Skoda Kodiaq Plug-In Hybrid Confirmed For 2019

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India-bound Skoda Kodiaq is the Czech automaker’s flagship global product that could be launched here sometime next year

Skoda has unveiled the Kodiaq SUV in Berlin recently, which comes as the flagship SUV from the Czech auto manufacturer. The car was first previewed through the Skoda Vision S Concept which was showcased at Geneva Motor Show. The car comes taking inspiration from the Bohemian crystals, and therefore the Kodiaq looks pretty sharp.

The car is expected to hit the Indian market sometime in 2017, and once it gets launched, it will be positioned above the Skoda Yeti. Kodiaq has been named after an Alaskan bear named Kodiak, and the size and build represent the thinking behind the naming as well.

It is also the first SUV from the Czech auto major which comes with both five seater and seven seater options, and also it marks the beginning of company’s extensive SUV campaign. Sokda plans to introduce a plug-in hybrid variant of this large sized SUV by 2019 as confirmed by brand’s chief Bernhard Maier.

It will likely adopt powertrain from the Passat GTE which is also slated for India. The Superb is reported to get a PHEV around 2019 and thus expect both models to reach our markets sometime in the beginning of next decade as Volkswagen Group embarks on expanding its electrification strategy.

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The Skoda Kodiaq looks not only large and muscular at size, it also comes with a premium appearance inside the cabin with loads of interesting features. In terms of power and performance also, the car is expected to deliver a superior performance with its range of both petrol and diesel powertrains, and the All Wheel Drive (AWD) technology as well. Here we will take a look at the details of the upcoming Skoda Kodiaq.

Skoda Kodiaq Price

Skoda Kodiaq is expected to be priced at around Rs. 30 lakhs to Rs. 32 lakhs. The car is expected to launch in European market sometime in March next year, while it would launch in China in the second quarter of 2017. The India launch is supposed to be in the third quarter of 2017.

Skoda Kodiaq Engine and Specification

The Skoda Kodiaq will come available with a range of powertrains including both the TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines. There will be three TSI petrol engines with displacements between 1.4 litre to 2.0 litre, while the TDI diesel engines will include differently tuned 2.0 litre units. The 1.4 litre TSI petrol engine mated to a six speed manual transmission churns out 125 PS of peak power and 200 Nm of peak torque; and it comes with a front wheel drive configuration.

There will be another variant with the same 1.4 litre unit combined with Active Cylinder Technology (ACT), which comes producing 150 PS of peak power and 250 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duty in this car is done by a six speed manual transmission; while there will be a six speed DSG automatic transmission as well. It gets both the front wheel drive and All Wheel Drive (AWD) options.

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The largest TSI petrol engine is a 2.0 litre unit paired with a seven speed DSG automatic transmission, generating 180 PS of peak power and 320 Nm of peak torque and it comes with an All Wheel Drive configuration. On the diesel front the car sports a 2.0 litre TDI engine which comes in two different tunes of power outputs.

While the base diesel Kodiaq kicks out 150 PS of peak power and 340 Nm of peak torque, the other model pumps out 190 PS of peak power and 400 Nm of peak torque. On the transmission front the base diesel model comes with six speed manual transmission and seven speed DSG automatic transmission options as well, while the car gets both front wheel drive and AWD. The other model gets a seven speed DSG automatic transmission and an All Wheel Drive configuration only.

Skoda Kodiaq Mileage

Skoda Kodiaq is expected to deliver the fuel efficiency between 15 kmpl to 20 kmpl. While the TSI petrol engines are expected to deliver 15 kmpl of fuel efficiency, the TDI diesel units are supposed to deliver 20 kmpl of fuel economy. The car comes featuring Euro-6 emission compliant.

Skoda Kodiaq Exterior and Dimension

On the design front the Skoda Kodiaq looks very sharp and the design was first previewed through the Skoda Vision S Concept, which was displayed at Geneva Motor Show earlier in 2015. The Czech auto manufacturer describes the design has been inspired by the Bohemian glass crystals, which is why the Kodiaq looks sharp and edgy.

So far, the car bears the design language, which will be available in the future Skoda SUVs as well. The front fascia sports sharp LED headlamp clusters with integrated LED daytime running lights, vertically slated aggressive looking front grille with sleek chrome garnishing. The fog lamps come unusual looking and positioned just below the headlamps, unlike any other cars. The front bumper looks massive with a wide and large air intake sporting hexagonal mesh and a horizontal slat at the middle.

The side profile comes bearing the same masculine appeal and beefy. It features sharp cuts and creases, aggressive alloy wheels, a bit squarish wheel arches, side body cladding, sloping roofline, sporty roof rails. The glass area is blackened out and the ORVMs come sporting turn indicator lights, and they are designed in such a manner, which Skoda claims, helps in air flow toward the back.

The rear fascia gets a roof spoiler with high mounted stop lamp, deep cut between the sharp and wide wrap around C shaped LED taillights, a beefy bumper and twin exhaust vents. So far, the entire car looks very masculine and large. No wonder, it will come with its own road presence and grab eyeballs quickly even in the middle of dense traffic condition.

Dimensionally, the Skoda Kodiaq measures 4,697 mm in length, 1,882 mm in width, 1,676 mm in height and the wheelbase stands at 2,791 mm. The ground clearance is 168 mm, and it would have been better, if the ground clearance came a bit higher. The Kodiaq is only 40 mm longer than the Octavia on paper, but the Kodiaq’s interior have been designed to offer a very roomy experience to the occupants. It offers a boot space of 720 litres, which can be extended up to 2,065 litres with the rear seats folded.

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Skoda Kodiaq Interior and Features

Skoda Kodiaq comes with a very upmarket interior offering comfortable journey experience for every occupant. The car comes in both five seater and seven seater layouts. The interior takes the design cue from the all new Skoda Superb, with some distinctive characteristics though. Up front the sporty black themed interior features a three spoke multifunction steering wheel with silver trims. The instrument cluster gets both analog and digital display and looks pretty informative.

The centre console looks different than the Skoda Superb. It features an 8 inch touchscreen Swing infotainment system flanked by the control buttons and vertically positioned HVAC vents. The infotainment system comes with Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto, Skoda SmartLink and Mirror Link. The steering wheel and the seat covers and upholstery comes wrapped with premium quality leather and double needle stitching.

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In terms of interior space, the Skoda Kodiaq comes with an interior length of 1,793 mm, elbow room of 1,527 mm at front and 1,510 mm at rear. The 1,020 mm of headroom is very impressive at the front, while the rear gets 1,014 mm of headroom. It also offers a 104 mm of leg space. The cabin gets an electrically operational panoramic sunroof, which enhances the premium appeal of the car.

Skoda Kodiaq Safety

The Safety features of the Skoda Kodiaq is not cleared yet, but expect the car to sport ABS, EBD, ESP, Hill Assist Control, multiple airbags as standard.

Skoda Kodiaq Rivals

Once launched, the Skoda Kodiaq is expected to lock horn with the rivals like Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour, Nissan X-Trail, and Hyundai Santa Fe.