Skoda Kodiaq - smart bear
In early September, the long-awaited premiere of Skoda's first large SUV, the Kodiaq model, took place in Berlin. A few days ago, in sunny Mallorca, we had the opportunity to get to know this bear better.
At first glance, the Kodiaq may indeed look like a big bear cub. As a curiosity, we can say that the name of the model comes from a species of bear that lives in Alaska, on Kodiak Island. To make things a little weird, the Czech brand just changed one letter. While the similarity may be a placebo effect, the car is indeed large and optically heavy. However, it must be admitted that the body was drawn very beautifully. It does not hide its dimensions, we can find many sharp edges, embossing and angular details such as spotlights or lattice finishes. The only thing that raises objections is the wheel arches. Why are they square? This question remains unanswered ... The brand describes it as "a hallmark of Skoda SUV design." However, it just looks strange and unnatural, as if the designers wanted to do everything “to the corner” by force. In addition, there is nothing to complain about - we are dealing with a nice massive SUV. The rear lights follow the shape of the Superb. The front headlights with LED daytime running lights blend well with the grille, so that the front end, despite its rather rough shape, is sustained and pleasing to the eye.
Dimensions Kodiak seen primarily from the side. Relatively short overhangs and a long wheelbase (2 mm) promise the observer a spacious interior. They promise and keep their word. The car has dimensions of almost 791 m with a height of 4.70 m and a width of 1.68 m. In addition, there is almost 1.88 centimeters of clearance under the belly of the Czech teddy bear. Such dimensions could offer aerodynamics at the level of a two-door refrigerator. However, the Kodiaq boasts a drag coefficient of just 19. There is no boredom in the profile: we find one strong embossing running almost the entire length of the car, and a slightly thinner one at the bottom of the door.
The Kodiaq was built on Volkswagen's famous MQB platform. It is available in 14 body colors - four plain and as many as 10 metallic. Appearance also depends on the selected equipment version (Active, Ambition and Style).
The interior surprises
It is enough to go to the Kodiaq to fully understand its external dimensions. The interior space is truly amazing. In the first row of seats, there is more or less space, like in the Tiguan, and maybe a little more. The power seats are very comfortable. The rear seat offers the same amount of space as the Volkswagen-badged sibling, but the Kodiaq also boasts a third row of seats. Even with two extra seats in the rear, there is enough space in the trunk to comfortably accommodate two cabin suitcases and a few other things. Behind the third row of seats we find a space of exactly 270 liters. By reducing seven people on the way, we will have up to 765 liters to the height of the curtain. The volume of the luggage compartment depends on the location of the second row of seats, which, thanks to the guides, can be moved forward or backward within 18 centimeters. Turning the Kodiaq into a delivery car and placing the backs of all the seats in the back, we get up to roof level space of up to 2065 liters. Probably no one will complain about the amount of space.
The quality of the interior leaves nothing to be desired. Of course, you won’t find carbon or mahogany inserts in the Kodiaqu, but the interior is very neat and tidy. The center console is intuitive and using the touch screen is no problem. However, sometimes the system freezes a bit and refuses to cooperate.
Five engines to choose from
The current Skoda Kodiaq range includes three petrol and two diesel engines. The TSI options are 1.4-litre engines in two outputs (125 and 150 hp) and the most powerful engine in the range, the 2.0 TSI with 180 hp. and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. Available from 1400 rpm. The base version, a 1.4 TSI with 125 horsepower and 250 Nm of maximum torque, will be offered with a six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive only.
Under the hood of the Kodiaq, you can also find one of two power options for the 2.0 TDI diesel engine - 150 or 190 hp. According to the brand, it is the first ones that will be most popular with future buyers.
During the first trips, we had the opportunity to see the most powerful 2.0 TSI petrol variant with 180 horsepower. The car is surprisingly dynamic, despite the considerable weight of 1738 kilograms (in the 7-seater version). However, the technical data speaks for itself: Kodiaq takes only 100 seconds to accelerate to 8.2 kilometers per hour. This is a fantastic result, given the weight and dimensions of this car. Giving up two seats in the last row of seats, the Kodiaq will drop exactly 43 kilograms of weight and gain some acceleration, reaching a result of 8 seconds. This engine option only works with a 7-speed DSG transmission and all-wheel drive.
Make a fuss...
And how does all this data translate into a real driving experience? The 2-litre Kodiaq is a truly dynamic car. Overtaking even at high speeds is not a problem for him. However, on winding, almost mountainous roads, when switching to sport mode, it behaves much better. Then the gearbox shifts more willingly to a lower gear, and the car simply drives better. Suspension-wise, the Kodiaq is reasonably soft and floats a bit more on the road than the Tiguan twins. However, the adaptive shock absorbers that cope with the damping of road bumps deserve great praise. Thanks to this, it is really comfortable to ride even over bumps. The interior is also very well soundproofed. Airborne noise becomes known only above 120-130 kilometers per hour, and you can simply forget about unpleasant sounds coming from under the car when driving over bumps.
Skoda Kodiaq is a long-awaited car in the SUV segment. Although theoretically compact, it offers much more space than its competitors. According to the brand, the most purchased will be a 2-liter diesel engine with a capacity of 150 horsepower.
How about the price? The described 150-horsepower 2-liter diesel with all-wheel drive costs from PLN 4 - that's how much we will pay for the basic Active package, and already PLN 118 for the Style version. In turn, the base model 400 TSI with a capacity of 135 horsepower with a 200-speed manual transmission and drive to the front axle only costs PLN 1.4.
You can love or hate SUVs, but one thing is for sure - the Czech bear will make a splash in its segment.
