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Skoda Kodiaq

New from £28,920

Petrol or diesel
Automatic or manual
SUV
7 seats
5 doors
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Is the Skoda Kodiaq SUV a good car?

Read our expert review

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Words by: Dan Trent

"A 2021 update kept the Skoda Kodiaq fresh in terms of tech and engines, and it’s still a handsome, affordable and hugely practical SUV with seven seats and a huge boot. It’s showing its age with its lack of any hybrid engine options, though some buyers may still appreciate the lower starting price and simplicity of a non-electrified petrol or diesel. And, as good as the pure electric Enyaq is, it only seats five and can’t compete on space and practicality. The Kodiaq is also usefully cheaper than rivals like the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, without any noticeable sacrifice in perceived quality. Owners love their Kodiaqs as well, voting it Best Seven-Seater in 2019 and Best Car for Long Distances for 2022 in the Auto Trader New Car Awards."

4.5

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Running costs for a SKODA Kodiaq

4/5

The Kodiaq isn’t quite as cheap as it was when it launched a few years back but still looks great value in terms of its bottom-line price and standard equipement, with even the well-equipped mid-level trim a chunk cheaper than alternatives from Kia and Hyundai. The lack of any sort of hybridisation will make it an expensive choice for company drivers and those paying Benefit In Kind but, for private buyers, petrol and diesel can still work, the extra thousands you’d pay for even a part-electrified alternative buying a lot of fuel at the pumps. For a slightly different twist on the same ingredients the Seat Tarraco is fundamentally the same vehicle and offers similarly appealing value for money, so if you're shopping around it may be worth comparing offers available at any given time.

Reliability of a SKODA Kodiaq

4/5

The Kodiaq generally has a pretty solid reputation for reliability, and an advantage of being a somewhat older vehicle is that all the tech is long-proven and hopefully lacking some of the wobbles experienced in newer models from the VW family, of which Skoda is a part. The standard three-year warranty may be a factor to consider when you consider Hyundai offers five and Kia seven, though you can extend it in increments up to five years and 100,000 miles for a relatively modest sum at purchase to cover it for the duration of any typical finance agreement.

Safety for a SKODA Kodiaq

3/5

We’d have been tempted to add an extra point for this updated version of the Kodiaq on the basis some of the safety tech has been upgraded, but it stays as-was because much remains in the cost-option Travel Assist package and newer rivals are better equipped on this score. To be fair, the fact that you don’t have to have intrusive lane-keeping tweaks to the steering might be considered a plus for some drivers. It’s usually the first thing we switch off and, for most everyday driving situations, the standard front and rear parking sensors and reversing camera are probably more useful, ditto the fancy LED headlights now standard on all but the base trim. For such a family-oriented car it’s a shame you side airbags in the rear remain a cost option, though, and it pays to study the configurator closely to make sure the Kodiaq you’re pricing up has all the safety kit you feel you need. The overall price is still reasonable with all the boxes ticked, though.

How comfortable is the SKODA Kodiaq

5/5

If your priority is boot space over bums on seats the entry-level version of the Kodiaq can be had in five-seat format, with all other models coming as standard with a third row that stows away into the boot floor when not in use. This takes seconds and leaves you a massive load area when you need it, the space obviously reduced when you have them deployed but still usable and including thoughtful touches like a compartment for storing the removable parcel shelf. Access to the third row is a bit of a wriggle but fine for the size of passenger who will find them comfortable. The flexibility to carry extra folk for days out or your designated evening on the after-school club rota is just the job for busy families, and just one reason owners love their Kodiaqs. If not especially fancy the Kodiaq’s sense of unpretentious toughness also fits this role very well, while from the driver’s perspective there’s a substance to the way it drives that makes you feel very secure. True, you never escape the sense this is a big car, and the controls have a bit of weight to them. But the commanding driving position is confidence inspiring, and even the sporty vRS version we drove rode smoothly over the bumps without wallowing through the corners even on its big wheels. Not every SUV in the market can do both with such confidence, the adjustable suspension on our vRS test car (an option on other models) a nice bonus but arguably unnecessary. Indeed, the fact we felt little temptation to run it in the firmer Sport setting suggests the Kodiaq is fundamentally well sorted here and regular versions with smaller wheels should be even plusher. The fact owners voted it Best Car for Long Distances in the 2022 Auto Trader New Car Awards is a good sign, as well.

Features of the SKODA Kodiaq

4/5

SE and SE L get nav and a smaller touch-screen as standard, though on the latter you can pay extra to upgrade to the fancier 9.2-inch one with increased functionality. This is standard on the rest of the range and, if a little less snazzy than the systems on some newer rivals, does all the stuff you’ll likely need. The digital Virtual Cockpit instrument display shared with other vehicles in the VW and Audi family is some compensation, and standard on the top two trims. SE L and SportLine arguably have all the kit you really need, while the fancy Laurin & Klement has a more premium vibe thanks to leather upholstery and other trimmings. The vRS meanwhile goes for a sportier feel, though the black faux-suede trim of our test car was somewhat sombre. Skoda has meanwhile always scored well on thoughtful convenience features, like an umbrella storage compartment concealed in the driver’s door armrest and the ice scraper in the fuel filler cap. Some others are optional, including a USB-C socket by the mirror if you’re going to run a dashcam and a Family Pack with door edge protectors and built-in sun shades.

Power for a SKODA Kodiaq

4/5

There are various combinations of engine, gearbox and front- or all-wheel drive transmissions across the Kodiaq range, with availability varying according to the trim level. The 1.5-litre petrol is front-wheel drive only and enough for town and suburban driving but, based on previous experience, may feel a little breathless on faster roads, or if you regularly drive with all seven seats occupied. There is a more powerful petrol as well but, unfashionable as it may seem, the 2.0-litre diesel is probably best suited to a car of this size and weight and the 150 horsepower version we drove last time felt well up to the job. If not quite Defender-like in its off-road ability the all-wheel drive versions of the Kodiaq have more capability than most people will need, and various modes and settings to keep you moving if the going gets rough. For the purposes of this review we stuck with the more road-oriented vRS performance version, which has switched from diesel to petrol power and is both faster and better balanced as a result, thanks to a big weight-saving off the front of the car. The fake engine growl is a bit cheesy but you can at least switch it off in the menus, while the 245 horsepower at your disposal is enough to make even a big, heavy SUV of this nature feel plenty quick. Chunky steering and the stiffer suspension setting in the sportier driving modes means the Kodiaq more than copes as well, the vRS way more fun to hustle along than you’d expect of a big, family oriented car of this nature.

Standard equipment

Expect the following equipment on your Skoda Kodiaq SUV. This may vary between trim levels.

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