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 Peugeot 5008, 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. Plug-in hybrid models are five-seater only, though.

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.

Whichever engine you select, you can be sure of an easy, pleasant drive. The Kodiaq won’t win any awards for driver pleasure, but if your goal is to get yourself and a car full of people to their destination quietly, comfortably and without getting anybody car sick, the big Skoda excels.

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 car online.

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.

Opt for the Kodiaq plug-in hybrid in a higher trim level and you’ll find it knocking on £50,000 - putting larger vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe within reach.

A very well-equipped base level does help the Kodiaq’s case, though. All versions get smart 18-inch alloy wheels, a huge 13-inch infotainment screen with navigation, wireless charging for two smartphones and three-zone climate control. Adaptive cruise control is an optional extra on all but the top-spec cars, though.

Pleasant to drive and great on the motorway, but alternatives are more comfortable

In town

The Kodiaq is a big SUV, but doesn’t feel too intimidating to drive around town - it lacks the overall bulk of something like a Hyundai Santa Fe or Land Rover Discovery. Visibility out the front is quite good, and there isn’t even too much of a blind spot over your shoulder.

The suspension is quite comfortable, though a Peugeot 5008 has a softer edge to it that rounds out potholes and speed bumps just a little better. The steering’s nice and light and considering the size of the car, the turning circle is excellent. It’s a shame that a surround-view camera is only optional equipment. The gearbox can also be a bit hesitant at junctions, though if you’re driving on electric power in one of the plug-in hybrid models you don’t notice this.

On the motorway

The Kodiaq is an extremely accomplished long-distance cruiser. Neither of the engines are very quiet when you’re accelerating but at a cruise they settle down, and wind and road noise are both well-contained - though you can opt for an Acoustic Package which adds even more interior soundproofing.

All the engines are powerful enough to cope well with a fully-loaded Kodiaq though you might want to upgrade from the entry-level petrol if you’re planning on being heavily loaded very often - it’s up to the task, but the diesels feel more relaxed.

Regular cruise control is standard-fit, but if you want an adaptive system you’ll have to either go for the top-spec trim level or pay for quite a pricey optional pack.

On a twisty road

The Kodiaq’s firm suspension makes it feel a little more tied down to the road than a Hyundai Santa Fe or Peugeot 5008, though it does lean a little more in the bends than a Volkswagen Tiguan would. Really, it comes down to personal preference, and while none of these cars are very much fun to punt down a twisting back road they’re all perfectly capable of staying safe and stable when you’re hoofing it.

A clever interior packed with smart little touches, but the third row is really for occasional use only

Skoda’s mantra of ‘Simply Clever’ is alive and well in the Kodiaq, but there’s not much point being clever if you don’t have lots of space to play with in the first place. That’s not a problem here, as the Kodiaq is a big car with loads of room for all the family. The big, comfortable front seats have lots of adjustment, and storage up front is great.

The large glovebox has an upper section that’s a perfect size for something like an umbrella, and you can slide the lid for the cupholders over so you get space for four drinks instead of just two. There are twin wireless charging pads, too, and the capacious door bins are lined with felt to stop items rattling around.

Simply Clever touches up front include nubbins in the cupholders which grip the base of bottles, making it possible to open them one-handed, as well as a useful parking ticket holder in the corner of the windscreen. You even get an umbrella in each front door, Rolls-Royce style.

Space in the back seats

The middle row of seats has loads of room for adults. Both headroom and legroom are generous, and the seats slide and recline - the former is useful if you’re trying to balance space for those in the third row.

There’s a nice almost-flat floor so everyone has room for their feet and big windows give you a great view out. You also get cupholders in the centre armrest, easy-to-access ISOFIX points (as well as one in the front passenger seat) and big door bins, though they’re not felt-lined like the ones up front. In the centre you’ll find two USB-C ports and a storage slot.

The third row of seats isn’t as easy to access or as spacious as a Hyundai Santa Fe, but it’s on par with a Nissan X-Trail. They’re definitely occasional seats, better suited to children than they are to adults for long journeys - but it’s nice to have them. You can, however, ditch the third row of seats for a larger boot - and all plug-in hybrid Kodiaqs are five-seater only.

