The 7-Seater Skoda Kodiaq SUV Is Here To Make The Volvo XC90 Look Stupidly Expensive

Lots of space and a boot in which you could hide the Death Star: it can only be Skoda's first attempt at a large SUV, and we've got the lowdown
The 7-Seater Skoda Kodiaq SUV Is Here To Make The Volvo XC90 Look Stupidly Expensive

It’s a good news day for parents who just can’t seem to stop having kids, with Skoda’s reveal of its new seven-seat SUV, set for a launch in the UK early next year.

The Kodiaq – because changing letters in words is cool, obvs – is a 4.7-metre monster that dwarfs the Yeti we know and love. It’s yours with five seats and a boot that could swallow Pluto, or seven seats and enough room for two stacked sets of golf clubs or an unholy amount of nappy bags. In fact Skoda claims the boot, which expands to 2065 litres with the seats all folded down, is the biggest in the class. Oooooh.

The 7-Seater Skoda Kodiaq SUV Is Here To Make The Volvo XC90 Look Stupidly Expensive

Looks are subjective and it might be a bit bland to some eyes, but it can tow up to 2.5 tonnes and with helpful tech like Trailer Assist it shouldn’t feature in too many embarrassing YouTube dashcam videos.

It’s based on the modular MQB chassis, which is the VW Group’s uber-flexible mid-sized platform underpinning the likes of the Golf, A4 and Octavia, albeit with different scaling. Whack it on a weighbridge and you’ll see somewhere in the region of 1.5 tonnes depending on engine and spec.

The 7-Seater Skoda Kodiaq SUV Is Here To Make The Volvo XC90 Look Stupidly Expensive

Skoda has released a lot of boring numbers showing exactly how big it is inside, but frankly all you need to know is that if you get in and feel a bit cramped, you should probably try auditioning for the next series of Game of Thrones as The Mountain’s big brother.

The 720-litre boot in the five-seater Kodiaq is mighty, though. You could misplace big stuff in there. Children could camp out in it. Dogs would be able to take themselves for walkies in the boot before you even get to the park.

The 7-Seater Skoda Kodiaq SUV Is Here To Make The Volvo XC90 Look Stupidly Expensive

There’s some clever stuff going on that we’re totally in favour of, too. Spring-loaded door edge protectors are something that should have been thought of years ago. We’re not too sure about the optional ‘sleep package headrests’, though. Full automation isn’t quite ready yet, Skoda…

Naturally there’s a full range of engines planned, and it’s all four-cylinder stuff you already know. From 1.4 TSI petrols to 2.0-litre TDI diesels there are no surprises here. The most powerful is a 187bhp 2.0 TDI with 295lb ft, while you can hook most of the engines up to either six-cog manuals or twin-clutch DSGs with six or seven speeds depending on spec.

The 7-Seater Skoda Kodiaq SUV Is Here To Make The Volvo XC90 Look Stupidly Expensive

There’s an off-road mode in the Kodiaq but the company doesn’t seem to rate it as very important, jamming it into a couple of sentences right at the end of the press release. It’s an optional extra that you have to add to another optional extra, which in turn you have to add to the optional four-wheel-drive, so let’s just leave that there.

Prices are yet to be confirmed but are expected to fall somewhere between ‘not cheap’ and ‘bloody hell, you could buy a Touareg for that’. There have been reports of a starting price of around £23,000 though, which for an SUV of such Brobdingnagian proportions is an utter bargain. Still want a Volvo XC90?

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Comments

FLixy Madfox

And im here in America like
“Whats a skoda? Is it a type of soda?”

09/02/2016 - 10:37 |
136 | 4

TRUE

09/02/2016 - 10:41 |
0 | 0

It sucks being a car guy even more of you live in a country part of america, i live in a more country part of nc (outside of my neighborhood its sticks for miles😂) and when you pull up to car meets playing country music everybody hates and nobody wants to talk about cars unless its a lifted truck

09/02/2016 - 10:43 |
8 | 2

It was one of the worst car brands out there until VW took them under their wing.

09/02/2016 - 11:28 |
30 | 2
Robi

It reminds me of Q7 a bit…

09/02/2016 - 10:38 |
16 | 0
Detra

In reply to by Robi

I guess you’re not the only one…

09/02/2016 - 11:08 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Robi

That’s because are part of the same group 😊

09/02/2016 - 15:05 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Robi

In my eyes a mix of BMW, Audi and Land Rover… but the Skoda seems to be looking great and maybe for a reasonable price!

09/02/2016 - 16:49 |
2 | 0
CitigoMan

I want a volvo XC40 for some reason

09/02/2016 - 10:47 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

I’m not sure Americans and the youngest kids here realise how bad Skoda use to be.

I mean… they were bad. To the point there was a whole genre of jokes for them

09/02/2016 - 10:50 |
10 | 4
Yanno_ThatCarGuy

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

What do you call a skip?…a convertible skoda

09/02/2016 - 16:28 |
2 | 0
Tommy4320

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

It’s sad how Skoda evolved from top ten oldest car brand through shitboxes under hands of communism to Germanish machines that are all the same.Very good with no soul.

09/02/2016 - 21:10 |
4 | 2
Callum Scoular

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

That’s very true but trust me, they’ve got alot better

09/06/2016 - 06:41 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Well they were like any other comunistic car

01/29/2017 - 16:14 |
0 | 0
RoyP

It’s part of their culture

09/02/2016 - 10:55 |
10 | 0
The S2K Guy

Looks like a rolls royce and an audi combined

09/02/2016 - 11:07 |
0 | 0
Freddie Skeates

When your car’s so successful everyone’s copying it

09/02/2016 - 11:14 |
50 | 4

You mean LR copied skoda???

09/05/2016 - 04:28 |
2 | 2
Anonymous

And its manual..

09/02/2016 - 11:18 |
14 | 0
Nissan 420sx

Just bentley things xD

09/02/2016 - 11:38 |
74 | 0

Seen it today. Looks expensive for sure. Have not checked if the super fancy clock was in the dashboard, lol.

09/03/2016 - 17:47 |
6 | 0
iCypher(Joel Chan)

I could have sworn I saw a Superb when looking at this…..Wait, 23000? Isn’t that CHEAPER than the Superb?

09/02/2016 - 11:40 |
2 | 0

Yeah but it’s an SUV so it’s worse

01/29/2017 - 16:11 |
0 | 0