New Skoda Kodiaq 2025 review
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00:00This is the new generation Skoda Kodiaq, and I'm in Germany, and this is a preview of the new
00:04version of this seven-seat family SUV before it arrives in Australia in the first quarter of 2025.
00:11And in this review, I'll tell you what I think about it, what it does well, what it could do
00:15better, and what it competes against that you might also want to consider. If you haven't
00:18already, please subscribe and ring the bell to keep up to date with all of my reviews,
00:22and then I'll bring you more content on this car when it arrives down under.
00:25So, let's get to it, shall we, and see what this new Kodiaq's all about.
00:34In Australia, we're expecting three grades of the Skoda Kodiaq new generation model range
00:38to be offered with similar pricing to the existing model, so the entry-level version
00:43will be called Select. And don't go thinking it's going to be a base, stripped-out model.
00:47It's going to have plenty of standard equipment, things like LED lights, big alloy wheels,
00:52keyless entry, push-button start, cloth interior trim, and a 13-inch touchscreen media system with
00:58Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Sat Nav, and also you'll get those smart dials as standard across
01:03the range as well. Expect it to be priced around $50,000 to $55,000, that's what I'm guessing,
01:09and above that will be the mid-spec Sportline model. Between $55,000 and $60,000 is my estimate
01:16at this point in time. It has a few extra features to make it look a bit different on the outside.
01:21It gets an LED light bar that runs between the headlights, it gets a body kit, it gets different
01:25wheels, and on the inside it gets a different interior trim. You can expect things like electric
01:30seat adjustment in that grade as well, and those other little things might be able to be optioned
01:35as part of a package on the entry-level version too, but we'll have to wait and see. Now, above
01:41them all will be the RS grade, the sporty one, and in the existing model range it was quite expensive,
01:48over $70,000 for that one, and the new generation model range might have maybe a bit more price
01:54focus on it. You can expect it to have a very punchy 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine just like
01:59the other models, and all-wheel drive and seven seats just like the other models, but it will be
02:03more sporty and more focused. But look, we'll have to wait and see where all of these models are
02:09priced, but I do have some alternatives that you might want to consider if you're maybe not willing
02:14to wait for this car to arrive.
02:19If you're looking for a family-friendly seven-seater SUV about this size, there are some
02:23really good options out there. First one that I would recommend that you go and take a look at is
02:27the Hyundai Santa Fe. It arrived in Australia a little while ago and it does have hybrid as part
02:33of the powertrain lineup. In fact, it launched with hybrid and there's a turbo petrol version
02:38coming soon as well. And it is a fantastic family vehicle, very practical, lots of third-row space,
02:45lots of usability and also pretty good pricing as well, but it is getting a little pricey at
02:50the upper end. So what else could you consider? Well, you could look at the Kia Sorento. It's got
02:56a fair few powertrain options as well. It's got a petrol V6, it's got a turbo diesel, it's got a
03:02hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. But if you want those other electrified versions, you have to spend up
03:07to the top spec because they're only offered in the GT-Line grade and it will cost you a fair bit
03:12more money to get into those versions if that's what you're after. But there is a broad range of
03:16options in the Sorento lineup and they're all really good to drive as well. And finally, what
03:21about one from the Volkswagen group that isn't this? The Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace could be a
03:27really good choice for you. It is essentially at the end of its life and will be replaced by a new
03:32model called Tayron soon, but it still offers plenty of value, like actually really, really
03:37good value across that model lineup. So if this isn't quite right for you or you can't wait,
03:42maybe go and test drive the Tiguan Allspace or tell me what you think in the comments.
03:44Which one would you pick?
03:49The thing that you might love about this car is that it isn't huge. It might look pretty substantial,
03:55but it isn't a massive, massive SUV. It's just under 4.8 metres in length, so it's about the
04:01same size as some five-seat SUVs in this segment, but it still has three rows of seats and it has
04:08plenty of beauty to the design as well. I reckon it looks fantastic, this new-gen version, but I
04:13actually thought the old one still looked pretty good, and I am really, really fond of the rear
04:18end in particular. To me, this looks kind of like an American Honda SUV with that taillight design,
04:25and I think it has a real understated elegance to it. So let's see if it's practical enough.
