Displaying items by tag: Skoda

The German branch of Skoda, together with the tuning company ABT, has prepared a special edition of the Scala model. The car is characterized not only by significantly enhanced drive, but also an extremely attractive appearance.

With the help of ABT, the Czech manufacturer has improved the Scala, which has 190 horsepower in the sporty S version. Skoda's German division has teamed up with the well-known factory for finishing factory models, the company ABT, and the result is the powerful Scala Edition S.

The car is powered by an existing 4-cylinder 1.5-liter TSI turbo-petrol engine with 150 hp, from which ABT has extracted an additional 40 hp and 40 Nm. In this way, the Skoda Scala Edition S got an engine with 190 "horsepower" and 290 Nm. A 6-speed manual transmission is used for power transmission, so this Scala is the right car for traditional sports driving fans.

The Scala Edition S comes in a rich, Monte Carlo equipment package, and in addition to a modified engine, it also has a harder suspension. The vehicle is lowered by 15 mm compared to the standard Scala and is equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, which are also signed by ABT. The Scala S also has improved aerodynamics, including a large diffuser on the lower part of the rear bumper.

The color offer consists of three options - Steel Gray, Black Magic Pearl Effect and Velvet Red Premium Metallic (like on a car with promo photos). Although ABT participated in the upgrade of the Scale S, the car will be made entirely in the Škoda factory. A limited series of 500 copies is planned, and the starting price in Germany is 33,790 euros. For comparison, the "ordinary" Scala Monte Carlo on the German market starts at 24,250 euros, and the much more powerful Octavia RS at 38,940 euros.

Published in Blog/News
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Thursday, 21 January 2021 05:28

Recorded new Skoda Fabia

The official announcement from Škoda arrived in September last year that the new, fourth generation Fabia will be on sale during 2021, and then it was confirmed that its station wagon version (Fabia Combi) will also get a successor.

The current, third generation Fabia was promoted in 2014 at the Paris Motor Show, while in 2018, an updated version of it was shown at the Geneva Motor Show.

Still, given the innovations in the B segment (the new Renault Clio, the new generation Peugeot 208, the Opel Corsa, the Hyundai i20 and the Toyota Yaris), it’s time for bigger changes.

With a more striking look modeled on the brand's newer models (Scala, Kamiq, Octavia), the new Fabia will be built on the MQB A0 platform, and will also get a more modern interior and advanced technology.

Some information says that the car will be slightly wider, as well as that the spaciousness in the cabin will remain at a level similar to the current model so that the Fabia does not get too close to the larger Scala. Still, that will be enough to be one of the most spacious cars in its class. Also, the trunk should be slightly larger than it is now.

A wider wheelbase, better sound insulation, better quality materials in the interior, richer equipment, as well as a digital instrument panel (for more expensive versions) and an infotainment system with a screen of up to 9.2 inches are also announced.

As for the engine, the basis will be a 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol engine in several versions, with a 5-speed and 6-speed manual transmission, as well as a 7-speed dual clutch. Mild-hybrid versions will also be available, while diesel and plug-in variants do not appear to be available.

Published in Blog/News
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Saturday, 26 December 2020 05:42

Skoda Octavia iV Estate review: Ivy League hybrid

 

► Plug-in load-lugger offers big boot and electric range
► Ideal for private or company car drivers alike
► Standard iV makes more sense than vRS version

Some cars appeal to your head, while others grab you by the heart. Then there are modern Skodas - some of which start with the former but end up doing plenty of the latter, to a fairly unexpected extent.

Few will browse and configure an Octavia iV in the advanced stages of face-flushing lust, but it’s easy to find yourself getting a little hot under the collar at the idea of a handsome estate car with 43 miles of electric-only range, a ludicrously low benefit-in-kind tax rate, a handy 201bhp with which to get around and the promise at least of some very miserly fuel consumption.

 This, smaller, iV (the bigger Superb launched first) goes about its business with the kind of quiet and classy competence that, in time, is likely to nurture a real if unlikely love for this hunk of smartly-creased, petrol ’n’ electric metal.

What’s the Skoda Octavia iV like to drive?
Under the hood is a 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder, an e-motor the other side of the clutch (housed within the twin-clutch gearbox) and, out back, a 13kWh battery that, in return for that decent all-electric range, steals some boot space and adds 135kg of weight.

