Skoda Kodiaq is the 4×4 Car of the Year – wins too for Dacia Duster and more

The new Skoda Kodiaq has been declared the 4×4 of the year by Overlander 4×4 Magazine, with wins too for Dacia and more.

We live in a motoring age when everyone and his dog seems to want a 4×4, with SUVs from the smallest to the largest – and cheapest to the most expensive – finding homes with drivers who want to sit higher up and feel invincible.

With so much competition in the market, it takes a lot to be declared the 4×4 of the year, so Skoda is chuffed that the new Skoda Kodiaq has been declared Car of the Year by Overlander 4×4 Magazine and the Best Medium SUV, too.

Having gone on sale in the UK in April from £36,645, with a PHEV option added in June and a Kodiaq vRS with Golf GTI power arriving in October, the Kodiaq really is a very good option for a family SUV – without silly prices.

Overlander 4×4 Editor Alan Kidd said: 

We always used to say the first-generation Kodiaq was the best vehicle never to win 4×4 of the Year. Well, in a manner of speaking it has now. The new model picks up almost seamlessly from where the old one left off. You can drive all day in the Kodiaq and still feel ready for more. It’s incredibly composed, smooth, quiet – everything you want of a family SUV.

Other major winners at the awards include Dacia, with the Dacia Duster grabbing not only the Best Small SUV gong but, predictably, Best Budget SUV too.

Luke Broad, Brand Director for Dacia UK, said:

I’ve experienced off-roading in the Duster and it’s a great experience, but it’s also nice to know that the professionals at Overlander 4×4 magazine also think it’s fantastic for its all-terrain skills. There are a lot of people who need all-wheel drive but don’t want or can’t justify the cost of a traditional large SUV, so Duster fits the bill perfectly. We’re especially proud that Duster has beaten so many other off roaders to win not one, but two titles!

Kia also did well at the awards with Best Large SUV for the Sorento, Best Electric SUV for the new EV6, and Manufacturer of the Year, with the KGM Torres declared Best Value and Subaru Overlander Best Crossover.