Skoda's newest, biggest SUV may not be a perfect off-roader

Skoda's last SUV in India, the Yeti, failed to light up the charts in any meaningful way. The Czech brand is giving it another shot and they seem to have taken the "go-big-or-go-home" approach, bringing their first ever seven-seater SUV to our country. The knight in shining armour is the new Kodiaq. We like the Kodiaq's visual structure, all smooth, clean lines, and understated design cues. Since it is based on the Superb, you can see some echoes of the sedan. However, the design is very much its own. The simple blacked-out grille, massive air-dam and smartly designed headlamp unit [sporting LEDs and DRLs] all lend its visage a classy air. The line from the bonnet runs across the car's shoulder and continues all the way to the back, giving it a touch of aggression.

Power nap pack is ingenious and works well.

The cabin is very plush - beige leather seats, a blacked-out dash, and a massive sunroof overhead. The seats are comfortable, spacious and offer good support, and there's lots of room, too. Speaking of the third row, there isn't enough room for an adult, and would be best suited for pre-teen kids or pets. Mood lighting with 10 colour options [including a special Å koda Green], a voice enhancer that picks up the driver's voice from the car's microphone and relays it across the speaker system - good for yelling at kids, we were told.

The 2.0-litre engine is great, but looses breath once you hit three-digit speeds

Then there's the 8" touch infotainment unit from Amumdsen music that comes with a Canton 10 speaker, 575-watt setup. The infotainment also features the holy trinity of smartphone connectivity - Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink - then there's the Å koda BossConnect media app that turns your phone into a control hub for the infotainment. Navigation, reverse camera with sensors, USB, AUX, and Bluetooth connectivity, voice control, auto lights and wipers, and three-zone climate control are all present and correct, too. Apart from these, there are also a few odd Å koda's proprietary "simply clever" features tossed in.

There's no shortage of space

The car is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. The engine has been tuned to produce 150 PS and 340 Nm, with the latter peaking from 1,750-3,000 rpm. The Kodiaq comes with a seven-speed DSG with paddle shifts, and power is sent primarily to the front wheels, although the car does come with auto four-wheel drive. The Kodiaq accelerates quickly, with a time of 10.21 seconds for 0-100 km/h, and you can dart forward and overtake traffic with ease. When you go past 120-odd km/h, the Kodiaq starts feeling a little out of breath, which is a bit of a let-down. The gearbox is butter-smooth, and even the paddles are fun to play with in Sport mode. In all, there are five driving modes to choose from and you can create your own custom mode as well.

The interior is classy and clever. pics/Saurabh Botre

The ride and handling is where the Kodiaq really shines. The car is light and easy to manoeuvre. Composed and almost elegant in the corners, there isn't an overabundance of body-roll either, commendable for a car of this stature. The slightly firm suspension setup does a proper job of absorbing the undulations on the tarmac. The steering, too, is communicative and gives you a decent feedback. To stop quickly, you have a disc-brake setup, and the addition of ABS with EBD, traction control, and multi-collision brake. A 100-0 km/h braking time of less than 2.8 seconds tells its own story.

The Kodiaq is high on safety, too, with nine airbags to ensure all-round safety. Fuel efficiency-wise, the Kodiaq gave us 12.4 km/l overall. A fascinating step that Å koda took with the Kodiaq is to launch it in only one trim, with the single engine and gearbox option. The Kodiaq comes with a sticker of R34.50 lakh (ex-showroom). That's a couple of lakhs more expensive than other seven-seater SUVs equipped with 4x4 available in India. But, when compared to its rivals [price-wise], the Kodiaq isn't as capable an off-roader. If you're looking for a seven-seater in a mostly urban environment, the Kodiaq is a worthy option.

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