On the road, the iV just works, blending quiet and refined (if steady) progress on electric power alone. The petrol motor feels reluctant to contribute in the best of PHEV traditions, so it’s easy to whisk around on quiet e-power without having to keep half an eye on the gauge to make sure you’re not about to inadvertently fire up the four-pot.

 In more conservative drive modes the Octavia coasts forever too, meaning you can release the gas hundreds of yards before a roundabout or junction and roll up to it silently and efficiently. If you’d rather the regenerative brakes assist your deceleration in a more natural way then simply switch into Sport mode for one-pedal regen up to every traffic light and junction.

Handling-wise there’s plenty of grip and ride comfort, even if the car’s weight and soft set-up conspire to create a floaty sensation at times and a decent slug of roll should you get carried away, with nicely weighted and calibrated driving controls (abrupt brakes aside).

Does it work as a PHEV?
If your usage is textbook PHEV – off-street parking with a garage for charging (albeit on a three-pin plug) and daily short journeys – then, within those parameters, the iV excels.

 Anything less than ideal conditions will see the fanciful fuel economy claim drop but you should get 55mpg at the very least, and in cold weather on a route poorly suited to EVs, we ‘lost’ around 20 per cent of the displayed battery range (covering 21 miles on 24 miles of range and 16 on 21 miles).

You can well imagine going months between fill-ups, so little work does the engine do if you exhibit a shred of restraint - a stern challenge on motorways, where the Skoda’s weight, drag and e-power limits you to a mobile-chicane 70mph.

What’s it like inside?
In the cabin there’s space, order, a touch-based interface you can work with and the unmistakable perfume of VW Group quality – the Octavia’s is a £35k interior that feels like a £45k one.

 The Octavia has the least fussy infotainment system of its Golf/Leon/A3 siblings, with physical buttons on the centre console and clear, and well laid-out menus. Small annoyances remain – static home and menu buttons on the 10.25-inch touchscreen are a useful touch, but they’re positioned on the side of the screen furthest away, and fans of a physical volume knob will still have to retrain their fingers to the slidey arrangement now used across the VW Group.

In terms of PHEV-specific giveaways though the only obvious change is a battery level meter on the left-hand side of the digital cockpit where the coolant temperature used to be. Positioned opposite the petrol gauge, this gives a clear and instant view of your remaining fuel and charge.

 Practicality-wise the iV loses little – the gargantuan rear legroom remains and the boot is only mildly inconvenienced, with the space under the floor taken up by the battery, and cable storage slot. The Octavia’s boot is so large anyway this reduction in volume is of little consequence, dropping from 640/1700-litres to 490/1555 seat up/down – the same as an Audi A4 Avant or BMW 3 Series Touring.

Verdict
Like all plug-ins the Octavia makes sense for regular, reliable journeys within its electric range (which in fairness is usefully long) and the occasional longer jaunt on petrol power. Basically, it’s a great company car if you live 20-30 miles from the office, and still visit it five days a week.

Its ultra-low 6% BiK rate thanks to low CO2 and decent e-range means it’s good value for business use, although perhaps not so good as those willing and able to take the plunge into a full EV.

 There’s also a vRS version of the Octavia iV if your heart craves a little more speed, body control and kudos. We think that the uprated plug-in powertrain becomes unresponsive and at times confused in a hot hatch setting, undermining the keen steering and chassis, though.

No, stick with the standard iV. And be prepared to fall for – of all things – a plug-in estate. Not exciting but classy, refined, a pleasure to drive.

Source: carmagazine.co.uk

Published in Skoda
Thursday, 10 December 2020 05:34

Skoda Octavia vRS Estate review

“The Skoda Octavia vRS Estate offers great performance, technology, space and choice”

The vRS version of the Skoda Octavia hatchback might be swamped with hot hatch rivals, but the vRS estate occupies a less competitive area of the market. Its main rival for the moment is the Ford Focus ST Estate, while the Cupra Leon ST and Volkswagen Golf GTD Estate will aim to tempt you to a different part of the VW Group empire when they arrive.

So there’s not too much choice for a fast estate of this size, but settle on the Skoda and you’ve got some decisions to make. Like before, you can pick from hatchback or estate body styles, petrol or diesel engines, manual or automatic gearboxes, and whether you want the power going to just the front wheels or to all four. Now there’s yet another option, with a new plug-in hybrid powertrain promising pace and big economy gains.

