In the 7-seater version, the boot capacity can be increased from 720 litres to 2,065 litres by folding the rear seats.
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Built on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, Skoda claims that the combination of entry-level TSI engine and front-wheel-drive in the Kodiaq results in a kerb weight of just 1,452 kg (without driver). The diesel engine on offer is a 2.0-litre TDI engine, available in two states of tune: 148 BHP & 340 Nm, and 188 BHP and 400 Nm.
There will also be a more powerful 187bhp version of the TDI engine and three turbocharged petrol units consisting of two 1.4-litre TSI and a 2.0-litre TSI, which will offer outputs ranging from 123bhp to 177bhp. Indeed, the Kodiaq sits on the largest version of the VW Group’s MQB chassis technology to be used in a European-market auto; only the forthcoming VW Tiguan XL will get as long a wheelbase.
Style-wise, it’s another step forward for Skoda, taking the sharp-edged look of the current Superb saloon and estate and stripping it even further back, creating a very minimalist effect that relies on its sheer size, and that big grille, to get you to notice it.
The ŠKODA Kodiaq is available with a 6-speed manual gearbox or DSG transmissions with six or seven speeds, depending on engine choice. The official technical specifications are yet to be revealed but the most frugal diesel is said to return 56.5mpg and 131g/km.
The gap between the two cars grow further when the seats lowered; the Kodiaq breaks through the 2,000-litre mark, at 2,065 litres, compared with the Hyundai’s 1,680 litres. The option of a third row of seats makes the Kodiaq Skoda’s first seven-seater.
From the beaming board members and their scripted corporate platitudes to the trapeze artists swinging above, awkward interview with a sporting celebrity (1987 Tour de France victor Stephen Roche in this case) and even a specially composed song, the glitzy launch of the new Skoda Kodiaq ticked all the boxes for A Big Unveiling.
Plus a range of safety systems like Active City Stop, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Assist with Blind Spot Monitor and Driver Fatigue Warning.
Three trim levels are available – S, SE and SE-L – and standard equipment will include the likes of 17-inch alloy wheels and Bluetooth connectivity, along with autonomous emergency braking. Skoda also plans to offer 19in items as an option. Thereafter, production will begin by the end of this year, and it will be introduced in Europe only in 2017. Beyond that starting figure of around £23,000, we’d expect the range to include a Sportline edition and a more rugged Scout trim level – as well as a Lauren & Klement luxury edition that is likely to be the most expensive Skoda ever offered, with a price tag of around £40,000.
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