New Skoda Kodiaq
This is the brand new second-gen Skoda Kodiaq, which, compared to the last one, is more spacious, more techy, higher quality, and it’s very, very efficient.
So there’s a plug-in hybrid version now, and the battery is bigger than original Nissan Leaf, so you pretty much wouldn’t even need to look at the fuel tank. And there’s something very unusual all about it.
kodiaq is a new car that hasn’t moved everything onto a massive screen. They’re three little knobs. Three little knobs with a purpose.
They have a screen on them because why move the knobs onto the screen when you can move the screen onto the knobs? I love it. New Skoda Kodiaq
They’re called smart dials. They’re very cool, but first and foremost, they’re functional because they control the things you’ll want to do quickly while on the move. Just press to scroll between functions and then turn the dial to adjust.
if you’ve spent any time wading around a massive screen trying to find the control for the most basic of function, you’ll understand that that is a game changer.
Skoda is using all of the usual adjectives to describe the car. It’s powerful, distinctive, striking, but they all say that, right, so this is why I think it’s a clever piece of redesign. Now, this is the five seater version.
The seven-seater will look exactly the same, so that they’ve done a very good job of hiding the bulkiness of what is essentially a very bulky SUV, particularly with their use of pillars. New Skoda Kodiaq
it sort of somehow manages to make the side seem shallower. It’s 61 mm longer than its predecessor, but it looks lower to me.
It’s certainly less top heavy than it was before, and I rather like how they fattened out these wheel arches.
Makes it all look a bit meaner, but you’re going to want to go for the biggest wheel options. These are twenty s and they look pretty piddly on it, so imagine how small the standard 17s are going to look.
Two things to talk about at the front. Firstly, there are way more creases in the bonnet. There are more creases here than on the grass at lords. And these optional led lights through the grille, which I rather like.
I rather like the fact that they haven’t gone full Ross geller day glow teeth like they did in the Enyak. It’s all subtler and more classy. New Skoda Kodiaq
Not sure about the color, but I like the shape. That same sense of subtlety continues around the back, because what’s notable here is what’s not here.
Now, most of the modern cars have that long, wide light strip that spans the width of the car. Now, this might look like it illuminates, but it actually doesn’t.
And at night, apparently, it makes the car look wider and more classic, according to Skoda. As for the boot, that is absolutely humongous. So it’s 75 liters bigger than the previous generation, 910 liters in the five seat version.
It’s also gone up by 70 liters in the seven seater, giving 340 liters even with the back row of seats up. That’s on par with a family hatchback like the Ford Focus.
But it’s not just the volume of air in the boot, it’s how thoughtful it all is. There are bag hooks, an adjustable twin floor, removable compartments, handles to drop the rear seats, and a tow bar release button. This is a seriously accommodating big hole.
And if you think that is just low key, clever. The cabin is even better. There is plenty of space here. Loads of leg room, a good amount of headroom, even with my massive forehead. New Skoda Kodiaq
Good-sized door bins, window shade, useful seat pockets, two USB ports, heated seats, plus cup holders. I’d go so far as to say it’s superb, because it’s massive in here. And the cleverness continues up here.
So you’ll notice that this is a real step up from the previous Kodiaq. It all feels a lot cleaner, a lot more modern. And there are some really nice touches, like this led light strip that spans the width of the car. Just gives it a bit more quality.
There actually isn’t an awful lot that I don’t like about this, other than the color. And to go back to the beginning, it all feels very functional in here.
So, a 13 inch infotainment display, as standard, a ten inch digital display, again as standard. And then, for the first time ever in a Skoda, an optional heads up display.
They’ve moved the gear selector onto the steering column to free up space in the center console, where you get this massive configurable space.
And if you’re wondering, all of the cars will have this, because there is no manual option. Basically because the previous Kodiaq, virtually nobody went for it. So they’ve been that for a bigger bin. New Skoda Kodiaq
Not only that, but there are massive door bins, a very large glove box, basically loads of space to store your stuff. Oh, and you can charge two phones at the same time, wirelessly.
And beyond all that, Skoda has kept its practicality greatest hits intact. The ice scraper, the pop out door protectors, the umbrella and the usb port for a dash cam. They’re all present and correct, but they’re joined by a newcomer.
This looks like a power bank or a lipstick, but it’s actually a fingerprint remover . Skoda really have thought of everything.
Another first for this Kodiaq is the addition of a plugin hybrid. A very impressive looking one at that. No MPG figures just yet, but Skoda is claiming a 62 miles electric only range from a 26 kilowatt hour battery, and it can charge at up to 50 kilowatt speed.New Skoda Kodiaq
Most pevs can’t do rapid charging. That makes this a plugin hybrid that you could feasibly use as an electric car full time. Elsewhere, it’s pretty standard stuff.
Two diesels and two petrol engines with power from 150 hp up to 204 most powerful ones coming with a four wheel drive.
Mild hybrid technology features in the 150 HP, 1.5 petrol version too to improve fuel efficiency a bit. Another first for Skoda.
We’ll find out more about the spec and the exact price tag when the car lands mid 2024. New Skoda Kodiaq
But given that the current Kodiaq starts at around 35k, you can assume that it will start a couple of grand more. So potentially best sub 40K family car for 2024. Let me know what you think.
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