Skoda's Kodiaq is the newest kid on the block and promises to give the aforesaid SUVs a run for their money. Will it? Indian automobile website MotorBeam.com finds out.
D-segment sedans have lost their sheen in the Indian market all thanks to SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour.
These SUV not only take you places that the sedans can't but also offer similar kind of a luxury that the sedans offer and what's more, SUVs are more practical than sedans.
Skoda's Kodiaq is the newest kid on the block and promises to give the aforesaid SUVs a run for their money.
Starting with the exterior, the SUV gets a minimalistic yet sharp design.
You have prominent lines running across the body which makes the car look aggressive.
You get full LED headlights with LED DRLs, cornering fog lamps and the signature butterfly grille.
There are 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and C-shaped LED tail-lights.
Measuring 4697 mm in length, the Skoda Kodiaq has immense road presence and is available in a choice of four colour options - Lava Blue, Quartz Grey, Moon White and Black Magic.
Get inside the Kodiaq and the interior will instantly give you a typical premium German cabin feel.
There are soft-touch materials everywhere and the dashboard design itself is quite distinctive.
You get a three-spoke steering wheel which houses cruise control, multimedia buttons and paddle-shifts too.
The instrument cluster is easy to read and gets a large MID that provides a plethora of information.
The 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system gets Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and Android Auto connectivity.
The system has a user-friendly interface and also comes with USB, AUX and SD card connectivity. The Canton sound system churns out impressive sound quality.
The front seats offer tremendous support and comfort, under-thigh support is good too.
The second-row seats have ample leg room and headroom. However, the third-row seat is best suited for kids or short adult and only for short journeys.
You do get some quirky but very useful features like the Power Nap package which comes with a pair of blankets and headrest flaps (for the second-row of seats).
Now we know why the car has been named after an Alaskan bear!
Not just that, there is a portable torch placed near the third-row of seats.
In case, there's a puncture while driving during the dark, this torch will come handy.
Other features include a rear-view camera, Auto Park Assist, 10 different ambient lighting colours, 3-zone automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof and an electric tailgate.
Kodiaq, for India, comes with only one engine option, a 2-0-litre TDi diesel engine.
The oil-burner makes 150 PS of power, 340 Nm of torque and comes mated to a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox.
150 PS might look big on paper but in terms of acceleration, the car isn't that fast.
That said, by no means will it feel underpowered. Power delivery from the engine is very linear and NVH levels are great too.
You get five driving modes - Normal, Eco, Sport, Individual and Snow.
The Czech automaker claims a fuel-efficiency of 16.5 km/l. Skoda has nailed it when it comes to the driving dynamics of the Kodiaq.
The ride quality is plush and the SUV absorbs all sorts of undulations.
There is quite a bit of body roll while cornering as the suspension is on the softer side.
The steering wheel is light, weighs up well when speeds increase and is communicative.
The brakes on the 7-seater do a good job of shedding speed quickly.
Safety has been at the forefront for Skoda hence the Kodiaq is offered with 9 airbags, ABS, iBuzz fatigue Alert, Vehicle Stability Control and Hill Hold function.
So who is the Skoda Kodiaq for? It is for someone who has a German luxury SUV budget, looking for a soft-roader SUV with excellent interior quality, good driving dynamics, plenty of features and a frugal powertrain.
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