Skoda Kodiaq 2025 review

Skoda is a brand for the independent thinkers – those drivers who want something a bit different but are not prepared to make drastic sacrifices in practicality or cost to get it.

It’s been that way for most of the German-owned Czech brand’s history and the marque is remaining true to form with the second generation of its popular mid-to-large-sized Kodiaq SUV.

The newcomer builds on fine foundations. The current and soon-to-be-outgoing first generation Kodiaq is a critical darling of the Australian motoring media, be it in base Style, well-rounded Sportline or go-quicker, sporty RS variant guises.

And while the fetching seven-seater hasn’t quite proven as popular with Aussie buyers as some rivals such as Toyota Kluger and Hyundai Santa Fe, the Kodiaq has staked its claim as the thinkers’ choice. And that extends to the compelling value-for-money pitch for the Euro choice that really does very little wrong.

When the new Kodiaq arrives in Q2 2025, the inside line is that it’ll start from about $55,000.

As we found out during a first taste of the new model in Germany, is a bit of a bargain and not at all unexpected from the brand that’s known for including a lot for the cash.

What are the Kodiaq’s features and options for the price?

Pricing is yet to be finalised for the new version, as is the exact line up but the best information months out from its arrival in Q2 2025 is that there will be a three-variant family starting with the entry-level Select, mid-range Sportline and, confirmed but yet to be revealed RS halo.

A small increase in price might be in the pipeline given the significant boost to standard equipment and technology with all versions expected to offer more compared with their current comparable variant.

For reference, Skoda recently sharpened the price of its Sportline Kodiaq to $56,490 driveaway, chopping about $5000 from the regular price or adding the Sportline kit to the base version for free – depending on how you want to look at it.

At the time of our first spin, petrol-engined version production had not yet commenced and only the 2.0-litre diesel was available, which will not be offered for Australia. However, the levels of equipment, the chassis and transmissions are identical for petrol variants, offering a good idea of what will come.

On the outside, a new look still retains enough of the previous model’s DNA for a strong relationship, but adds a more contemporary take on Skoda’s edgy and smart design.

LED headlights have a striking matrix appearance bookending the broad gloss grille, while our test car rolled on attractive 20-inch wheels.

Versions coming to Australia in the base variant are likely to be similarly specced to our test car which bodes well for equipment included in the cost, with perhaps a handful of options packs on offer. Expect something like the existing Signature Pack to be included as a standard offering.

There are zero scratchy or hard plastics no matter how hard we looked with good materials and coverings throughout, while the seat upholstery was a premium-grade fabric combination in our available test car. Leather is also offered in the lineup.

Overall the new model has grown 61mm in length and is 17mm taller, but measures 18mm narrower. Its wheelbase remains the same at 2791mm, while overall length is 4758mm so it’s properly straddling the mid and large segment line now.

While the model is available in Europe as a five-seater, Australia will be getting only the seven-seater. No plug-in hybrid version was available to test – once again due to early production schedules – but the electrified version is not yet chalked for Australia.

How does the Kodiaq drive?

Sharing the Volkswagen Group’s MQB Evo platform with numerous other sporty and dynamically capable models, the new Kodiaq is unsurprisingly a bit of fun to pilot. We were lucky enough to head out of Munich into some of the stunning surrounding mountain areas for a first sample of how it fares.

While there are some broken surfaces to be found, Germany’s roads almost always put Australia’s to shame – especially in a highly changeable environment which goes from a classic frozen alpine winter to hot and dry in the summer.

The Kodiaq can carve a line precisely with minimal body roll and lots of grip, enhanced by a very well balanced steering that’s light in weight but has plenty of feel. It’s easy to position this SUV accurately in the lane and carry some pace when the roads allow.

Perhaps more impressive though is the level of ride comfort given how easily the Skoda negotiates bends. Large deviations in the road surface are dealt with without drama with zero bump-steer and fast recovery.

This is largely thanks to the new highly adjustable dampers which have 15 settings and can be finely turned to the road and driving style. We’d argue 15 is more than most drivers would pore over to find the perfect setting and the main presets from Sport to Eco are all that’s required.

That said, it is an impressive chassis feature with noticeably different characteristics from one end of the scale to the other.

There’s a little less refinement in the secondary ride but only on really nasty fine abrasions that we only occasionally encountered. This is perhaps the small price to pay for handsome large-diameter wheels. They also allow a little roar into the cabin but certainly not unacceptably, while wind and drivetrain noise is impressively low.

It’s a shame the diesel wont be coming to Australia because the four-cylinder turbo 2.0-litre is a smooth and efficient unit but Skoda says the market has spoken and petrol is key for Kodiaq.

Instead, just a version of the widespread EA888 turbo 2.0-litre petrol four will be offered, but how well that pairing suits this model remains to be seen for the Kodiaq’s Australian launch. The same goes for the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission bolted to it.

The good news is that the new 140TSI replaces the existing 132TSI with a 150kW engine for a good increase in performance.

We also sampled the new Volkswagen Tiguan during our Euro trip, which gets the same petrol engine, offering a good insight into the 140TSI pairing, so keep an eye out for that first drive coming soon.

What we can say its that the new twist-to-shift gear selector is a bit different and not quite as intuitive as the traditional centre console-located version, but it didn’t take long to get used to and frees up lots of space in the centre for more tech and practical features.

Put a family of four in a new Kodiaq and everyone will have enough space, places to charge things, a good view out of the surroundings and a comfortable journey. And for those journeys alone, you can have a great time at the wheel.

