2017 Skoda Kodiaq review: a superb seven-seat SUV

2017 Skoda Kodiaq SUV review seven seats
The new Skoda Kodiaq – a very late entry into the SUV game from the Czech manufacturer – is one of the best large family cars on the market

The Kodiaq is not only Skoda’s largest SUV, but also its first car with seven seats. It therefore pushes the brand into a completely new market, where success means delivering on Skoda’s usual qualities of practicality, thoughtful design and good old fashioned value for money.

Petrol and diesel engines are offered, as well as manual and automatic gearboxes and two- or four-wheel drive, while rivals range from the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe to the Nissan X-trail and Land Rover Discovery Sport.

Space 9/10

Clever use of interior space

2017 Skoda Kodiaq SUV review seven seats

It is possible to buy a Kodiaq with only five seats, in which case you get ample room for five adults and a significantly bigger boot than a Audi Q5’s (although there is a ridge in the floor when the rear seats are folded).

However, most will opt for their Kodiaq with an extra two seats that fold out of the boot floor and provide enough room to carry a couple of extra passengers, albeit children rather than adults.

The second row offers plenty of room, and because the seats sit on runners (albeit in a 60:40 split rather than the 40:20:40 of some rivals) it is possible to juggle leg room between passengers, as well as slide the seats out of the way to provide decent access to the third row.

With all seats in place you still get enough boot space to carry a weekly shop, helped by the parcel shelf being stowed under the boot floor, while dropping them down gives a generous load area.

Those in the front benefit from lots of useful storage areas including large door bins and not one but two gloveboxes.

Comfort 8/10

Low-speed ride slightly jittery, but otherwise good

2017 Skoda Kodiaq SUV review seven seats

The Kodiaq does not quite boast the kind of cosseting ride that makes Skoda’s Superb such a standout performer, but it’s still a pleasant place to spend time. The low-speed ride can occasionally feel jittery, but above 40mph it smoothes out, and even on 19-inch alloy wheels it handles larger bumps and potholes with real composure. Skoda also offers adaptive suspension with an optional Sport mode to make the ride even firmer, but we’d suggest saving your money and sticking with the standard setup.

Road and engine noise are well controlled, particularly if you opt for one of the petrol units. The diesel is equal among its VW Group peers, but still produces a noticeable rattle when started, and you do hear some wind noise at motorway speeds.

Excellent seats, lots of adjustment in the driving position and a good view out over traffic all add to the Kodiaq’s credentials in the comfort department.

Dashboard layout 8/10

Simple to use and built to last

2017 Skoda Kodiaq SUV review seven seats

The Kodiaq’s dash is exactly as you’d expect of a modern Skoda, with dials that border on being cluttered without actually being difficult to read, plus excellent heater controls and a first-rate touchscreen. The latter grows from a standard 6.5-inch unit to a more impressive 8 inches as you move up through the range, and all models come with smartphone connectivity in the form of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Quality feels impressive, with solid panels and no squeaks or rattles, and only if you start to really root around in the lower parts of the interior will you be able to find materials of a slightly cheaper nature.

Easy to drive 8/10

Responsive controls, but watch out for rear visibility

2017 Skoda Kodiaq SUV review seven seats

Although clearly a big car, the Kodiaq doesn’t feel nearly as wide to drive as a Kia Sorento, and has responsive controls, from the steering to the pedals. Automatic models use Volkswagen’s DSG gearbox, which produces slick shifts, although feels more tuned for comfort and economy in the Kodiaq than it does in something like a Seat Ateca.

Forward visibility is also good, but large blind spots around the rear corners of the car can make reversing tricky, even with proximity sensors fitted. As such, adding a rear-view camera or the optional Manoeuvre Assist function, which automatically applies the brakes if it senses you are about to reverse into something, could well pay for itself over time in avoided car park scrapes and dings.

Fun to drive 6/10

Better than it has any right to be

2017 Skoda Kodiaq SUV review seven seats

Of all the Kodiaq’s qualities, you can imagine this being where engineers were prepared to compromise. However, consider its size and the raised ride height, it actually handles with real polish, resisting body lean in corners and offering lots of grip.