The low CO2 emissions makes it seem like a good option on paper but not all of the Skoda Octavia vRS iV estate’s quirks are appealing. The battery means it has the same ride height as the standard Octavia, so its stance is less sporty, sitting higher than the petrol and diesel vRS. The battery is heavy too, adding around 250kg and blunting the car’s performance somewhat, which results in a 0-62mph time of 7.3 seconds. The positioning of the battery under the boot floor also means the PHEV loses 150 litres of boot space compared with the regular Octavia vRS estate.

The petrol and diesel versions, meanwhile, follow the same tasty recipe as before, passed down through the generations and honed over time. Shared with the new Volkswagen Golf GTI and GTD, the Octavia vRS is offered with 242bhp petrol and 197bhp 2.0-litre diesel engines. Accelerating from 0-62mph takes 6.7 seconds in the petrol and we expect a figure of around 7.4 seconds for the more frugal diesel, which is slated to arrive in the first quarter of 2021 with the option of four-wheel drive.

Whichever you decide on, all versions get pumped-up styling - like the bigger wheels, boot spoiler and black trim pieces - and a slightly racier interior than a standard Octavia. It’s quite a subtle upgrade, despite a flat-bottomed steering wheel, red stitching, more heavily bolstered seats and a couple of Alcantara suede-like trimmings. In truth, it’s probably what you’d expect from an Octavia vRS - the sportiness doesn’t get in the way of comfort and everyday usability. However, it's also noticeably less exciting than the GTI, with a muted engine and less agile handling. It's certainly a lot more practical, though, and several thousand pounds cheaper to buy.

MPG, running costs & CO2

New Octavia vRS iV plug-in hybrid promises a good electric range, while the diesel should be economical too

The new plug-in hybrid Skoda Octavia vRS iV version should be very economical indeed, as long as you regularly recharge the battery. Up to 37 miles of silent electric running can be achieved, and the tiny 27-36g/km CO2 figure will appeal to any company-car drivers eyeing up a vRS. Skoda’s claimed economy figure of up to 233mpg shows what might be achievable, but again this depends on the journeys you do and how often you top the battery up. The iV model is also several thousand pounds more expensive to buy over the conventional petrol and diesel models.

The vRS iV is fitted with a 13kWh battery, which is charged via a Type 2 connection port. A full charge takes three and a half hours when using a 3.6kW wallbox home charger. Owners can also use a three-pin domestic plug socket, which takes around five hours.

When running in hybrid mode on longer journeys, the car does a good job of stretching its battery life but you can expect it to be largely depleted after a few hundred miles. Equally, when running in pure-electric mode, if driven carefully, you can expect to have some charge remaining after around 25 miles.

With its turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine, the vRS manages significantly worse figures, returning up to 40.4mpg with its seven-speed DSG gearbox. Economy figures haven’t been finalised for the diesel version just yet but, given that the new car uses a similar engine to its predecessor, it’s highly unlikely the figures will be vastly different. Expect nearly 55mpg from the diesel, while CO2 emissions will put both in high Benefit-in-Kind tax brackets for business users, compared to the iV plug-in hybrid.

VED (car tax) costs £150 a year for the diesel and petrol, and cars costing more than £40,000 after options will incur an extra £325 surcharge until they’re six years old. The plug-in hybrid version will get a £10 annual discount. Skoda offers a pretty standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty, and you can buy service plans upfront or spread the cost out monthly.

Engines, drive & performance

Not the fastest, but the Skoda Octavia vRS estate offers decent performance

The big news for this latest Octavia vRS is the introduction of an iV plug-in hybrid. It’s the same system you’ll find in the Volkswagen Golf GTE, Skoda Superb iV and the Cupra Formentor SUV, so produces 242bhp and offers up a 7.3-second 0-62mph time. You might notice that’s a couple of seconds off some hot hatchbacks and estates, and the feeling of speed is blunted by the heavy battery. The last-gen vRS definitely feels that bit faster, even with the iV’s big torque reserve and a fake engine note pumped into the cabin.