Boot space

The biggest Skoda Kodiaq has a massive 910 litres of space - that’s for five-seater models, though. If you have a seven-seater model, you get 845 litres of space with the third row down - but that’s still way above the Nissan X-Trail (565 litres) or the Land Rover Discovery Sport (840 litres).

With the third row in place, there’s 340 litres of space, which is still quite impressive - it’s a little smaller than you get on a hatchback such as the VW Golf. There’s also space under the floor to keep the load cover, which is quite nice. It’s annoying that the third row of seats doesn’t fold unless you move the middle row forwards, though. You have to do a lot of walking around the car to get the seats totally flat.

Not as stylish as a Peugeot 5008, but solidly built and easy to use

Skoda isn’t going to win any awards for interior style any time soon, but the Kodiaq’s dashboard is clean, simple and well-built. What’s particularly nice is that Skoda hasn’t succumbed to trends by totally removing all physical switchgear - you retain some in the form of what it calls ‘Smart Dials’.

They’re a trio of multifunctional buttons which can control the air-conditioning, stereo volume or even the heated seats and drive mode. It’s a great way to keep a clean-looking dash without forcing you to dive into a complex touchscreen menu every time you want to make a simple adjustment.

The touchscreen itself isn’t at all bad, though. It’s a massive 13.0-inches across, so all the onscreen buttons are easy to hit. You get configurable shortcut bars at the top and bottom, allowing you quick access to your most-used function. While the interface isn’t the zippiest, the screen itself is bright and clear.

Interior build quality is for the most part very good. It’s a shame that those in the back get cheaper materials on their door cards, but up front everything you interact with feels nice and plush and it’s only lower down on the dashboard that you start to notice the occasional hard, scratchy plastic.

The Skoda Kodiaq has quite a wide range of engines and so emissions and economy will vary. The entry-level option is a 1.5-litre petrol with 150hp - best suited to shorter journeys, you can expect to see around 40mpg from this engine if you drive carefully. There’s a more powerful 190hp 2.0-litre petrol available exclusively on the top-spec Sportline, which is more likely to return around 30-35mpg.

There’s a 2.0-litre diesel which will provide the best long-distance fuel economy - in excess of 50mpg. Our test car was seeing 45mpg with quite heavy right feet. However, this won’t be the best choice if you do a lot of short journeys, as diesels need time to warm up.

The plug-in hybrid is a very interesting option. It can offer up to 75 miles of pure-electric driving, officially - even though that’s going to be closer to 60 miles in the real world, it’s enough to put it in one of the lowest company car tax bands available, beaten only by pure electric cars. That sort of range is easily enough to cover most commutes on battery power alone, saving the petrol engine for longer trips - though you’ll get slightly worse economy than the regular petrol model when you do due to the added weight of the batteries.

It’s worth remembering that the PHEV model can only be had with five seats, too - if you want a seven-seat plug-in hybrid, you’ll have to look to the Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorento.

The PHEV has the lowest first-year tax costs of all the Kodiaqs, but as it’s much more expensive it automatically pays the additional Expensive Car supplement for the first five years of ownership. A sensibly-specced petrol or diesel Kodiaq slips under that threshold.

The Skoda Kodiaq is reassuring as a family car thanks to its five-star Euro NCAP crash test safety rating. An 83% score for child occupant protection is particularly impressive.

Every Kodiaq gets the mandatory safety features including speed limit assistance, lane-keeping aids and autonomous emergency braking. But Skoda does also include blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert as standard, though on all but the top-spec car you have to pay extra for adaptive cruise control.

You also get an ISOFIX point in the front passenger seat, making the Kodiaq one of few cars that can happily take three child seats.

Skoda had a disappointing showing in the 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, coming 23rd out of 32 brands. That’s in contrast to previous years where the company has been at or near the top - the previous-generation Kodiaq took sixth place in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 survey.

The new model hasn’t been out long enough to give a decisive verdict on its dependability but we wouldn’t expect it to be anything but dependable, however with the current generation of Skoda models some owners do report software glitches. Skoda’s warranty is sadly only the bare minimum at three years and 60,000 miles - you get five years of cover on a Hyundai Santa Fe, seven on a Kia Sorento and up to ten on a Toyota RAV4.