Skoda Kodiaq Review (2017-2024)
Skoda Kodiaq cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
Very roomy and practical
Great balance of comfort and handling
Impressive cabin quality
Cons
Entry-level engines are a bit overwhelmed
Slightly bland to look at
Ride in Sportline versions not as polished
The CarGurus verdict
The Skoda Kodiaq is rather plain to look at, and it's not the most exciting car to drive. In just about every other respect, however, it's one of the best SUVs you can buy.
Most importantly, the Kodiaq rides comfortably: it's as happy on the school run as it is a long motorway drive. The engines are efficient, and only the original entry-level petrol and diesel engines are found wanting for performance.
The cabin is what really sells the Kodiaq, though. This is an extremely roomy car, with lots of space in the front two rows, and a commanding and comfy driving position. The rearmost seats in seven-seat versions are a bit more cramped, but useful to have nonetheless.
The interior is well made as well as spacious, with build quality that wouldn't be out of place in a car with a much higher price tag.
Given the Kodiaq's reputation for reliability, we can strongly recommend the Kodiaq to both new and used car buyers.
What is the Skoda Kodiaq?
When the Kodiaq arrived in 2017, it was Skoda's first seven-seater and its first large SUV.
It was a bit late to the party, then, but the Kodiaq certainly made an entrance, earning many positive car reviews and awards in its first few months on sale.
This big Czech family car remains one of the best mainstream SUVs on sale today, and a good choice for new and used car buyers alike. The second-generation Kodiaq arrived in 2024.
How practical is it?
The Kodiaq is an extremely practical car. In five-seat format - either specified as a five-seater, or with the two rearmost seats folded down in the seven-seat version - there's very generous headroom and legroom for all passengers, allowing everyone to get comfy, and a massive boot.
A Kodiaq with five seats has an 835-litre boot with the rear seats in place and a huge 2,065 litres when they're folded flat. Seven-seaters have 270 litres with all seven seats upright, and 2,005 litres when they're folded flat. Obviously, the seven-seater's boot gets much smaller with the third-row seats in place, but there's still room for a couple of shopping bags.
Those third-row seats aren't as spacious as the ones in front, but there's enough space for a reasonably tall adult to squeeze in for short trips, and kids will be absolutely fine over longer distances. And when cargo-carrying takes preference over passenger-pampering, all the rear seats fold perfectly flat to leave a level - not to mention huge - loading area.
The cabin also impresses for quality. It feels just as solid and as plush as any other car from the Volkswagen Group stable, so choosing a car with a Skoda badge won't make you feel like a poor relation.
What's it like to drive?
Buyers had a choice of petrol and diesel engines, two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, as well as a manual gearbox or automatic gearboxes. They could also choose between five- and seven-seat versions.
From launch, the entry-level petrol engine was a 123bhp 1.4-litre TSI. It's a fine engine, but has its work cut out in a car the size of the Kodiaq. The 148bhp TSI was a better bet, while the 178bhp 2.0 TSI delivered livelier performance but with a thirst for unleaded.
The diesel line-up kicked off with the 113bhp 2.0-litre TDI. As with the least powerful petrol, this diesel engine is fighting an uphill struggle in a car of this size. It's just about up to the job, but the 148bhp 2.0 TDI is more suited to the task. For even more performance, there was a 187bhp 2.0-litre diesel.
The hot Skoda Kodiaq vRS joined the range later, packing a 237bhp bi-turbo diesel engine and comprehensive revisions to the suspension. It's fun, up to a point, but ride comfort suffers and there's better value lower down the Kodiaq range.
Stick with one of the more sensible models (and avoid the big wheels and slim tyres of the Sportline version, which harm its ride quality), and you enjoy composed handling and a comfortable ride. The suspension can be a little unsettled at low speeds, but on A-roads and motorways the Kodiaq is comfy and quiet.
More recently, changes have been made to the engine range. The sluggish entry-level petrol and diesel have gone, and the 1.4 TSI has been replaced with a 1.5 TSI with the same 148bhp power output, while the 2.0 TSI has been upgraded from 178bhp to 187bhp and the more powerful 2.0TDI has been upgraded from 187bhp to 197bhp. The 237bhp diesel engine in the vRS has also been replaced by a 242bhp 2.0-litre petrol as part of a facelift in 2021. It has a slightly more energetic power delivery, but performance still isn't what you'd call mind-blowing. Use the car's performance on a regular basis, however, and your fuel consumption might well be.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
To begin with, the Kodiaq SUV was offered in S, SE, SE L, and Edition trim levels. S is a bit basic, with manual air conditioning rather than climate control, and no option to upgrade from five- to seven seats. The SE is more appealing, with cruise control, dual-zone climate control, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system and rear parking sensors. SE L has seven seats as standard, the Drive Mode Select system (to tweak vehicle settings to suit the driver and the road), heated front seats and Alcantara upholstery. Edition cars have leather upholstery and lots of extra driver aids.
These models were soon joined by the Sportline and the Scout. As you can probably guess from the name, the Sportline is the sporty version of the Kodiaq, although it's more about the look of the car inside and out than changes to the way the Skoda drives. The Scout is the more serious 4x4 version of the Kodiaq, with more robust looks and under-body protection for off-road adventures. The Kodiaq vRS joined the range in 2018.
Things have changed a bit since the Kodiaq first arrived. The entry-level S trim is no longer available, SE Drive spec was been added to the middle of the range but came and went, and the Edition range-topper has morphed into the Laurin & Klement.
Skoda Kodiaq running costs
You won't be surprised to be told that the diesels are the engines to choose if you want low fuel bills, especially as there's no hybrid version of the Kodiaq to rival the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.
