Skoda Kodiaq vRS Review & Prices

The Kodiaq vRS is the range-topping version of the Kodaiq seven-seater SUV, one of our favourite family cars on sale. It offers exactly the same practicality as its more humdrum counterpart, but it’s neither as comfortable as the regular car, nor is it sporty enough to be fun to drive.

It’s a bit like a middle-aged boxer. Yes it’s athletic and packs a punch, but really it’s better off snoozing on the couch with the dog, comfy slippers on and cup of tea on the side table.

It’s also not as sporty as other fast SUVs such as the Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 and BMW X1 M35i, nor is it as comfortable or fuel efficient as the Peugeot 5008 PHEV or Kia Sorento.

It looks purposeful though, with a deeper, more aggressive bodykit than the regular Kodiaq. There’s definitely a resemblance to the smaller Octavia vRS hot hatch, with a wide front lower grille, blacked out trims all-round and chunky rear diffuser with a full-width reflector and big exhaust tips.

The cabin is similar to the regular Kodiaq, with a straightforward, well-laid out dashboard and standard-fit 12.9-inch infotainment screen. Where the vRS differs is in its upholstery, because every panel is covered in red accents or stitching; even the instrument display and rear door panels haven’t escaped the vRS treatment.

Being so closely related to the regular Kodiaq means there are loads of storage spaces and clever touches, such as a built-in screen cleaner for the central display and built-in umbrellas in the front doors.

There’s lots of space across the front two rows of seats, and the middle row not only slides but reclines - handy on long drives. It’s a shame the fixed-headrest front seats are so bulky though, because they rob middle-row passengers of some of the view out the windscreen, and they’re not all that comfortable on your neck, either.

The third row is fairly spacious - you get more room in a Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia EV9 - but at least seats six and seven are trimmed to match the sporty front pair. The boot is an enormous 845 litres with the last row stowed away, or 310 litres with it up.

Around town the Kodiaq vRS feels no more intimidating to drive than the regular Kodiaq, because the driving position and good all-round visibility are unchanged. It’s a little less comfortable over broken roads due to its sports suspension, but it’s far from uncomfortable.

Motorways are almost as comfortable as in the regular car, too, though there’s a touch more tyre roar as a result of the vRS model’s 20-inch wheels. Standard-fit acoustic glass keeps wind noise at a minimum.

Point the Kodiaq vRS’s enormous nose down a twisty road and you’ll be surprised at just how capable such a big car can be through winding corners. There’s remarkably little in the way of body lean, and the beefy 265hp 2.0-litre petrol engine never feels strained on the go.

Yet for all its performance and grip – thanks to the big tyres and four-wheel drive – the Kodiaq vRS is hardly what you’d call fun, as its prodigious size knocks your confidence on narrow country lanes, and it’s not as agile as any hot hatch on sale.

And that’s the compromise which runs throughout the Kodiaq vRS, because it’s too big to be truly sporty, yet with the 26mpg we averaged in our testing, it’s not fuel efficient enough to justify being a sensible family car.

If you need one car that can haul your family around and still shake a leg on a country lane, however, it’s worth considering. Have a look at the latest Skoda Kodiaq vRS deals on Carwow, or Kodiaq vRS lease deals instead. There are used Kodiaq vRS examples for sale, or other used Skodas too. Carwow can even help you sell your car when the time comes to switch.

The Kodiaq vRS starts at a smidge under £54,000, which is a lot of money for what is ultimately a sensible seven-seater Skoda. That’s around £3,000 more than the faster, more fun BMW X1 M35i, though it’s not a seven-seater, and it’s £7,000 more than a top-of-the-range Peugeot 5008, which is a better car to live with day-to-day.

What’s most shocking, though, is that you can get a very well-equipped, stylish and more comfortable Kodiaq SportLine for £10,000 less than a vRS, and while it’s not as fast, it’s worth every penny of that cost saving.