An optional Drive Select system allows you to put the car into a Sport setting that adds more weight to the steering and improves throttle response, but it doesn’t add a great deal more to the Kodiaq’s already impressive composure.

The only engine we haven’t tried is the entry-level 1.4-litre petrol, but as it is only available with a five-seat version of the Kodiaq it is likely to provide acceptable, if not exciting performance.

The higher-powered 1.4 with 148bhp adds a bit of extra spark to the Kodiaq’s performance, and can cope with hauling seven people around, but most will likely be charmed by the extra mid-range pulling power of the 2.0-litre diesel, even if it still doesn’t quite have the same urge as Kia and Hyundai’s 2.2-litre unit.

Skoda also offers the Kodiaq with a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine which delivers genuinely brisk performance but will be significantly more expensive to run.

Reliability 9/10

Skoda’s customer satisfaction record is great

Skoda finished first out of 24 manufacturers in the 2016 JD Power UK Dependability Study, and frequently tops customer satisfaction charts, too.

Our only complaint is that Skoda’s three-year, 60,000-mile warranty is a little tight these days, particularly as its two biggest rivals from Hyundai and Kia offer five and seven years worth of cover respectively.

Fuel economy 8/10

A solid performer, but it’s still a large car

2017 Skoda Kodiaq SUV review seven seats

If you’re in the market for a petrol Kodiaq the best performer is the 1.4-litre, which delivered up to 46mpg in EU tests, although be aware that adding 4x4 reduced that figure to 40mpg, and a DSG gearbox another one or two mpg again. Our tests in a 1.4 DSG 4x4 yielded 36mpg, while the more powerful 2.0-litre model dropped closer to 30mpg.

For ultimate economy the engine of choice is the 2.0-litre diesel in 148bhp guise, which returned a best of 56.5mpg in EU tests when fitted with an automatic gearbox, placing it ahead of the Kia and Hyundai, as well as the Nissan X-trail. Our test route resulted in an indicted figure of 41mpg from the same configuration, but we’d expect to eke out a few more miles per gallon with a more gentle right foot.

Affordability 8/10

Seven seat SUVs don’t come much cheaper

Skoda’s might not be as cheap as they once were, but bearing in mind the generous standard specification and the size of the interior, the Kodiaq still represents one of the best value SUVs on sale.

If you’re considering a five-seat model we’d also recommend trying the slightly smaller Seat Ateca for its superior handling, but as far as seven-seat SUVs go the Kodiaq is difficult to beat, whether you’re buying outright or leasing, and it also has relatively low CO2 emissions for this class of vehicle.

Safety 8/10

All models come with seven airbags

All Kodiaq’s come with seven airbags and a city emergency braking system that can automatically apply the brakes if the car senses you are about to run into the vehicle in front. Lane keeping assist, blind spot monitors and road sign recognition cameras are all available as optional extras, and every model includes a Multi-Collision Brake device that in the event of an accident applies the brakes to prevent any further uncontrolled movement of the car.

As such, while the Kodiaq is yet to be tested by Euro NCAP, we’d expect it to emerge from the industry standard crash procedures with a strong result.

Standard spec 9/10

All models are well equipped, but entry-level misses out on seven seats

2017 Skoda Kodiaq SUV review seven seats

Entry level S models include a DAB radio, air-conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels, a leather covered multifunction steering wheel and a 6.5-inch infotainment system.

Moving up to SE results in the wheels growing to 18 inches and the touchscreen to 8 inches, as well as rear parking sensors, cruise control and dual-zone climate control being added. Unlike S spec models, you can also now add seven seats.

SE L includes the seven-seat layout as standard, as well as adding 19-inch alloys, satnav, a powered bootlid, heated front seats and various Drive Select driving modes from Economy to Sport.

At the top of the range sit Edition spec Kodiaqs with their leather upholstery, wireless phone charging, metallic paint and blind spot monitors.

Our favourite version

SE L 1.4 TSI 150PS DSG, list price £26,300

Options you should add: Metallic paint (£555), leather upholstery (£300), rear view parking camera (£375), space saver spare wheel (£100)

Verdict 9/10

The Kodiaq is a terrific SUV, with all the room you’d expect of a large family car, excellent driving manners and lots of equipment, all for a tempting price. If you’re in the market for a seven seater, it should definitely be on your list.

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