You can expect fuel economy in the mid 40s mpg if you choose the 2.0-litre TDI with front-wheel drive. As the 4x4 system sends power to just the front wheels under light loads, the four-wheel drive version isn't much thirstier: expect 40-45mpg. There won't be much to choose between manual cars and those with an automatic gearbox.
Go for the more powerful 187bhp 2.0-litre TDI, and 40mpg or thereabouts should be achievable. You'll need to drive with restraint to get anywhere near that driving the vRS. The quickest diesel Kodiaq is more likely to return 35-38mpg or so, or more like 30mg if your car is the later petrol model.
The early petrol cars with 1.4 TSI engines should achieve 35-40mpg. Expect the newer, 1.5 TSI models to go another couple of miles on each gallon.
Choose the 2.0 TSI and economy suffers. Reckon on 30-33mpg.
In terms of insurance, the vRS will be the priciest to cover. However, with a group rating of 30 out of 50, premiums shouldn't be excessive considering the car's power and performance. A set of low-profile, high-end tyres for the vRS will set you back more than the everyday rubber fitted to the rest of the range.
For the more workmanlike diesel models, insurance groups start from 17. The 125PS 1.4 TSI S is in group 12, so should prove the cheapest Kodiaq to insure.
At the time of writing (autumn 2020), Skoda is offering 0% finance to spread the cost of servicing. Service plans are available on cars up to 15 years old.
However, if you want to pay less, an independent garage will generally undercut a franchised garage. There are plenty of independent VW Group specialists who will be familiar with the Kodiaq and similar cars like the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Skoda Kodiaq reliability
You can buy a new or used Skoda Kodiaq with confidence; these are reliable cars.
Skoda in general usually does well in owner satisfaction and reliability studies, and the Kodiaq upholds that reputation. The petrol models in particular rarely go wrong.
If problems do occur with diesels, it's likely to be trouble with the diesel particulate filter (DPF). These filters can become clogged if the car is used exclusively for short, stop-start journeys. Half an hour or so on faster roads should bring the exhaust temperature up high enough for the DPF to cleanse itself. Just make sure you look out for a telltale warning light when taking a test drive.
The Kodiaq has been subject to a few recalls. One concerns cracks in the driver's seat mounting, which could be dangerous if the car is crashed. Models affected by this recall were made in January 2019.
Another recall relates to a fault with the driver's airbag housing, which can prevent the airbag from deploying properly in a collision.
To check if any car you are thinking of buying still has outstanding recall work, put the reg number into the recall checker on the gov.uk website.
If you are looking for a used Skoda Kodiaq, it's worth knowing that Skoda's Approved Used scheme provides a 12-month warranty on all cars, and pays for the cost of the next MOT if you go back to the same retailer.
If you are planning to buy a new Skoda Kodiaq, every car comes with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty. That's pretty much the length of cover you'd expect for this type of car, although some rivals are covered for longer. The Hyundai Santa Fe has a five-year warranty, and the Kia Sorento's cover lasts for seven years.
- Skoda Connect made its first appearance in the Kodiaq. This suite of online and connected services includes an eCall emergency call system, which automatically contacts the emergency services if the car is in a collision. The system can also contact a Skoda dealer when the car needs a service. If the car's owner downloads the Skoda Connect app to their phone, they can pre-load routes to the satnav before getting in the car. Skoda Connect also features online traffic information, local fuel prices, and weather forecasts.
- Most Kodiaq trim levels come with the Drive Mode Select system. This adjusts the throttle, steering and DSG automatic gearbox (if fitted) for a sharper or more relaxed drive. As an optional extra on SE L cars and above, the Kodiaq can also be specified with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC). This adds adaptive suspension dampers to the list of systems Drive Mode Select controls, so the driver can choose firmer or more forgiving suspension. Kodiaqs with four-wheel drive also gain an off-road setting when the car is specified with DCC, although the Kodiaq isn't as capable in the rough stuff as a Land Rover Discovery Sport.
- Skoda likes to talk about the 'Simply Clever' features it builds into its cars. These are the little practical touches that make life easier, more practical, or more convenient. Skoda says there are no fewer than 30 'Simply Clever' features in the Kodiaq, seven of which made their first appearance in the Kodiaq. One neat idea is the rubber strips that emerge from the edges of the doors when they are opened to reduce the risk of scrapes and scratches in a tight parking spot.
- If you're on a budget: Go for an early 148bhp 1.4 TSI in SE spec. The small premium over the less powerful 123bhp car is worth it. Likewise, we'd always go for the SE over the S for its longer list of standard equipment, including dual-zone climate control, cruise control, touchscreen infotainment and more.
- If you want low fuel bills: Choose the front-wheel-drive 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI DSG. You might be doing without the go-anywhere capabilities of a proper 4x4, but you will use slightly less fuel. This engine and gearbox combination is a great all-round buy, combining respectable performance with impressive economy for a car of this size.
- If you want to tow a caravan or trailer: Pick the 187bhp 2.0 TDI 4x4. Aside from the pre-facelift vRS, this is the most powerful diesel Kodiaq, and can easily cope with pulling a horsebox or a boat trailer. Four-wheel drive also helps the Kodiaq cope with a muddy field or a wet slipway. This version of the Kodiaq is very much a proper SUV rather than a crossover wannabe.
- If you want a high-performance 4x4: Choose the vRS. With either a 237bhp bi-turbo diesel engine or a 242bhp turbo petrol engine depending how old the car is, the vRS is by far the quickest version of the Kodiaq. The artificially enhanced engine note is the kind of gimmickry that doesn't sit well with the Skoda badge, but even so, the vRS is as close as you can get to a cut-price Audi SQ7.
