Well established Czech car maker, Skoda, launched itself in India with the luxury sedan Octavia, followed by the even bigger Superb, and it constantly impressed consumers. Octavia and the Superb managed to make their mark. Now comes a product that is one notch higher and that’s the premium sedan Skoda Kodiaq.
The Kodiaq is the first of Skoda’s new-age SUVs that we got to test drive. This seven seater comes with plush and modern interiors, and all the high tech features you would expect a premium SUV to have. The SUV is named after an island in Alaska that’s home to the largest grizzly bear in the world.
Exterior
As far as the exterior goes, it is likely to appeal to the more mature and sophisticated urban elite consumer. It pleasantly avoids the aggressive or almost brash look that most other SUV cars want to boast about. The Skoda identity and high ground clearance for the all-important off-roader stance are all there.
The Kodiaq is surprisingly compact. The SUV is 4.7m long, which is less in length than the Superb and only 40mm longer than the Octavia, and. And it isn’t as wide as other full-sized SUVs either.
Compare the Kodiaq’s track to something like an Audi Q7, and the difference is apparent, with the Skoda at between 1,586mm and 1,576mm (F, R) and the Audi at 1,679mm and 1,691mm.
Interior
Inside, the Kodiaq is roomy. The rear seats are comfortable and wide enough to comfortably accommodate three. They have lot of leg room and provide all the comfort that you need on long highway rides. The seats offer plenty of support for your back and legs, the height is just right and the seats can be inclined to suit your needs.
The elegant dashboard has all the latest digital displays. The multi function screen has every bit of information that you need while driving and is placed perfectly, almost like a head-up display in an aircraft cockpit. The wood finish gives a classy look and feel. There’s plenty of storage space in the front with the two gloveboxes, large bins on the doors and a massive elbow box.
Drive and handling
As you would expect from a Skoda high end car, the ride and handling of the Kodiaq is amazingly smooth. The steering is smooth and the gear shift in the automatic is effortless, however, there may be some sluggishness at low-speed ride as the shift from 2nd to 3rd gear always seems a bit delayed and the ride quality at that speed is also a bit brittle. This is especially true at low speeds, where, over some sharper-edged bumps, there is the odd crack and some occasional thump from the suspension.
The sports mode immediately pushes the SUV on steep upwards slopes with additional force. The suspension has been set up to be slightly firmer than usual in an effort to control the body roll better, and what also plays a role here are stiffer anti-roll bars. As you pick up speed, the0 Kodiaq has the ability to flatten almost any bump.
Another thing owners will love about the SUV is the light, direct and quick steering. There isn’t much real feel and that can be an issue at higher speeds, but in the city, the Kodiaq steers so quickly, with little lock required, all you need to do is flick your wrists; elbows and arms not really needed.
Infotainment
For entertainment and connectivity, there’s an 8.0-inch TFT screen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amundsen navigation from Skoda. The screen works fabulously, operations are slick and even handling difficult tasks tend to be easy on this system. The only problem that we somehow could not get around is the constant beep the system produces when any other vehicle comes close to the Kodiaq. Even when you are driving on a crowded road or you stop at a signal, the beep picks up loudly as any other vehicle is close to you and it cuts the music volume down till you manually offset this alarm. In city traffic, you are likely to face this problem often! You even get an app called Boss Connect that allows you to use your phone like a remote from the back seat. And like the E-class, you can alter the ambient light to suit your taste — there are 10 colours. There’s even a removable rear parcel shelf that stores under the floor, roller blinds for the rear windows, small dustbins in the doors and a slender space saver tyre under the floor.
Special features
Panoramic sunroof: Kodiaq offers the biggest sunroof in its class. It looks jumbo size and can enable four children or two adults to enjoy a safari ride off road at any exotic destination.
Amundsen navigation system: The top-range navigation and entertainment centre features a sharp and vibrant 8 inch colour touchscreen to display maps and other functions. It also offers a USB/ Aux-in connection, SD card slot, Bluetooth and SmartLink Connectivity. The device can be used to control the car menu.
Power Nap Package: Allowing rear passengers to sleep through a long journey, it includes variable headrests for the outer seats, plus blankets.
Foot Area Illumination: The discrete illumination turns a comfortable space into an exceptional one.
Virtual Pedal: It lets you open or close the luggage compartment when your hands are full. The virtual pedal enables contact-free access and is available exclusively with the electrically-controlled 5th door and KESSY (keyless entry, start and exit system). The electrically-controlled 5th door, which opens and closes at the mere touch of a button on the remote control or in the driver’s door, comes especially handy during unfavourable weather conditions.
