Skoda’s Kodiaq Launched

Skoda has launched its new flagship SUV, the Kodiaq at ₹34.49 lakh (ex-showroom, all India). The seven-seat SUV is only available in one trim - Style - with a single engine and transmission option.

This is the manufacturer’s first seven-seater SUV - it is the first of its kind in the company’s 120-plus-year history and that’s significant for the Czech brand. The SUV is named after an Alaskan bear, the Kodiak. The Kodiaq is based on the VW Group’s MQB platform that also underpins the Skoda Superb and Octavia. The platform is stretched and raised to handle the seven-seat SUV.

The Kodiaq will come equipped with a 150hp 2.0-litre diesel motor. This is the same engine that is also seen under the hood of the Volkswagen Tiguan. The SUV has a lot of design influences from the Skoda Superb, including its thick shoulder line, intricate boot design, and angular LED headlamps and tail-lamps inspired by Czech crystal. The LED fog lamps sit in angular recesses just below the headlamps. The SUV features the brand’s latest Skoda Connect touchscreen, which has on-board Wi-Fi, Google Earth, an app that lets you check the car’s status from your phone and of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Kodiaq gets a ground clearance of 190mm, which isn’t much, but will suffice, for our roads.