Weight distribution is further towards the rear with the battery underneath the boot floor, but there’s little to be gained from that as it feels like you reach the end of the car’s grip sooner. We suspect this isn’t helped by the tall ride height required by the battery (petrol and diesel models get lower suspension). That’s not to say you should immediately write off the plug-in hybrid; it’s the best choice if you want the sporty styling and will spend most of your time around town, which is where the vRS iV excels; the instant power of the electric motor and whisper-quiet running make it relaxing and refined. The transition from electric to petrol power is almost seamless, and you can choose how to use the powertrain - saving battery charge for later in the trip, for example.

Selecting Sport mode in the vRS iV highlights that the automatic gearbox can be rather sluggish; it feels like it holds the car back when you want to drive it more quickly. Using the steering-wheel mounted paddles to change gear yourself and force the car to hold on to gears for longer makes it very easy to spin the front wheels, thanks to the extra torque from the electric motor.

Gearbox aside, the Octavia vRS iV estate remains composed throughout faster corners thanks to stiffer suspension. The steering also provides a sharp and positive feel, giving you the confidence to accurately direct the car into corners.

The suspension may be stiff but it’s sophisticated enough that the vRS iV makes a very comfortable motorway cruiser, with only the roar from the standard 19-inch alloy wheels noticeable inside at high speeds. The only inherent drawback of using a PHEV for longer journeys is the economy drop once the battery for the electric motor is depleted.

The petrol engine has already impressed us in the Volkswagen Golf GTI. It has 242bhp, like the iV, but a quicker 0-62mph time of 6.7 seconds - and in the GTI it’s been tuned to feel more keen to rev to the limiter. For now, the fastest family estate in this price range is the Ford Focus ST, with its power advantage and 5.8-second 0-62mph time. Start the petrol powered vRS and the lack of drama is a bit disappointing - there's little to distinguish it from a regular 1.5-litre TSI, emitting a distant drone as you pick up speed.

On twisty roads there's a reasonable amount of punch out of corners, but the DSG automatic gearbox is keen to shift up relatively quickly, making the vRS feel swift and mature rather than blazingly fast. The steering is direct and a limited-slip differential helps the front tyres find grip in corners, but bumpy roads and sudden direction changes can unsettle the chassis and the Ford Focus ST Estate and Golf GTI are both more exciting to drive.

A six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic gearbox are offered on the Octavia vRS, while the 197bhp diesel only comes with the latter - but you can add all-wheel drive. The diesel is likely to complete 0-62mph in around 7.4 seconds because it’s a little more powerful than the last car.

Interior & comfort

All the good bits of the standard Octavia with extra sportiness

Inside, the new Octavia vRS looks more futuristic than the car it replaces, thanks to a sleek two-spoke steering wheel and a large floating touchscreen. You do have to access the climate control through the screen but Skoda has provided a place to rest your wrist on the full-width trim piece intersecting the dashboard. The vRS-specific touches include a flat-bottomed wheel, red ambient lighting and sports seats, and it looks a little more restrained than the Ford Focus ST estate.

The vRS will come with a Virtual Cockpit digital instrument display, Matrix LED headlights, sat nav and multi-zone climate control. There's also a diamond stitching pattern for the seats with integrated headrests. Options will include extra driver assistance technology, bigger wheels and a couple of equipment packs. It's also possible to add a Canton premium stereo system with 12 speakers, adjustable suspension, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display and an electrically powered tailgate.

Practicality & boot space

Space and pace; the Skoda Octavia vRS estate offers a vast boot and lots of passenger room

Skoda didn’t need to make the Octavia’s boot any bigger - it was already class-leading - but the new car is even more cavernous. The boot capacity isn’t affected in the petrol and diesel vRS models, so you get 640 litres to fill. That’s the same as the Mercedes E-Class estate, which is class-leading itself and a bigger car than the Octavia.

Skoda Octavia vRS Estate boot20
The Octavia vRS iV plug-in hybrid doesn’t have so much to boast about, as the positioning of the batteries means you lose some of that huge boot. It shrinks by 150 litres; 490 litres doesn’t sound so impressive but it’s still roughly the same as you get in the BMW 3 Series Touring. It does however feature clever underfloor storage for the charging cables and means the vRS iV estate gets a completely flat load area.

At least there’s room for your passengers to stretch out, regardless of the engine you pick. Unlike most estates this size, the Octavia allows three adults to sit side-by-side across the back row. There are an array of storage areas, plus Skoda’s Simply Clever touches like a parking ticket holder and an integrated ice scraper.

