Kodiaq moment!

Many VW group companies’ moves were in a sort of abeyance due to the plans to ditch diesel from their portfolios. Skoda’s Kodiaq was one of the models that had to wait for it to get a petrol engine option. And so, after an absence for a couple of years, it has made a comeback this month with a new heart transplant and some cosmetic upgrades to its exterior and interior. The model still attempts to deliver on Skoda’s key USPs - more car than the competition, reliability and finish quality, and quite literally more value-for-money. 

A cursory glance may convince you that nothing much has changed in the Kodiaq’s exterior design, but get closer and take in the individual elements, and the new design features pop out. The headlamps are slimmer and sport a new, more detailed LED light configuration with illuminated elements that Skoda calls eyelashes. The Skoda signature butterfly grille has also been revised a bit with a thicker chrome frame. The front fender gets some chiselled new lines with some changes to the airdam. Both front and rear fenders are now body coloured and the new design alloy wheels are standard across variants. The tail-lamps now feature dynamic turn indicators and there is a new roof-spoiler. 

The Kodiaq is a fairly big SUV and that is most evident when it is viewed from the side. The bonnet slab has been modified, but is still that classic clamshell style construction with the central ridge and the Skoda logo sitting on the nose. Then there is the Laurin & Klement (L&K) logo on the front body side panels. This is the top trim, but the 2022 Kodiaq is also being offered in two other variants - Style and Sportline. 

Cabin

Skoda says that the Style and L&K variants focus on rear seat luxury, while the Sportline is a driver-focused trim variant with an all-black interior theme. My test mule was the L&K with perforated leather seats and a bunch of chrome elements in the cabin. The front seats were also both heated and cooled, and offered 12-way electrical adjustments. The steering wheel in the L&K was the new design 2-spoke unit, but Skoda says that the Sportline trim gets the flat-bottomed 3-spoke sport steering wheel and even the seats get more side bolstering to deliver on the sporty image. 

Then there is ambient lighting in the new Kodiaq’s cabin and the new 12-speaker Canton music system is a step-up in performance. The dashboard layout and the design of the individual elements on it are the same as in the previous model. The fit and finish is very good, and there is a sense of solidity to the cabin. The beige interior livens up the cabin and the large greenhouse, combined with the new panoramic sunroof brings in a lot of light into the cabin.

Of course, one of the highlights is amount of space in the Kodiaq’s cabin, thanks to its generous proportions. The fact that it is a 3-row SUV has been the reason for its popularity. The seats at the third row are, however, best used for children. Access to this row of seats is also a bit narrow since the second row seats only fold and don’t tumble forward. But the second row seats themselves are extremely comfortable, offer fore and aft adjustments and should enable adults to customise legroom. Boot space is 270-litres with all seats in use, and 630-litres with the third row folded down. Connectivity also gets a boost with the 20.3cm infotainment screen now offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There is also the MySkoda Connect app’s features that lets the user perform a suite of functions remotely. The instrument cluster in the L&K was an all-digital virtual cockpit unit with multiple variations to the display possible. 

Performance

The Kodiaq’s diesel engine is out and in its place there is a new petrol engine. The 2-litre TSI engine delivers 190PS of peak power and 320Nm of peak torque. Compared to the previous model’s diesel engine, this is a quieter and sportier power unit. There is even a low, gruff exhaust note that is audible in the cabin. This engine is paired with the popular VW group 7-speed DSG (dual-clutch) gearbox. Shifts in this box are quick, nearly imperceptible and complements the engine’s relatively sporty performance. The 2022 Kodiaq feels nimble, there is no sense of its size when I was behind the wheel, and power delivery is linear and very progressive all the way to the redline. Speed sensitive steering offers a light wheel at city speeds, and it weighs up and offers more precise control at higher speeds. 

To deliver more dynamic abilities, the top trim L&K variant also gets what Skoda calls ‘Dynamic Chassis Control’, which essentially behaves like adaptive/ active damping. Electronic monitoring of driving conditions and, of course, also depending on the driving mode chosen, the behaviour of the suspension set-up of dual shell gas-liquid shock absorbers is adjusted to offer the best driving dynamics. So, in Sport mode, not only does the powertrain character change, but the suspension also stiffens up. Similarly, by combining all-wheel drive capabilities, the system enables real-time damping adjustments if the Kodiaq is taken off-road. There are six driving modes to choose from - Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sports, Snow and Individual. After driving it over a mix of roads in city and highway, and taking it over a short off-road stretch, my test mule L&K delivered a mileage of about 8.6kmpl, with two passengers and some light luggage in the cabin.

Bottom line

The new Kodiaq is being offered a number of safety features as standard fitment across all three variants. These include 9 airbags, adaptive headlights, multiple brake assist features, stability control and even handsfree parking assist. The L&K variant gets the addition of hill descent control and a 360-degree camera. The Kodiaq also gets a number of ‘Simply Clever’ features like Skoda would call them, including a number of innovative storage options, and the famous umbrella and wet case built into the front doors. 

The new Skoda Kodiaq gets a starting price of about ₹35 lakh, that goes up to ₹37.5 lakh for the L&K. Crossing the ₹30 lakh price mark always makes it tougher for mass market brands to take on the fight with the luxury brands. But, the Kodiaq can certainly take them on in the size and equipment parameters. For its price, you will get a loaded, full-size SUV with very practical, usable features, normally found in vehicles from a segment above, and oodles of space in the cabin. 

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