The full-size SUV segment has seen newcomers like the MG Gloster and even the Tiguan AllSpace in the past year, but you know what it has seen? Models like the Ford Endeavor and Honda CR-V stand out. In fact, AllSpace is no longer available in the market. And hence, you are left with options like Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra Alturas G4 and MG Gloster. Hence, it is an opportune time for Skoda to bring in the Kodiaq facelift.
The facelift made its global debut in July 2021 and it took some time to get here, but enough is it and let’s go straight to what has changed.
The LED headlamps on the Kodiaq are sleeker and more angular than before
design
The Kodiaq now gets a more upright stance and this is achieved by raising the bonnet slightly and the design of the front grille which now looks sleek. Then you get these LED headlamps, which are more angular than before. No matrix LED on it yet. Now the front bumper has also been revamped and you get these air curtains which help in making the Kodiaq more aerodynamic.
Go to the profile and you’ll see that it hasn’t changed much. Sharp lines and curves remain a huge part of the car, but you get new 18-inch alloy wheels with a new design and they look good. We’d love to see more options though.
The 18-inch alloy wheels get a new design and look good
The rear gets updated tail lamps which add to the flavor of this SUV and the rear spoiler also adds to the aerodynamic capabilities of the car. Overall the Kodiaq looks better than before.
While a lot has changed from the outside, the inside also receives some major updates.
cabin
The first thing you’ll notice is this 2-spoke steering wheel that we’ve seen on the Kushak Even but it’s not standard. The Sportline trim gets a three-spoke variant. The 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster has five display options and gives you all the information you want. Then there’s the inclusion of wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless charging with Android Auto. The 8-inch touchscreen, as before, is sleek and responsive, and with this update, also gets in-built navigation.
The dual-tone black and beige interiors look good and make the Kodiaq look more spacious
Other bits like the soft-touch plastic and great sense of space remain like never before. The panoramic sunroof certainly helps in the ambiance of the cabin and the front seats are comfortable and wide too. They also come with memory function and electric adjustment, but on this update, Skoda has loaded them with heating and cooling functions. But you know what would have moved Skoda from having a massage function for the front seats as it would have become the most accessible car with a massage function for the front seats in the country.
The Kodiaq gets an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto
It has a 12-speaker Canton surround sound system that is great and has connected car features too, thanks to the MySkoda Connect app, not an embedded SIM and of course, wireless charging.
The Kodiak seats 7 people so we had to peek in the third row as well. Now the space there is essentially children’s, but since the second row seats can be accommodated, you can find some reasonable space here.
The third row is essentially for babies, but because the second row can slide, some room can be made for adults with little jaundice.
Boot space with all seats is not that great, just 270 liters, so it’s not enough to carry 7 people’s luggage, but under the third and second row there is 2005 liters of space and it’s huge.
device
Now the update under the hood is also a significant one as the Kodiaq from the all-diesel line has gone the petrol way in line with the company’s strategy for India. This is a 2-litre turbocharged petrol motor that produces 187 Bhp and 320 Nm. Now the first complaint was that it was not powerful enough, now more than enough.
Kodiaq now gets a new turbocharged petrol engine
The 7-speed DSG keeps powering the wheels and no complaints as there are driving modes to keep you busy – there’s Comfort, Eco Sport and Personal, therefore catering to everyone’s driving style. I want to talk about control. The dampers adjust according to the drive mode you choose, so on a set of twisty roads the Sport Mode will tighten things up and you will get a balanced ride with minimal body roll and yes, it is very effective!
2022 Kodiaq gets 7-speed DSG as standard
ride and handling
Now Dynamic Chassis Control is available only in the top trim, but the Kodiaq handles like a dream. It’s big brain for you but neither the passengers in the car or the driver feel that way and that’s a good thing. It feels compact and works well together.
Kodiaq handles like a dream and takes all the broken roads in its stride
Of course, it’s 4×4 and it’s standard on the car so you have the opportunity to take it off the beaten track. We didn’t have much time to do that, but with 192mm of unladen ground clearance, it traverses all broken roads with ease.
The Kodiaq can do some off-roading too, 4×4 as standard
But the one department where Kodiaq absolutely shines is security.
the protection
9 airbags are standard in the car and then you have ABS, EBD, multi-collision braking system, hill hold assist and hill descent control. You also get Park Assist and more Driver Assist systems. So yes, the Kodiaq has been thought of to be a more rounded product and congrats to Skoda for making it.
Decision
Now finally for the price. The Kodiaq prices start at Rs 35 lakh and go up to Rs 37.49 lakh in this top-end variant. Now compare these prices with the Alturas G4 and you will see that the 4WD top-end variant is also ₹4 lakh cheaper than the base variant of the Kodiaq. The Gloster is also more affordable, but it is the Savvy variant with ADAS technology that is over Rs 1 lakh more expensive than the Kodiaq.
Kodiaq hits the sweet spot when it comes to pricing
Lastly, we compare it with the segment leader – the favorite Toyota Fortuner – and we see that the 4×4 manual costs 1 lakh more than the base variant of the Kodiaq.
Skoda has already sold the first batch of the Kodiaq facelift in India
0 notes
Skoda has played this smartly with the Kodiaq’s pricing then. It absolutely hits the sweet spot. It’s no surprise that it has already sold the first batch of cars. The Kodiaq is tempting and comes to power through all the competitors in its segment with updates, but the Fortuner will certainly be a strong cookie to crumble, and we can’t wait to compare the two of them to find out. Can.
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