The second-generation Skoda Kodiaq will pick up new plug-in hybrid variants to help it battle the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and BYD Sealion 6.
Speaking to Chasing Cars at Kodiaq’s national media launch, Skoda Australia Director Lucie Kuhn revealed that mild and plug-in hybrids are the missing link in the Czech brands’ product offensive.
Kuhn said that plug-in hybrids “[would come] to the Australian market for Kodiaq and Superb in late 2025, early 2026.”
Chasing Cars understands that the plug-in hybrid powertrains for Kodiaq and Superb are under technical evaluation for Australia at this moment. There’s also a mild-hybrid powertrain likely for the Octavia family car this year.
Skoda is a dominant force in Europe. It was the fourth best-biggest brand in the region last year behind Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW. The story’s different Down Under, where Skoda shifted 5015 units last year, down on 2023’s 7999 results.
“There are a lot of factors that led to this result,” Kuhn said, “Firstly, I think we were historically really focused on the European market because we are a European brand…. We wanted to maintain domestic market share,” she explained.
“We were bringing products to markets like Australia with a certain delay — which was sometimes up to one year — and also missing technologies. Right now, we face, for instance, missing hybrids; it’s also not helping sales,” said Kuhn.
The Kodiaq plug-in hybrid might be the perfect solution. The five-seat (rather than the petrol’s seven) SUV develops 150kW and 350Nm for a 0-100km/h sprint in 8.4 seconds.
More impressive, though, is the Kodiaq iV’s circa-110km (WLTP) electric-only range from a 25.7kWh battery. That eclipses even the new Mitsubishi Outlander (86km, WLTP) and BYD Sealion 6 (92km, NEDC). The Kodiaq iV supports up to 50kW DC fast-charging, too.
Of the mainstream VW Group brands, Cupra was the only to bring plug-in hybrids to Australia in the previous iteration. The Cupra Leon and Formentor will get the new-gen PHEV engines later this year, potentially paving the way for Skoda’s Kodiaq and Superb.
While Australia has now rolled back FBT exemptions for PHEVs, in Europe, the powertrain style has faced renewed scrutiny and many countries have removed incentives. The lower demand in Europe typically means it is easier to secure production for markets like Australia.
Skoda will need to nail the pricing for its plug-in hybrid Kodiaq and Superb if it’s to compete in the current competitive market. The Outlander PHEV costs $63,790 in mid-spec Aspire guise and the BYD Sealion 6 $52,990 in Premium trim.
The Skoda Kodiaq Select starts at $56,990 driveaway, and if Skoda could offer a plug-in hybrid version for around $60,000 it could find success sitting between the current 140TSI and performance-oriented Kodiaq RS.
