Skoda Kodiaq SUV arrives and heralds Skoda’s SUV offensive

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The Skoda Kodiaq SUV – Skoda’s first of a range of SUVs – is revealed ahead of a debut at the Paris Motor Show. Expected to cost from under £23k.

The Skoda Kodiaq SUV, previewed by the Skoda Vision S Concept, is a big deal for Skoda as the start of a new focus for the VW owned Czech car maker with a range of SUVs and Crossovers designed to grab a piece of that increasingly large market.

Aimed at cars like the VW Tiguan and the Korean duo of Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento (and maybe even low down Land Rover Discovery Sport models) the Kodiaq is clearly a Skoda by design, and one that looks immensely practical, spacious and not stupidly priced (it should start the right side of £23k).

Based on VW’s MQB Platform, the Kodiaq has, say Skoda, elegant lines and sporty contours, and we must admit it looks good; clean lines, wide grille, flowing headlights, typically angular wheelarches and short overhangs all conspire to make a good-looking family SUV.

The Kodiaq comes with seven seats (although you won’t be able to get luggage for one in the boot with all seven seats up), but forsake the back two and you get a useful 720 litres of luggage space, and a massive 2065 with all the back seats stowed away. You can even option a folding front passenger seat to carry long stuff.

Engine choices – at launch – are a 2.0 litre diesel with either 148bhp or 187bhp, a 1.4 litre petrol with 123bhp, a 1.4 litre petrol with 148bhp and active cylinder tech and a 2.0 litre TSI with 178bhp.

The base petrol Kodiaq comes with a manual gearbox and front-wheel drive, and the more potent petrols and diesels get four-wheel drive and DSG ‘boxes.

The Kodiaq also has plenty of technology on offer – some standard, some optional – including City Emergency Brake, Adaptive Cruise and Traffic Jam Assist, and there are plenty of nice touches too.

They include pop-out door protectors (thank you Ford Focus), heated, vented and electric ally adjustable seats, ambient lighting, three-zone climate and much, much more.

Debuting at the Paris Motor Show, the Kodiaq is expected to go on sale in the UK later in the year, with prices expected to start from under £23k, rising to over £40k.