Crossovers continue to capture new markets, now almost every brand has its own SUV in its model line. Until recently, the Czech brand ŠKODA had only one crossover in its lineup – the Yeti. Having one car of this class in the lineup would be foolish, so in the fight for the hearts of buyers, ŠKODA has introduced a new seven-seat crossover, the Kodiaq. The editor of the Auto project, Maxim Cherkashin, went to the Czech city of Mladá Boleslav for the presentation of the crossover, which is already predicted to be a success.
The bear is big, he knows better
A large crossover from ŠKODA has long been requested, but the Czechs were in no hurry to have such a model in their lineup. But at some point, ŠKODA realized they didn’t want to lose customers. The Czechs began working hard on developing a large seven-seat crossover, enlisting the help of specialists from their parent company, Volkswagen. Using the popular MQB modular platform, which underpins more than a dozen Volkswagen AG models, as a basis, the Czechs began building their future hit. The result was a visually appealing and technologically sophisticated vehicle. And the crossover’s name was apparently no accident. It was named after the Kodiaq bear, one of the largest brown bears on the planet, native to Alaska. Just as a bear fights its way through a deadfall, so the new Kodiaq is set to carve a path for ŠKODA into the lucrative large crossover segment.
However, the Kodiaq’s dimensions are borderline. The dimensions are in the range of maximum values for the compact crossover segment and practically minimum for full-size ones: 4697 x 1882 x 1676 mm; the wheelbase is 2791 mm; ground clearance is 194 mm. The interior has seven seats, and the car feels larger inside than it does from the outside. However, ŠKODA has always been good at creating spacious interiors. Incidentally, ŠKODA’s Russian representative office decided to hold the presentation for the regional press near the plant in Mladá Boleslav, although the new model is assembled at the plant in Kvasiny, Czech Republic.
Incidentally, for those comparing the new ŠKODA to the Audi Q7, such analogies are somewhat inaccurate. The car with the four rings is built on the MLB platform, so the Kodiaq is closely related to the Volkswagen Tiguan.
The Heart of a Bear
The Kodiaq’s powertrains are proven and well-established from other models. The engine lineup is quite extensive and consists of five power units – two diesel and three petrol. Buyers will have a choice of two turbodiesels with a displacement of two liters and outputs of 150 and 190 horsepower. There is one more petrol option. The weakest 1.4 TSI engine produces 125 horsepower, while the second petrol turbo unit of the same displacement produces 150 horsepower. The third, most powerful of the 2.0-liter TSI petrol engines, boasts 180 horsepower, but its output is slightly less than that of the top-of-the-line diesel.
As for gearboxes, the engines will be paired with a six-speed manual or DSG. Depending on the trim level, the DSG can be six- or seven-speed. The 150-horsepower petrol engine in a car with an all-wheel drive system can be ordered with a six-speed manual or a six-speed DSG. Cars with front-wheel drive are offered only with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. Incidentally, versions with DSG can be equipped with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for easy gear shifting. For added efficiency, the Kodiaq is also equipped with a Start/Stop system, a brake energy recovery system, and a high-performance thermal management system. The base Kodiaq will be front-wheel drive, while the top-of-the-line version will feature all-wheel drive.
A Comfortable Den
ŠKODA proudly claims the new Kodiaq boasts one of the most spacious interiors in the segment. The interior architecture is reminiscent of the flagship Superb sedan. The dashboard has a three-dimensional shape and is divided into a higher upper section and a narrower lower section; this division is particularly noticeable in the large decorative areas located on the passenger side. A similar design approach is implemented on the door panels. Incidentally, a nice feature that journalists immediately began to try out during the presentation is the choice of interior lighting colors. The driver can choose between white, orange, light brown, red, pink, purple, dark blue, azure, dark green and light green colors.
The base interior upholstery will be fabric, and in the top versions there will be Alcantara and leather. The seats are equipped with heating, not only the front, but also the rear, and starting with the Ambition version, the seats are equipped with ventilation.
The dashboard has a three-dimensional shape and is divided into a higher upper and a narrower lower area, this division is especially noticeable on the large decorative areas located on the passenger side. A similar design approach is implemented on the door panels.
The car is positioned as a family crossover for travel, so the Kodiaq not only has a spacious interior, but also a capacious trunk. In the standard configuration, the trunk volume of the five-seater car reaches 720 liters. The luggage compartment capacity of the seven-seater version is 270 liters with the third-row seats folded down and 630 liters with them folded. As an option, convenient buttons for folding the second-row seatbacks can be installed on the trunk walls. With the seats folded, the trunk volume increases to 2,065 liters (in the five-seater version when loaded to the ceiling). The foldable front passenger seat allows you to transport loads almost three meters long.
Gadget on wheels
The new Kodiaq will also appeal to fans of all kinds of gadgets, because it has a huge number of all kinds of auxiliary and multimedia systems. And it offers far more of them than any other ŠKODA model. The Kodiaq comes standard with Front Assist with City Emergency Brake and Multi-Collision Brake. As an option, ŠKODA offers adaptive cruise control, Lane Assist, Tow Assist, Manoeuvre Assist, Predictive Pedestrian Protection, Traffic Jam Assist, Emergency Assist, Crew ProtectAssist, and Travel Assist with Traffic Sign Recognition.
In addition, the car can be equipped with four infotainment systems with three eight-inch displays. ŠKODA Connect mobile online services are another notable innovation for the brand’s cars. Services offer a variety of information and entertainment, as well as remote access to the car and support, thus confirming the high innovative potential of ŠKODA. However, with such an abundance of all sorts of systems, the gadget enthusiast does not need to go anywhere at all, and will spend most of his life in the car in the garage.
Waiting for the bear
So far, official Russian prices for the Kodiaq crossover have not been disclosed; the new model will enter the domestic market only after the start of sales in Europe. Incidentally, the car will cost around 25,000 euros there, which means that in our country the price tag for the Kodiaq should not be expected below the mark of 1.8 million rubles. However, ŠKODA is already working on reducing the cost of such an interesting crossover for the Russian consumer. Next year, the Czech bear will become Russian, when it will begin to be assembled at the plant in Kaluga.
