2nd Report: Interior motives
Regular readers of my long-term test reports will perhaps by now know I’m not a great fan of cars that ‘over-bleep’ in the name of safety. Our previous Lexus RZ was a stinker for it and turning the most unhelpful noises off in favour of driver self-determination was a multi-layered, frustratingly complex and potentially distracting – and therefore not very safe – manoeuvre.
Thank heavens for Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ multiple solutions to this legislative bind then. Indeed, there are two ways to turn off the bleeps in the Kodiaq. Option one is a two-press transaction from the main centre screen: first touch the (logical) symbol of a car surrounded by a protective circle and then you immediately get the full safety feature selection sub-screen – with individual features that can be switched on or off via the press-and-slide of a virtual button. The ones I require least often – like lane assist and speed warning – especially on wide 20mph sections of the South Circular with clear sight lines, are helpfully at the top of the list.
The second ‘bleep off’ option is just as easy and involves pressing a physical shortcut button on the right of the steering column, after which those same two potential safety items pop up in the driver display to be clicked on and off as needed. Either process still needs to be done at the start of every journey but it’s much easier than on the Lexus and so less fraught, which kicks off any mission more simply and calmly (which is good for safety).
The interior door handles are great too. That might seem like a mundane observation of a very mature item, where it could be thought that little new design time needs to be spent, but the Kodiaq’s are nonetheless clearly placed towards the top of the door, shiny and thus easy to find in the dark, logical to use and nicely sculpted to grip. The subtly textured and hatched door card pattern behind each handle is also smarter than equivalent areas in many older mainstream rival models, which one generation ago might have been merely dull, flat surfaces bereft of character. Slot in Skoda’s now well-established deployable umbrella in the driver’s door side – which I confess I like the idea of more than use, but still like – and the Kodiaq’s cabin feels like a quietly sophisticated place to reside.
Its decent height ‘no-lip’ boot load floor has come in handy too, most recently when schlepping DJ equipment – including heavy speakers – from home to venue and back again, without strain or over-reach. The five-seat PHEV boot’s 745/1945-litre min/max we’re testing might not be as big as the non-PHEV five-seater’s 910/2105 litres, but it’s still very capacious, with a few small cubby holes to the sides to slot winter accessories (or loose fruit).
Talking of the PHEV powertrain, we have to admit to temporarily pausing regular electric charging because in recent temperatures hovering just above or below zero degrees, an overnight charge at a local neighbourhood lamp post public charging point was only adding between 55-60 (notional) miles of electric-only range (compared to the official 71 top) at a cost of nearly £12. Worse still, on one occasion, in cold-weather real-world use, we only travelled half of that – 31 miles – before using up our electric range completely. That’s really not worth the effort or cost, but as we move into the warmer months of spring, we’ll get back to plugging in as much as possible and hopefully see some tangible economy improvements.
| Model | Skoda Kodiaq iV SE L (5 seat) |
| P11D price | £44,580 |
| As tested | £47,055 (OTR) |
| Official consumption | 578.4mpg |
| Our average consumption | 42.2mpg |
| Mileage | 2,673 |
1st Report: Kodiaq PHEV arrives
This long-term test is set to be a very interesting one because a) I’m somewhat sceptical of plug-in hybrids, but had my interest piqued by this particular model’s longer-than-most 71 miles of EV-only range and b) I’ve personally never run a Skoda as a long-termer and have always had a soft spot for the Kodiaq model.
I remember the positive reactions driving the first-generation Kodiaq for a week way back in the spring of 2017. In simple terms, it was the first Skoda I’d ever driven which onlookers really noticed and seemed to consider a tasteful choice, rather than just a value-led piece of functional transport. Much of that credit goes to ex-Skoda head of design Jozef Kaban – now incidentally design VP at MG’s Chinese parent company SAIC. The Mk1 design felt purposeful, different and great quality, all wrapped up in a mid-size SUV shape with five and seven-seat options which customers at that point weren’t used to seeing with a Skoda badge on its nose.
The first-gen Kodiaq made good on that initial impression, shifting nearly a million units worldwide in the following seven years. Even in its outgoing year of 2024, Skoda shifted 12,447 units in the UK alone, scooping the second-placed spot in the Skoda UK sales league table. Not bad at all. The second-generation Kodiaq only launched in the autumn of 2024 – so is still a new sight on the road – but aims to build on that success and now offers a plug-in hybrid model, which we’ll be testing for the next six months.
Size-wise, close PHEV competitors to the 4,758mm-long Kodiaq include the shorter Mazda CX-60 (4,745mm) and longer Peugeot 5008 (4,791mm). Proportionally, the new Kodiaq has stretched by 61mm over its predecessor, is 18mm narrower, 3mm lower and with an identical wheelbase. To these eyes, those changes make the Mk2 feel a little less distinctive, compared to the Mk1’s more elegant and nuanced proportions and body surfacing, while the Mk2’s less subtle front face also appears cruder. However, that more chunky look – especially in its more three-dimensional and two-plane grille – is already commercially successful on other Skoda models, so should appeal to many new and repeat Kodiaq customers too.
The interior of the Kodiaq feels very much ‘regular VW Group’ in style and execution, but there are some neat and specific details that chime with the Czech brand’s longstanding ‘Simply Clever’ tagline. The twistable auto gear selector has been moved to the right-hand side of the steering column to free-up more central storage and space for two wireless phone charging slots, while door handles are logically placed and easy to locate. There’s also a de-icer inside the fuel filler flap, spatially helpful as well as aesthetically pleasing ambient cabin lighting and easy-to-turn-off speed limit and lane keep bleep warnings only one layer deep within the 13in central touchscreen. Four USB-C ports (x2 front, x2 rear) ensure modern device charging needs are catered for and the vehicle is Apple Carplay and Android Auto-compatible. In real-life use, various family iPhones have easily connected to swiftly provide hands-free messaging, mapping, music and moving back and forth between the in-house screen and Carplay is also a doddle.
Rear-seat cabin room is decent by large petrol-powered car wheelbase standards and in this five-seat PHEV version boot space is great, its 745/1,945-litre minimum and maximum only bettered by the non-PHEV five-seater’s 910/2,105 litres. But perhaps the most surprising aspect of this PHEV is the promise from the combined 204PS 1.5-litre petrol-electric powertrain of 71 electric-only miles. We’ve only re-fuelled once each with electricity and petrol so far, but will be monitoring this aspect closely.
| Model | Skoda Kodiaq iV SE L (5 seat) |
| P11D price | £44,580 |
| As tested | £47,055 (OTR) |
| Official consumption | 578.4mpg |
| Our average consumption | 41.9mpg |
| Mileage | 2,127 |
Standard equipment on SE L: Seven airbags, collision brake system, cruise control with speed assist, electronic stability control, blind spot monitor, lane keep and road sign assist, LED headlights, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and start/stop, tri-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, 10.25in colour digital driver display and 13in central touchscreen with satnav, rear view camera, DAB radio, Bluetooth, wireless Apple Carplay and Android smartphone integration, two wireless smartphone charging pads, four USB-C ports (x2 front, x2 rear), power tailgate, 19in wheels, umbrella in front door.
Optional equipment: Electric tow bar with adaptor (£1270); Race Blue metallic paint (£660); Light and View Plus Package (£170); Winter Package (£320); adaptive cruise control (no-cost option)