04:30Let's open the boot and take a look. In the boot, and this is a very, very practical car.
04:37If you are looking for a family-friendly model that you'll use more as a five-seater than a
04:41seven-seater, this is brilliant. Just look how much space there is in here. You'll see the number
04:46on your screen now, and there's also a couple of really clever features back here. Some fold-down
04:51hooks, and you can also fold down those rear seats using these levers, which is very,
04:57very handy. And I'll fold those back up in a sec. I just want to show you a few of the other
05:01features in the back here. There's another little hook there. This one has the very clever push
05:06button release for the tow ball. Let's have a look at that. There it is. You can pick it up like that,
05:14and then you've got your tow ball. Don't think that'll be offered in Australia like that,
05:18we'll have to wait and see. And underneath the boot floor, there is a space saver spare wheel
05:23as well, so that's great to see and something that Aussies will definitely value. Now,
05:29I'm just going to put this camera down and show you what it's like with the seats up.
05:35So, there you go. That is a decent amount of space behind the third row. It's going to be
05:41family-friendly, there's no doubt about that. And look, it's also got some pretty easy-to-use
05:46folding mechanisms for these seats. Just pull that tab and fold the seat forward. Obviously,
05:51you do need to move the headrest down before you do that, but that is a pretty practical boot space.
05:57I'm going to show you what the actual human space is like in that third row in a sec,
06:01so let's jump inside and see what it's like.
06:06Obviously, the steering wheel is on the wrong side for this car for our market, but just have
06:12a look at the improvement to the interior of this new generation Kodiak. It is a very,
06:18very nice place to sit, there is no doubt about that. Some really lovely finishes, beautiful
06:24materials in here as well. Just have a look at these finishes, will you? This is a lovely etched
06:31sort of plasticky trim, and you've got a double glove box. Yes, very, very clever, as you would
06:38expect from the brand. And these are also very clever. These are the new smart dials, and this
06:45will allow you to control a few different things using these dials. So, yep, you've got your fan
06:50speed controller. If you don't want it to be fan speed, it can also be the direction of your air,
06:56and also the volume controller for the stereo, and also your drive mode selector as well. And
07:02you can actually configure those elements of those screens by going into this home screen menu,
07:09and then you can adjust the smart dial controls. So you can have it as a map zoomer if you are one
07:16of those people who uses the inbuilt sat-nav all the time, or smart climber, that's just like a
07:20smart climate control system. But I love that there is a level of configurability to those
07:26controls, and they are just so lovely. They're so much better than actual little touch screens,
07:32because they're physical dials, they're bloody how things should be. Just look at that,
07:37so quick to react. I love it. All right, just get things back to how they should be. Yes, back, turn
07:44off the fan again, and right. Now, this screen itself, a little bit fiddly, I have to say.
07:51I keep going to the home button down here, and not going to the car button up there, and the car
07:57button has all the car controls which aren't in the home screen, unless you can find them in the
08:02home screen. It is a very complicated screen if you aren't used to it. I'm not used to it, I would
08:08need to spend a few days with it to get my head around it, I reckon. But it does have a heap of
08:13features that you will like. It's got wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well, and there's a few
08:19other controls on the screen. If you don't want to use those dials for whatever reason, you can use
08:23the climate control screen menu up there. And yes, you've got radio, you've got phone, you've got
08:29CarPlay, and you've got your sat-nav system as well. So all of that seems to make a lot of sense,
08:35doesn't it? It's a nice screen and it will take some learning, but these, these are a revelation.
08:42I am so grateful that they aren't touch screens, even though they are cute little colourful screens.
08:48And you've got proper little buttons there for your demisters as well, and a recirc button too.
