2017 Skoda Kodiaq 132TSI 4×4 First Drive Review | An Ideal Family Companion With Smart But Sensible Touches
Skoda’s transformation from oddball outsider to mainstream value brand takes a massive leap forward with the arrival of the seven-seat Kodiaq SUV, the first vehicle of its kind from the Czech brand.
Entering into a hotly-contested segment, and one that’s viewed as crucial to the company's success Down Under, the Kodiaq is pitched as a rival to the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-9, and Toyota Kluger despite riding on a smaller platform - one that’s definitely at the large end of the medium SUV scale though.
Underneath the crisp sheet metal, the Kodiaq rides atop the same chassis as Volkswagen’s Tiguan, albeit the longer Tiguan Allspace which has yet to turn a wheel in Australia, with Skoda expediting the Kodiaq’s Australian arrival hot on the tail of its European introduction.
Vehicle Style: Medium SUV
Price: $42,990 plus on-road costs
Engine/trans: 132kW/320Nm 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol | 7sp automatic
Fuel Economy Claimed: 7.6 l/100km
OVERVIEW
Skoda has kept the Kodiaq range as simple as possible for its local introduction. There’s just one model, the 132TSI which is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine producing 132kW and 320Nm linked to standard all-wheel drive via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Towards the end of 2017 Skoda is expected to add a 140TDI diesel model as well, but right now what you see is what you get.