears for the gasoline access engine and seven for the rest. It stands out for how silent and fast it acts, except for the pulls of the first speed and the reverse gear.

The Kodiaq is the largest SUV in the Skoda range.

The Skoda Kodiaq has versions of front-wheel drive and 4×4. These last ones have a total traction connectable automatically, that is to say, that by means of a multidisc clutch the rear wheels are coupled if the electronics detects loss of adherence of the front ones. In addition, the driving mode selector has a specific setting, Snow, designed to roll on sliding surfaces like ice. When activated, in addition to readjusting different parameters, it activates the slope descent control.

In no case, the Kodiaq can be considered an all-rounder, or a qualified vehicle for continued off-road use. Rather, it is an SUV whose performance is good on roads without major complications and which will spend most of the time rolling on asphalt.

Skoda Kodiaq engines can be gasoline (125, 150 or 180 horses) or diesel (150 or 190 HP). Logically in a vehicle of this size and weight, and always thinking about fuel consumption, it seems more reasonable to opt for diesel. However, the intermediate gasoline, of 1.4 liters of displacement and 150 HP, has a system of automatic disconnection of cylinders, which can be a good alternative for the balance between performance, consumption and smoothness.

The interior of the Skoda Kodiaq stands out for its good finishes and the logical organization of its controls.

With a price that starts at 25,700 euros, the range grows to the highest finish, called Style, with standard equipment such as adaptive LED headlights, keyless access and start-up, climate control, audio equipment with browser and 8-inch screen, or the rear camera.

Optionally, the list of technologies can be infinite and raise considerably the final bill of the Kodiaq. Technologies such as the 360-degree camera parking assistant, active cruise control, blind spot control, automatic light change, hands-free opening tailgate, electric seats or glass roof, add sophistication to a model.

El Diarios.es – 09/01/2018 (Translation Soft)