Reliability & safety

Skoda has achieved the best customer satisfaction in the VW Group

It’s almost hard to believe that Skodas were mocked just a couple of decades ago; now, they’re customer favourites and consistently score highly in our Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. In 2020, the brand finished in fifth place out of 30 manufacturers, with build quality, practicality and infotainment all praised. The previous-generation Octavia finished 34th in the list of the top 100 cars on sale, and we’d expect the new car to build on that.

We’ll be shocked if the new Octavia scores anything less than a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating; the VW Group’s family cars all get positive scores in crash tests. Safety systems are extensive, with collision avoidance assistance, an exit warning system and lane-departure warning. You can add even more kit to the options list.

Source: carbuyer.co.uk

Published in Skoda
Tuesday, 24 November 2020 05:48

Skoda Karoq Review

If you want a well-built small SUV with plenty of space, the Skoda Karoq is well worth a look. Just don’t expect to be wowed by its design or the way it goes around corners.

The Skoda Karoq is the Czech brand doing what it does best – providing practical family transport with plenty of equipment and few fripperies. It’s comfortable, too, but you’ll have to look elsewhere if you want style and driving entertainment.

In short, it’s the knife and fork of the SUV world, dead simple and wonderfully effective.

Having said all that, the Skoda Karoq is an excellent choice if you want a roomy small SUV with a raised driving position and a solid-feeling interior. As an added bonus, it comes with loads of clever features that’ll make it dead easy to live with.

The Skoda Karoq isn’t a car to shout about all its clever kit, though – it certainly doesn’t look as flashy as the sportier Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage. You do get some cool two-piece headlights like on the larger Kodiaq and the Karoq’s raised ride height means it’ll still tower over most conventional family hatchbacks in the school car park.

Step inside, and the Skoda’s sensible, staid theme continues – garish colours and oddly placed buttons just aren’t Skoda’s style. While this might mean the Karoq’s cabin isn’t particularly memorable, it does mean everything’s a doddle to navigate and use – including the standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

You’ll be sitting comfortably while you fiddle with the Skoda’s built-in gizmos, too. Every model comes with height-adjustable front seats to help you get settled and there’s absolutely loads of space for tall adults to stretch out.

The Skoda Karoq’s sliding rear seats and wide cabin mean three adults won’t feel like tinned sardines in the back and the boot’s roomy enough to carry everything you need for a family week away. It’s easy to load and you can even remove the back seats in high-spec cars to carry some seriously bulky loads, just like in a van.

The Skoda Karoq is a no-frills family SUV with a very practical cabin and a range of sensible, economical engines.
Mat Watson, carwow expert

That said, the Skoda Karoq drives much better than any van ever will. Entry-level SE models have comfy suspension that only jars over sharp bumps and the cabin is quiet at a cruise – save for a little bit of wind noise coming from the door mirrors.

You won’t notice any of this around town, but the slightly jerky automatic gearbox can start to frustrate when pulling out of junctions and parking in town.

Stick to the standard six-speed manual and one of the Skoda Karoq’s smaller petrol engines though, and it feels right at home nipping to the shops or pottering along urban streets.

If motorway journeys are more your thing, a diesel will be more economical and you’ll want to consider the optional adaptive cruise control that’ll accelerate, brake and steer to keep you in lane.

All this makes the sensible Skoda Karoq one of the safest and most practical small family SUVs on sale. It’s well worth seeing how much you can save by checking out our Skoda Karoq deals, then.

Common Skoda Karoq questions

What does Karoq mean?
Kodiaq, Karoq, Kamiq… you see the theme here – Skoda names its SUVs starting with the letter K and ending with the letter Q.

The origins of the Karoq name goes deeper than that, however. The name is derived from Alutiiq – a native Alaskan language. Karoq is a combination of the terms ‘KAA’RAQ’ (car) and ‘RUQ’ (arrow – an arrow is part of the Skoda logo). Hence Karoq.

Is the Skoda Karoq 4-wheel drive
The Skoda Karoq can come with four-wheel drive. The 2.0-litre 190hp petrol and the 2.0-litre 150hp diesel are 4×4 cars. And remember, the chunkier Karoq Scout model is only available as a 4×4.

Where is the Skoda Karoq made?
The Skoda Karoq is made at Skoda’s main plant in Mlada Boleslav alongside the Octavia, Fabia, Scala and the new Kamiq SUV.