08:54Below there you've got a pair of USB-C ports, there's also a pair of wireless phone chargers
08:58with cooling as well, so things shouldn't overheat. There's another little shelf there, and that can be
09:04closed up if you want to close it to hide your phones or whatever. There's also this. This is a
09:10handy little item. That's a screen wipe, and it's bloody brilliant, because I hate fingerprints,
09:16and this gets rid of them. Simply clever, you bloody bet. There's a couple of cup holders here,
09:21a storage tray back here as well, and a openable armrest too. Lovely things about this cabin is
09:29this is a soft material finish, and there's lots of those soft material finishes around the cabin.
09:35The seats are beautiful, they're very comfortable and very adjustable. Ignore the ISOFIX points, we
09:40won't get those. There's big bottle holders in the doors, and all of it feels really, really nice.
09:47This doesn't feel like a cheap SUV on the inside, it feels like a premium SUV at an affordable price
09:54potentially. We'll have to wait and see. All right, let's check out the second row of space, shall we?
09:59Right, this seat is set for my driving position. I'm six foot or 182 centimetres. Look at that,
10:05plenty of space there. A couple of storage holes, you've got plenty of really great amenities down
10:10here as well. Some storage containment down there, there's climate control in the back.
10:14This spec, it might not necessarily be representative of what we're getting, but it has
10:19heated outboard seats, you've got directional vents there as well, and it is just super duper
10:25practical. You've also got really great sun blinds on the rear windows as well, ambient lighting in
10:31the doors, and a beautiful trim on these seats. It's just a really nice cabin. You've got a flip
10:38down armrest with cup holders. All of this stuff makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? And you can also
10:43slide this seat forward if you need to, to allow for more third row space for people in the very
10:49back. And yes, I'm going to jump in the very back and show you what the space is actually like.
10:56So this seat will tilt and slide forward, as you can see. The bigger side is on the driver's side
11:02in this market. Have to wait and see how it's configured for ours, but let's jump in and see
11:08what we are working with. Just pull this seat back and fold it up, and hopefully I can fit.
11:14Maybe not. There we go. So, that seat there, I could fit there, I reckon. And this seat here,
11:23I can just, just fit here. My knees are pretty hard up against the seat in front, and yes,
11:29toe room is a little bit limited. Headroom, as you can see, not too bad. I've got sort of enough
11:36space back here, but I don't have any directional air vents in the back row. I've got a light,
11:41which is kind of good. It's not working because the car's off, but there's also some storage
11:45trays in the armrests as well, and I think it's pretty good. One thing that isn't great about it
11:51is there are no ISOFIX points in the third row, no top tethers either, but you do have
11:57three top tethers and two ISOFIX points for the second row. Not bad, eh?
12:02In Australia, we're expecting to get two different engine options for the new generation Kodiaq range.
12:08The entry-level Select and the mid-spec Sportline will both have a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol
12:14four-cylinder engine. You'll see the outputs on your screen now. That is a pretty competitive
12:19number in terms of power and torque for this segment, and it'll come as standard with a
12:24seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive will be standard as well.
12:30When it comes to the RS model, well, we're still waiting to find out all the details of that one,
12:34but you can expect a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine as well, but with more grunt. If you need more
12:39grunt, it'll be the one to go for. Now, towing capacity, you can expect it to be among the best
12:44in the class when it comes to towing as well, so stacking up well, let's go for a drive,
12:48see what it's like on the road on this side.
12:54I really liked the existing version of the Kodiaq, and I think it's a pretty good car.
12:58I really like this new one. I'd like it a lot to drive. It is a really well-polished
13:06and well-sorted and comfortable and just brilliant car to drive. I haven't really
13:12been able to fault the drive experience in this test car in Germany on these roads.
13:17Look, these roads are fantastic. We've driven across some amazing different terrain today,
13:23up into the mountains, around Munich, in the city, in traffic, all sorts of stuff today,
13:28and this car's done everything with ease. Now, the version that I'm driving right here doesn't
13:33have a relevant engine. It's a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine in this spec, and we won't be
13:39getting diesel in Australia, but if the powertrains are what we're expecting, we're going to get
13:452.0-litre turbo petrol engines across the range, and it'll be a familiar 140-kilowatt,
13:51320-newton-metre turbo petrol and all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
13:58That's been a fantastic engine in existing applications in Skodas, and it'll be good,
14:03I reckon, in this one. Now, there's also some fantastic elements to this drive experience in
14:08terms of the refinement. It's on a new platform, and it feels more refined and more mature than
14:14the previous version. It feels stiffer, it feels keener to drive as well in corners,
14:20it's got lots of electronic trickery to make it feel like it handles way smaller than the car is.
