- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 7 seats
- Engine
2.0T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
132kW, 320Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 7.6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4X4
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2017)
2017 Skoda Kodiaq 132TSI 4×4 first drive review
This is the moment of truth for Skoda.
Volkswagen's budget brand has been making slow but steady progress since entering the Australian market in 2017 with a range of regular passenger cars, from the compact Fabia hatch to the large Superb sedan and wagon.
Now though - and finally - it has an entrant into the booming SUV market. It's called the Kodiaq and, as a family-friendly seven-seater, it is being pitched at the likes of the Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-9.
It is based on the same modular 'MQB' underpinnings as the Volkswagen Tiguan. Or to put it more accurately, it is Skoda's version of the forthcoming Tiguan Allspace, sharing the same key dimensions and powertrains.
But Skoda has a head start on its sibling, entering the local market only four months after the left-hand drive model went on sale in Europe. That gap is usually more than nine months but Skoda head office has acknowledged the importance of the Australian market for seven-seat SUVs and given priority to cars headed down under.
On paper, the Kodiaq has all the ingredients it needs to succeed. Initially there's a single petrol-powered model, the 132TSI 4x4, which is priced from $42,990 (plus on-road costs), but a 140TDI diesel model will arrive at the end of 2017.
For the money, you get 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and ignition, LED headlights with Adaptive Frontlight System (AFS), adaptive cruise control, dual-zone air-conditioning and a power tailgate.
Inside, there are Alcantara appointed seats, navigation, an 8-inch glass touchscreen, and eight-speaker sound system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice control, USB, DVD and CD Player, one AUX input and two SD card slots.
There's also a number of Skoda's 'Simply Clever' touches, like holders for your tablet/phone for the second row seats, sun shades for the rear side windows, umbrellas hidden inside each front door and an LED torch in the boot. Each car comes with three personalised keys which allow you to tailor the air-con and mirror settings for each driver.
On the safety front standard equipment includes nine airbags, forward collision warning with low-speed autonomous emergency braking and multi-collision brake (which clamps the brakes on if the car detects its been in an accident to avoid rolling into another crash).
There are two optional packages, which Skoda is expecting a high take-up rate on given its success on other models. The company claims the vast majority of Superb buyers add at least one optional package to their order.
The $2500 Tech Pack includes Adaptive Chassis Control, hands-free electric tailgate, premium 10-speaker Canton sound system, automated parking assistance, rear automated braking assist and an off-road mode.
The Luxury Pack, which costs $4900, adds electrically adjustable front seats with memory function, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, leather appointed seats (in black or beige), front ventilated seats, front and rear heated seats, surround view camera, tri-zone air-con, Emergency Assist, rear traffic alert and Traffic Jam Assist, which offers mild autonomous driving functionality.
Under the bonnet is the Volkswagen Group's 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine tuned to produce 132kW of power and 320Nm of torque. It is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and VW's 4Motion all-wheel drive system, which can send up to 85 per cent of its torque to a single wheel in the right circumstances.
We drove the new Kodiaq over a variety of conditions during our initial test this week and it left an unsurprising impression - it drives like a VW Tiguan, which is not to meant to be derogatory. In fact, it's the opposite as the Tiguan 110TSI is Drive's reigning Car of the Year champion. Despite the Kodiaq's unique look and clever cabin it has the familiar on-road behaviour of its German sibling.
Skoda's cars for us to drive this week were fitted with a special Launch Edition package that adds elements of both the Tech and Luxury packages, including the adaptive chassis control and its adjustable dampers.
The system offers different levels of suspension compliance across Sports, Normal and Comfort modes and it provides a notable difference to the character of the car. On choppy rural roads the Sport mode proved too stiff but Comfort provided more protection for the occupants from the bumps in the road.
Drive was able to get a short run in the Kodiaq on the standard, non-adjustable, suspension, which feels somewhere between Normal and Sport with a firmness to the ride that helps keep the Kodiaq responsive to inputs but transmits more bumps and rattles through the cabin.
The engine does an admirable job pulling along an SUV that weighs 1677kg. There's good initial pulling power off the line and the transmission keeps the engine on the boil. The only disappointment is when you call for a sudden burst of acceleration, when overtaking for example, as the engine labours through the mid-range to add speed.
We'd also like the opportunity to drive the Kodiaq with a full load of seven passengers and their luggage to really test out the engine's credentials.
Claimed fuel use is an impressive 7.6-litres per 100km but we'll reserve judgement on its real-world usage until we get it for a proper extended test.
Where the Kodiaq differs from the Tiguan, at least until the Allspace arrives, is in the cabin.
The overall presentation is excellent, with a nice mix of materials, including a black wood effect in parts and the new touchscreen looks great with its integrated haptic buttons.
But it's in the second and third rows where the Kodiaq shines. As with the Tiguan, the second row seats slide to allow you to trade-off space in the third row/boot. With them in their most rearward position, knee room in the middle row is excellent and headroom is more than adequate.
The third row is a very different proposition. Firstly, getting in is no simple task, despite Skoda calling it an "Easy Entry Function". Instead you have to pull a lever to drop the seat back and then slide the seats forward.
Once that's done you have to climb over the second row seats to get into the two rear chairs. Space in the back is very tight, so much so that an adult simply wouldn't fit in the third row with the second row seats in the most rearward position.
Instead, the middle row needs to be pushed forward to open-up at least a little knee room for adults. Even children will find the space tight and there are no air-con vents in the third row too.
Skoda is adamant that the Kodiaq is a true seven-seater but in this author's opinion I'd call it a 5+2 arrangement and the final row is best for occasional use. Without question the third row seats will come in handy for families with kids but if you need to carry six or seven people on a regular basis this will be too small.
On the positive side, the Kodiaq is covered by Skoda Australia's five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and is available with a pre-paid servicing package, costing $1399 for three-years/45,000km.
Looking at it, there's little reason why the Kodiaq won't be a success for Skoda, which has modest sales expectations for its first SUV, at least initially with supply constraints. It's unlikely to challenge the Kluger and CX-9 in the sales race but it will bring new buyers to the brand and continue its steady growth.
2017 Skoda Kodiaq 132TSI 4x4 pricing and specifications
Price: $42,990 plus on-road costs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol
Power: 132kW at 3900-6000rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1400-3940rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, all-wheel drive
Fuel use: 7.6L/100km
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