How practical is it?
The Skoda Karoq has a big boot and space inside for four tall adults. The VarioFlex back seats can slide and recline individually, or be removed for a huge load bay

Skoda Karoq interior

The Karoq’s cabin might not be particularly exciting to look at but it feels sturdy and all models get a slick 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard

Style

The Skoda Karoq’s interior is logically laid out, solidly built and packed with useful features.

Expensive-feeling soft-touch plastics are used for the top half of the dashboard and the doors, and although the lower half of the dashboard’s plastics aren’t soft they don’t look cheap.

The large glovebox lid feels robust and opens with a damped action, you get flashes of chrome and reasonable looking trim pieces that brighten up the interior. The only black mark in terms of quality is the cheap-looking plastic used for the lower half of the doors.

Even entry-level cars get an 8-inch colour touchscreen with clear graphics which does wonders for adding a bit of a high-tech air to the Karoq’s cabin.
SE models have chrome door handles and chrome surrounds for the air vents that give them a classier look than an equivalent Nissan Qashqai. The Karoq comes with attractive dark cloth upholstery that should hide bad stains very well. SE L models are worth considering though because they come with suede-effect upholstery that looks and feels expensive.

In fact, it’s nicer than the leather you get in Edition models, although the latter should be a lot easier to keep clean. Edition models also get lights that illuminate the sides of the car at night – so you don’t hop out into puddles – and ambient lighting that makes the interior look prettier at night.

If you fancy something a bit sportier, there’s also the aptly named Sportline model. These versions come with more supportive front seats with some contrasting silver trim, a set of aluminium pedals and a posher leather-trimmed steering wheel.

Infotainment

Even the entry-level SE Karoq comes with an 8-inch touchscreen that’s smart looking and easy to use.

It’s actually slightly easier to operate than the upgraded system because it has a couple of large knobs for volume and scrolling in and out of maps.

Sat-nav doesn’t come as standard, but you do get Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Smartlink so you can use the navigation apps on your compatible smartphone via the Karoq’s big screen. It’s such a good system that you’ll not miss having integrated sat-nav and it also makes it easier to access your phone’s contact list and play music.

Mid-range SE L models’ infotainment screens look exactly the same but do come with Skoda’s own sat-nav system. Its graphics are slightly more detailed than the ones you get when you use your phone, but your phone’s sat-nav is better because it can route around congestion.

Edition models are the only ones to come with a 9.2-inch sat-nav screen that has a faster processor – although loading times are quick enough on the other systems – and a higher-resolution display.

Its touch controls – for volume and map scrolling – are trickier to operate when you’re trying to concentrate on driving, but on the plus side, they give the system a pretty, glassy appearance that looks a fair bit posher than the cheaper screens. It also gets gesture control – so you can wave your hand to scroll through menus, but its unresponsiveness means it isn’t worth the extra cash.

 

Source: carwow.co.uk

Published in Skoda
Tagged under
Wednesday, 18 November 2020 05:16

Skoda Kodiaq Review

The Skoda Kodiaq is a big, practical family SUV that’s available with seven seats – although the rearmost two are only big enough for kids.

Is the Skoda Kodiaq a good car?

If you’ll forgive the tired cliche, the Skoda Kodiaq is like a Swiss army knife. It’s got all the tools to suit any situation, and once you’ve driven one, you’ll wonder what you did without it. It’s best aspect is its practicality, though, as it’s massive inside.

It’s a seven-seater SUV like the VW Tiguan Allspace and SEAT Tarraco, and it’s available in lots of configurations, from a diesel front-wheel-drive manual right up to a powerful four-wheel-drive automatic petrol called the vRS.

It’s not the biggest seven-seater, but it’s very roomy on the inside, but a seven-seater MPV like a Renault Scenic is slightly better for carrying lots of people around, because the rearmost seats in the Skoda are only useful for kids.

It’s at its best as a five-seater, because in that configuration there’s an absolutely enormous boot. In five-seat mode there’s room for everything you need for a family holiday with space left over, and with all the seats folded down, it’s van-like in there.

This is the first seven-seater Skoda has ever made, and it’s spot on for family life.
Mat Watson
carwow expert

The interior is practical too, with plenty of clever touches, but it’s also good quality. The plastics and materials used look and feel good, and build quality is high. It makes the Kodiaq feel a lot more upmarket than a Nissan X-Trail, for example.