What is the Kodiaq’s interior and tech like?

For the new version, Skoda has significantly lifted the Kodiaq’s technology proposition as well as its general level of premium materials.

Our test car was decked out with a beautifully upholstered dash and door trims featuring large x-pattern stitching, high-quality seat upholstery covering the sporty but comfortable seats and a whole host of new displays. You can have leather if you want but the fabric does not feel like a cheap alternative.

In the centre, a 12.9-inch touchscreen creates an impressive centrepiece with bright and sharp resolution and heaps of standard features. It’s complemented by a 10.3-inch driver’s instrument cluster and colour head-up display.

A small functionless boarder surrounding the digital instrument cluster suggests Skoda has left space for an updated larger screen at some point in the model’s life but it looks fine for now.

Additionally, there’s now a ‘smart dial’ positioned below the main screen in the centre console and has multiple functions. A push of the dial shuffles through its jobs including volume control, drive mode selection, map zoom, air direction and fan-speed. Better still it can be customised to control exactly the controls required.

It’s flanked by another pair of 32mm dials also with their own mini digital displays for controlling individual temperature control but a press of the dial switches into heated seat function.

Not only do the neat trio of dials add a smart technological appearance, they also consolidate many functions into a small area, reducing cabin and dashboard clutter but without compromising on ease of use. We much prefer this to the same functions buried in touchscreen menus and virtual buttons.

Also new to the Kodiaq is Laura – a voice-activated personal assistant and an evolution of the previous voice control functions. Like many premium vehicle systems, Laura can be spoken to with more conversational requests or statements rather than specific commands.

A high-resolution manoeuvring camera is also standard with 360-degree view which works well but the supplementary parking sensors and warning tones are overzealous at best and inconsistent at worst. The continuous tone sounds too early when there is still plenty of clearance and can cause driver complacency.

Capping the boosted levels of technology are a good-sized futureproof wireless device charging pad which will accommodate the seemingly endless growth of smartphones, as well as wireless connectivity for Android and Apple devices.

Finally, Skoda’s suite of ‘simply clever’ features are well represented in the new Kodiaq including a return of the umbrella and little rubbish bin concealed in the front door trim and ice-scraper tucked inside the fuel cap.

But given the model’s big new screen a neat little cleaning brick has been provided and conveniently lives in the centre console ready to remove unsightly finger marks from the glossy display. Under the bonnet you’ll also find a windscreen washer bottle cap which cleverly unfurls into a funnel for spill-free refilling.

It really is, as Skoda puts it, simply clever.

The same goes for packaging. Despite maintaining a ‘mid-large’ stature, gen-two – like its predecessor – maximises interior packaging well, seemingly sculpting the most available space and room given the lean outer dimensions.

Row two offers relaxed knee, head and shoulder room, our test car offering a handy dedicated rear climate control panel and loads of those conveniently clever touches, such as smartphone cradles in the backs of the front seats. The second row pew is comfy and supportive and the same upmarket material choice continues through from the first row.

The third row seating remains one of the most usable in class. It’s not terribly roomy for adults, but highly useable for short trips and convenient enough for smaller kids when touring.

There’s ample flexibility, given the second row seat backs can be deployed or stowed in any 60:40-split combination, while row three offers a 50:50 split for maximum practicality.

Boot space? As the seven-seater, Skoda quotes 340 litres, which is very decent indeed.

But converted to a five-seater, the lengthy cabin proportions allow a whopping 910L of advertised space – again, with more flexibility depending on which seat back sections you choose to stow. The two-seater configuration yields 2035L.

Is the Kodiaq a safe car?

A full assessment of the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq’s safety offering will have to wait until Its arrival on Australian turn where it can be evaluated in practice and perhaps ANCAP can have a look.

In anticipation though, Skoda says the new model takes a step up with some key technologies new to the model.

Highlights include turn assistance, crossroad assist and collision avoidance assist side and travel assistance now comes with extended functionality. There are up to nine airbags and a new Attention and Drowsiness detection.

Skoda also mentions new more discreet ‘nano’ radar sensors for the parking and various proximity detection systems including a remote parking function via the MySkoda application with the car can be parked while the ‘occupants’ are outside the vehicle.

What are the Kodiaq’s ownership costs?

While exact ownership costs are yet to be finalised, the current (outgoing) Kodiaq serves as good guide for what to expect.

Warranty is Skoda’s typical seven years of unlimited-kilometre surety.

Servicing wise, the current 132TSI petrol has a seven-year/105,000km servicing pack at $3350, with required intervals of 12 months and 15,000kms.

Consumption for the first-gen 132TSI is typically around 10.0L/100km urban and 7.0L/100km for highway as tested by Chasing Cars, for a neat 8.5L average. The more powerful and larger gen-two is likely to be higher, though not considerably so.

The honest verdict on the Skoda Kodiaq

Despite its continued push into ever more luxurious territory, Skoda insists it’s not trying to be premium. Instead it wants existing and prospective customers to understand that its core value is exactly that – value.

The only thing that’s changed is that you now get even more for your money. Correspondingly, the price will likely rise in parallel with the levels of equipment, performance and design. The new Kodiaq exemplifies this.

It’s still a right-sized family SUV with brilliant design and function touches, but brings a big step up in technology and design.

So it’s strange when Skoda avoids superlatives such as premium and luxury in favour of a focus on value for money, because the new Kodiaq does both.