Skoda Kodiaq 2.0TDI 190 4×4 DSG SE L review

“But it’s a Skoda?”

That’s usually the response I get when I recommend the new Kodiaq to my family and friends.

The Czech manufacturer has been battling with old perceptions for years now – however, the excellent Superb launched back in 2015 was a key turning point for the firm and this, the new Kodiaq, continues the carmaker’s journey in the desirability stakes.

The brand has come on leaps and bounds and to say that we liked the Kodiaq when we first drove it back in December would be a huge understatement. Not only is the Kodiaq stylish, good to drive and reasonably priced, it also beats its rivals on the whole-life costs front too.

Powerful diesel

There’s a range of petrol and diesel powertrains on offer, with the possibility of a plug-in hybrid at some point too. But it’s the fleet-favourite 2.0-litre diesel that we turn our attentions to here and under the bonnet of our test car is the more powerful 190hp option.

The engine, although powerful, can be a little noisy at times when accelerating. It does, however, come with some keen performance figures: the 0-62mph sprint is achieved in less than 10 seconds and the car proved very comfortable over longer distances too.

Our car also comes equipped with the firm’s four-wheel drive system and seven-speed DSG gearbox, which proved slick and created near-seamless gearchanges. 

The higher seating position means good all-round visibility and the Kodiaq is an easy car to drive, tackling corners with confidence and with minimal bodyroll.

We didn’t get a chance to take the Kodiaq off-road on this occasion – however, we’re confident it’ll be more than up for the job. The penalty on running costs for opting for four-wheel drive, however, is something that should be considered.

Headline figures of 151g/km of CO2 and fuel economy at 49.6mpg combined are not the best in this sector, but still competitive. Meanwhile, the lower-powered 150hp diesel in two-wheel drive guise is the best in the range for costs, producing 131g/km and 56.5mpg respectively.

Simply Clever

Ask anyone to think of a trademark Skoda quality and practicality is guaranteed to be up there, and while the Kodiaq takes a step towards style and premium appeal, it still retains this core value.

Space inside is plentiful for headroom and even legroom in the third-row seats will be adequate for most. The boot is impressively large too – there’s 720 litres available as a five-seater or 270 litres with all seven seats in place.

There are also lots of practical and clever storage solutions on offer around the cabin including a usefully deep centre console, cupholders galore, two gloveboxes, rear seat tray tables and large door bins.

This wouldn’t be a Skoda without the innovative ‘Simply Clever’ touches that have made the brand famous including umbrellas in the front doors, an ice scraper in the filler cap, and my personal favourite, the ticket holder in the windscreen – very useful in everyday life.

SE L is the big seller

There are three different trims available in the new Kodiaq as well as a more rugged Scout and a sportier Sportline version due to join the line-up later in the year

We’re testing the top of the current range SE L, which boasts a whole host of kit including Alcantara upholstery, 19-inch alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay capabilities, heated front seats, LED lights, rear parking sensors, dual-zone air-con, automatic tailgate, cruise control and sat-nav.

It’s disappointing to see front parking sensors and a reversing camera both missing from the standard spec and the Kodiaq also misses out some of its stablemates latest technology, like Audi’s Virtual Cockpit. 

The upmarket and clean interior boasts excellent quality throughout, however, and the intuitive and high-resolution touchscreen is one of the best currently on offer in this sector too.

Whole-life costs

The figures speak for themselves here – against rivals like the Nissan X-Trail and Kia Sorento the Kodiaq’s impressive residual values and lower P11D value make it far cheaper to run per-mile, despite the car’s average running cost figures.

However, unless you really need the four-wheel drive capabilities and extra power, we think the two-wheel drive 2.0-litre 150hp diesel is the sweet spot of the range and worth considering over our version here.