Plus, the Skoda Kodiaq is really easy to drive. There are some blind spots, but the high driving position gives a good view forward and the steering is very light. The same is true of the gearshift in manual models, and auto versions are even easier.

The suspension is a little firm around town at low speeds but it settled down nicely on the motorway, so the Skoda is comfortable overall. Versions on bigger wheels aren’t as comfortable so the lower-spec cars actually make more sense.

There’s a great range of engines to pick from, too. The 1.5-litre petrol model is a highlight, thanks to a good mix of performance and economy, but if you’re off-roading or towing in a four-wheel drive car, we’d go for the 2.0-litre diesel as it’s really torquey. The vRS model is fast but not all that fun to drive, so we’d stick with more pragmatic models.

A five-star Euro NCAP safety rating means it’s one of the safest SUVs around, so you can be relaxed about it acting as a family bus. Plus, a recent update added even more safety kit, including predictive adaptive cruise control, that steers, and adjusts your speed for you. It’s like finding another tool in your Swiss Army knife you hadn’t used before: once you know what it’s for you’ll wonder how you managed to live without it.

Read on for more information on the Skoda Kodiaq, or see how much you can save with these Skoda Kodiaq deals.

Common Skoda Kodiaq questions

Is the Skoda Kodiaq a 4×4?
Most versions of the Skoda Kodiaq come with four-wheel drive, but 125hp and 150hp petrol models and 115hp and 150hp diesel models come with front-wheel drive have to make do with front-wheel drive as standard.

Is the Skoda Kodiaq a 7-seater?
Entry-level Skoda Kodiaq models in S trim come with only five seats, but all other versions can be had with seven seats. Pick a high-spec Sportline or Scout version and you get seven seats as standard.

Where are Skoda Kodiaqs made?
The Skoda Kodiaq is built in six factories worldwide, but the majority of cars sold in Europe come from the firm’s Czech facility in Kvasiny.

Skoda Kodiaq interior

The Skoda Kodiaq’s dashboard is smartly designed and easy to use, but it doesn’t get the same high-tech features as the VW Tiguan.

Style
The Skoda Kodiaq interior is of good quality and feels well-built. The dashboard, doors and centre console are all covered in nice soft-touch plastics, while the seats – trimmed in suede-like Alcantara on high-spec SE L models – are supportive and help make the interior feel genuinely upmarket.

Everything is pretty easy to operate, too, as you’re not faced with a huge number of buttons; and, the knobs for the ventilation system and stereo volume are easy to operate when you’re on the move.

The standard infotainment system is operated through an 8-inch touchscreen, which is flanked by two banks of shortcut buttons and a pair of neat vertical air vents, while the gloss black wood-effect dashboard trims look great – even if they’ll scratch easily over time.

However, it’s not all good news: the second digital display in the instrument cluster looks significantly more dated – think Game Boy rather than iPad – and some materials in the rear feel brittle and cheap; but, in both cases, this is nit-picking.

Infotainment
Entry-level Skoda Kodiaq SE cars come with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment screen. It’s sharp, bright and easy to read, and comes with a set of handy shortcut buttons to stop you getting lost in a sea of menus. Unfortunately, these buttons don’t buzz or click when you press them so you’ll have to occasionally take your eyes off the road to make sure you’re hitting the right ones.

A neat proximity sensor displays extra on-screen buttons when it detects your hand nearing the screen. This is especially useful when you’re using the built-in satellite navigation on SE L cars – it’ll flash up petrol station icons when you reach for the screen and hide them away automatically so you can see the map more clearly.

The standard sat-nav can rapidly calculate three route choices at once and you can swipe and pinch to zoom to preview its directions – just like using a smartphone. Unfortunately, the screen’s glossy finish shows up grubby finger marks like nothing else.

Happily, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink connectivity to mirror your smartphone’s navigation on the built-in infotainment screen is standard on all Kodiaqs.

High-spec SE L models come with a larger 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system while top-spec Edition versions have a wireless smartphone charging feature that’ll also boost your phone signal.

Unfortunately, if you like to stream music from your phone, the standard stereo just isn’t up to scratch. The Skoda Kodiaq’s Bluetooth connection makes your music sounds tinny and bassless – things sound much better when you connect your phone using the USB port. Upgrade to the Canton sound system and you’ll be rewarded with much clearer and bassier tunes.

Source: carwow.co.rs

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