The next-generation Skoda Kodiaq SUV will be the first SUV from the brand to offer plug-in hybrid power
It seems Skoda can barely contain its excitement for the unveiling of the second-generation Kodiaq SUV, sharing more teasers of its new family SUV before it rips the covers off on 4 October.
Having already seen its high-tech new interior, driven pre-production prototypes and learned all about its new and more efficient range of engines, the new Skoda Kodiaq’s exterior styling is the last piece of the puzzle that we’re now finally getting a sense of.
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Top 10 best large SUVs to buy 2023
Top 10 best large SUVs to buy 2023A brief teaser video and some design sketches shared by Skoda hint at the Kodiaq’s evolutionary aesthetic that will combine traditional Skoda design cues, such as the scalloped bonnet and vertical grille vanes, with a new curved character line just above the sills and sharper LED lighting. There are more details still to be revealed, but the video and sketches do preview the new model’s cleaner and more sophisticated look.
The new Kodiaq’s most substantial design changes look to be focused around the rear, with slim tail-lights and a darkened D-pillar that gives the effect of a semi-floating roof. This will help give the Skoda a distinct silhouette, and distinguish it visually from Volkswagen’s new Tiguan, with which shares many of its fundamental powertrain and chassis elements. The Kodiaq will also feature Skoda lettering across the tailgate, just like the facelifted Kamiq small SUV and Scala hatchback.
Interior and tech
We’ll get a better look at the Kodiaq’s exterior when it's unveiled later this week, but Skoda has already revealed the large SUV’s interior in full. It will feature new configurable dials, sustainable materials and the Czech brand’s signature ‘Simply Clever’ touches within a design that builds on the current model and will be shared with the upcoming fourth-generation Skoda Superb hatchback and estate set to be unveiled in November.
At the heart of the new Kodiaq interior is a 13-inch free-standing touchscreen, below which you’ll find the Skoda’s new ‘Smart Dials’ that are also going to feature in the latest Superb.
Each dial houses a 32 millimetre display, with the outer two dedicated to cabin temperature, plus heating and cooling for the driver and front passenger seat. Meanwhile the central dial can be used to adjust the volume, fan speed, or even the drive mode.
Other new additions for forthcoming Kodiaq include a 10-inch Virtual Cockpit driver’s display that can be complemented with a head-up display. The gear selector has also been moved from the centre console to the steering column, with its usual spot now taken up by a wireless charging pad large enough for two smartphones, according to Skoda.
The next Kodiaq will also feature an umbrella and handy ice scraper in the driver’s door, and like the Enyaq will be offered with a choice of interior design schemes: Loft, Lounge, or ecoSuite in Black or Cognac. The textiles used on selector models will be made from 100 per cent recycled polyester, while the leather in others is to be produced using an eco-friendly tanning process.
Powertrains and chassis
Although the outgoing Kodiaq was launched way back in 2016, it’s still one of our favourite family cars, with the seven-seat SUV garnering popularity for its practicality and strong range of powertrains.
We’ve also caught the next-generation Kodiaq testing as well. Our spy images suggest it will have an evolutionary style that features familiar elements brought right up to date alongside Skoda’s latest design language that will feature on the firm’s new range of electric vehicles such as the Enyaq and upcoming Elroq.
Classic Skoda SUV details like the two-piece headlights are instantly visible, with a more upright grille and the signature bonnet dip looking more assertive and less sleek than on the current generation. The body appears to retain the previous car’s basic silhouette, with the roofline staying high all the way back to the tailgate to ensure sufficient headroom for passengers in the third row. The rear lights also look much slimmer and are mounted higher up.
The big changes for the Kodiaq will be focused on its underpinnings. The current Kodiaq sits on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB A2 platform – the same used by all the group’s family SUVs such as the Tiguan and Tarraco. However, we expect the next-generation model to move onto the more recent MQB Evo platform, which is used by the current VW Golf, Cupra Formentor, and Skoda Octavia, as well as the upcoming third-generation Tiguan.
The new Kodiaq will be available with mild-hybrid assistance from launch, with the Kodiaq PHEV expected to join the range in Spring 2024. The plug-in hybrid versions will use a 25.7kWh battery for a pure-electric driving range of over 62 miles.
The two electrified versions will be offered alongside conventional diesel and petrol engines, but a full-electric variant is off the cards because the MQB Evo platform does not support pure-EV powertrains. Skoda is working on an all-electric seven-seat SUV that’s due on sale in 2026, based on the Vision 7S concept from last year.
The new Kodiaq will almost certainly be the last offered with regular petrol and diesel engines, as the VW Group, like the entire industry, prepares for widespread electrification.
The latest iterations of the Kodiaq and Superb will share a production line in Kvasiny, Czech Republic. The current Kodiaq starts from £34,760 and we expect a slight increase on pricing for the second-generation model.
Now check out our list of the best family cars to buy now…
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