14:26It's not a massive SUV, but it feels kind of like a Golf to drive in corners, and that is
14:31fantastic about it. It's got brilliant steering, it's very, very easy to judge the steering in
14:37this car, and also the ride is phenomenal. And this car also has the new Dynamic Chassis Control
14:44system, which includes adaptive dampers so you can adjust the softness or hardness of the ride,
14:50and that will be a welcome thing for this new generation model range in Australia as well.
14:55You can probably expect that to be offered in the Sportline grade, and it'll be in the RS too.
15:01And look, the drive modes, I've mainly been keeping it in the Normal drive mode,
15:05I've fiddled a little bit with the Sport drive mode as well, and in every instance,
15:10in every situation I've been in today, I've found this car to be absolutely brilliant to drive.
15:16And look, if you're expecting this car to be competitive in the class, I think it's actually
15:22going to go to the top of the class in terms of the drive experience when it arrives in Australia.
15:27But hey, like I said, the pricing and the powertrains might determine whether you think
15:31it's going to be the right car for you. Another thing that really impresses me about this new
15:35generation product, as opposed to a bunch of other new vehicles I've tested recently,
15:40is that the integration of the safety technology is on point. So there's a system here where you
15:47can dive through menus on the driver info screen using controls on the steering wheel to turn off
15:52things like your lane keeping and also the speed sign beeping and bonging. And that is a revelation,
15:59because it means you don't have to worry about jumping through menus on the screen, which means
16:03you can stay on the phone call that you are on while it connects up to Apple CarPlay, for instance.
16:08All of that makes this car easier to live with,
16:11and will make it easier to live with when it gets to Australia.
16:17This generation Kodiaq just achieved the maximum 5-star Euro ANCAP safety rating,
16:22and you can expect that it will probably get a 5-star ANCAP safety rating as well.
16:26And it does have heaps and heaps of standard safety technology and equipment fitted across
16:31the range. Things like autonomous emergency braking, there's adaptive cruise control with
16:35traffic jam assistance, and a speed sign recognition system as well. Thankfully,
16:40it's not too annoying and it's pretty easy to disable as well. There's also a lane keeping
16:45system, also pretty easy to disable, and there's blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert,
16:50parking sensors all around the car, and plenty of other great features. And this car also has
16:55nine airbags, dual front, front side, front centre, and rear side, and also full-length
17:00curtain coverage too. So, should be pretty safe, I reckon.
17:06Skoda is the only European brand to offer a seven-year warranty in the Australian market,
17:11and the brand also offers a prepaid service plan available for up to seven years of maintenance.
17:1612 months, 15,000km are your service intervals for most Skoda products. I expect that this one
17:21will have those as well, and that means you've got 105,000km of servicing covered if you prepay
17:28for your servicing, and you will save hundreds of bucks if you do that as well. And if you sell
17:33your car before that period ends, you can also pass that benefit on to the next owner, which
17:37should protect your resale value. And in fact, you can lock in your guaranteed future value for
17:43this vehicle if you finance through the Skoda brand. When this car launches in Australia,
17:47you'll be able to go onto the website and check the weekly repayment calculator as well. So,
17:51all of that seems to make a lot of sense on the ownership front.
17:57I really like this new generation Kodiaq. I think it's brilliant, and I think it will do very well
18:02for the brand in Australia if it's priced right. So, let me know what you think. How expensive
18:07should it be? How expensive shouldn't it be? Let me know in the comments, and if you haven't
18:11already, please ring the bell to keep up to date with all of my reviews, and you'll be able to see
18:14when I drive it in Australia and tell you all the things you need to know about it down under.
18:19Thanks for watching. I'll see you in the next one.
18:37Transcribed by https://otter.ai