What is it?
Some facelifts are a tacit admission that something was wrong with the original car. The Skoda Kodiaq is just the opposite. It sold well from the start and continues to do so; The changes focus on making it a little better here and there.
It’s got the usual visual nip and tuck. You can recognize the facelift model mainly by the slightly slimmer headlights: They are now always LEDs, and from SE L you trim matrix LEDs. Inside there is a new steering wheel, some gray stitching and redesigned “ergonomic seats”. As before, you get seven seats as standard in all equipment except the entry-level SE.
The engine range remained largely the same with one major exception: there is now only one diesel: a 2.0-liter four-pot with 148 or 197 hp, which is always combined with a dual-clutch automatic transmission.
On the gasoline side, you can choose between a 148 hp 1.5 liter turbo and an 187 hp 2.0 liter turbo (tested here), both with four cylinders. The 1.5 TSI is the only Kodiaq you can get with a manual transmission. At the top of the program sits the vRS, which has swapped its diesel engine for the 2.0 TSI of the Volkswagen Golf GTI.
How is it?
You’re likely buying the Kodiaq for convenience, cost, or appearance: it’s not a driver’s car. However, in its own way, it’s very satisfying to drive – fast or slow. These new seats have lots of adjustment options and are soft but very supportive, while the control weights feel right, with steering that even gives a hint of feedback and brakes that are easy to modulate and instill confidence – something so many do modern cars get it wrong.
It backs this up with very neat handling and response for what it is. The downside is that the ride on the Sportline’s 20-inch wheels can get a bit clunky for a family SUV. In general, this 2.0 TSI engine and Sportline trim combo isn’t the best for the Kodiaq.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the engine: it offers a lot of overtaking punch, although it sounds a bit rough when pushed, and its real MPG – mid-30s in mixed use, high 30 on a cruise – is respectable. The effortless torque of a diesel, however, would suit the Kodiaq better, as would the more restrained style and slightly smaller wheels of one of the other trim levels.
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