New Skoda Kodiaq gets 2024 Australian release date with more powerful petrol engine

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Skoda has revealed photographs of a camouflaged version of its second-generation Kodiaq large SUV that is set to launch in Australia in the first half of 2024.

Full engine details for the core Kodiaq range have also been announced, with two petrols, two diesels and a plug-in hybrid forming the global Kodiaq powertrain lineup – though Australia won’t take all five configurations.

“Skoda will pursue a petrol or electric strategy in Australia, given both the Enyaq and [second-generation] Kodiaq will start production for us next year,” Daniel DeGasperi, Skoda Australia public relations manager, told Chasing Cars.

A petrol or electric strategy means it’s likely the second-gen Kodiaq lineup in Australia will be based around a 150kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with all-wheel drive and a seven-speed wet-clutch DSG gearbox. This is a development of the 132kW AWD engine sold locally with the current Kodiaq.

Skoda will also offer a less powerful 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine with 110kW of power and front-wheel drive, but that engine is less likely to be sold in Australia. Two diesels with 110kW or 142kW of power, and a 150kW plug-in hybrid, don’t appear to be on the local wishlist.

Later, it’s possible that the sporty Kodiaq RS will be reprised for a second generation – but the brand is tight-lipped about how powerful that car will be this time around.

“Australia is a prime market for RS products so we will strongly consider all performance variants,” said DeGasperi.

Meanwhile, the incoming Skoda Enyaq – the Kodiaq’s sister all-electric model in the brand’s lineup – will offer Australian buyers a battery-electric option when it is released in Australia in 2024.

2024 is set to be a busy year for Skoda Australia, with the marque introducing the Enyaq in SUV, coupé-SUV and RS guises, while the Kodiaq and Superb will both be refreshed with new generations.

Riding on the Volkswagen Group’s MQB Evo platform, the second-generation Kodiaq is a deep evolution of the outgoing model that has found more than 792,000 customers, Skoda says. Almost 10,000 Kodiaq sales have been in Australia.

The current Kodiaq is available in three versions: a $54,990-driveaway Style model with 132kW and AWD, a more athletically-styled Kodiaq Sportline for $59,990, and a 180kW Kodiaq RS grade at $74,990. Diesel engines were discontinued in 2021.

At 4758mm in length, the second-generation Kodiaq is 61mm longer than the outgoing version. That change increases the boot space and shifts the seven-seat Skoda SUV into large SUV territory in Australia – we’ve previously considered it to be a large midsizer.

Skoda sells two other SUV models in Australia: the small Kamiq, which recently won a Chasing Cars Gold Star award and placed first in our 2023 small SUV megatest – and the small-midsize Karoq.

The new Kodiaq’s wheelbase remains unchanged at 2791mm, while the width and height remain steady. Skoda does claim that third-row headroom is slightly better in the new car, though.

Outside, new matrix LED headlights with a coloured ‘Crystallinium’ element will be noticeable on the updated front end – which Skoda says is more sculptural – while alloy wheel sizes will range between 17- and 20-inches in diameter.

Inside, the touchscreen will be increased in size to 12.9 inches and a heads-up display will also be available. The driver’s Virtual Cockpit will continue to measure 10.25 inches in size.

On the safety front, nine airbags are expected to be fitted. Skoda’s Travel Assist function picks up new elements, while remote parking will be added to the Kodiaq.