Skoda Kodiaq Review & Prices

This is the all-new Skoda Kodiaq, the latest version of one of the Carwow team’s all-time favourite family SUVs. The old car won hearts thanks to its spacious, clever interior, comfortable drive and good-value price tag - and it looks like the new model’s going to continue that trend but with the added bonus of a posh interior and some really up-to-date engine options.

It’s like when Lidl and Aldi progressed from simply being budget supermarkets to offering fancy wine and ‘Specially Selected’ foodstuffs - you still get great value, but you don’t necessarily feel like it’s a bargain-basement proposition.

The Kodiaq is more of a 5+2 seater car - with seats six and seven being better suited to occasional use or for children rather than full-sized adults. That makes it a natural alternative if you’re considering cars such as the SEAT Tarraco, Land Rover Discovery Sport or Nissan X-Trail.

The Kodiaq’s design is instantly recognisable as a Skoda, and looks a lot like the old car simply went through a smoothing filter. It has sleeker headlights, a wider grille and a longer, lower appearance - helped by the new Kodiaq being six centimetres longer than the car it replaces.

Even base-spec models look smart, but step up to higher trim levels and you get eye-catching 20-inch alloy wheels, contrasting body panels and even an LED strip running through the grille.

Just because it’s more stylish doesn’t mean it’s less practical, though. There’s loads of space in the second row of seats with miles of headroom and legroom, and it’s wide enough to fit three across the bench too - even if the middle seat is a bit of a narrow perch.

The third row, meanwhile, is just about big enough to squeeze adults in for short journeys, but it’s much better used for children or teenagers who’ll have more than enough space. Even with all seats in place there’s 340 litres of boot space, which is highly respectable - but fold the third row down and you get a mammoth 910 litres. That’s way more than the Nissan X-Trail (565 litres) or even the Land Rover Discovery Sport (840 litres).

Storage up front is good too, with big door bins and plenty of large cubbyholes, though the cupholders are a little poky.

The most impressive upgrade from the old Kodiaq is in cabin design and quality. The swooping dashboard looks almost as smart as the German alternatives, and uses several different materials to break it up rather than simply being a big slab of black plastic. 

It’s dominated by a massive 13.0-inch touchscreen which has sharp graphics and is easy to navigate. But happily Skoda has also included some physical controls in the form of three configurable dials, which help stop you having to dig through touchscreen menus while on the move.

The Skoda Kodiaq will be offered with five engines from launch - two petrol, one plug-in hybrid and unusually two diesel options too. All of them get an automatic gearbox, and power outputs for the pure combustion models range from 150hp to 204hp. There’s also four-wheel drive available on the more powerful diesel.

The plug-in hybrid Kodiaq will be the best bet for company car drivers and could well prove to be a real money-saver if you regularly charge it up. It’ll do more than 60 miles on battery power alone, and can even fast-charge, making it a really useful proposition for those who want a taste of the EV life but can’t or don’t want to go full electric.

If all this sounds good, then check out our latest Skoda Kodiaq deals. You could also check out used examples of the previous Skoda Kodiaq, or other used Skodas here. And remember Carwow can even help you sell your old car.

Prices kick off from a bit under £37,000, making the Skoda Kodiaq significantly cheaper than a Land Rover Discovery Sport but a few thousand pounds more expensive than a Nissan X-Trail or a SEAT Tarraco. The gap narrows a little if you spec either of those cars up to match the Kodiaq in equipment terms, though.