A month before its on sale date, the Australian pricing and specification for the Skoda Kodiaq have finally been announced. Skoda’s first seven-seat SUV will start from $42,990 (plus on-road costs), and arrives well equipped and full of Skoda’s ‘simply clever’ features. An expanded Kodiaq lineup will also arrive before the end of 2017.
For now, a single engine and spec is available – a 132kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol 132TSI mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. Skoda claims a combined fuel consumption average of 7.6L/100km. Unlike their European cousins, Australian Kodiaqs are only available with seven seats, and with the third row of seats folded, 760-litres of bootspace is available.
Competing with popular seven-seat SUVs like the Mazda CX-9, Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Kluger, the standard equipment list for the Kodiaq is lengthy. Autonomous Emergency Braking, radar adaptive cruise control, nine airbags, keyless entry and start, adaptive LED headlights with cornering foglamps, dual-zone climate control, an electric tailgate with programmable height memory and an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration and a rear-view camera.
The Australian-spec Kodiaq also arrives with half leather/Alcantara seating for all seven seats, auto-folding mirrors, LED interior lighting, a leather-wrapped multi-function three-spoke steering wheel, an electric parking brake, a sliding and reclining second row of seats with easy access to the third row and three boot nets and even a key holder in the centre console.
Also standard are Skoda’s ‘simply clever’ features, such as umbrellas in each of the front doors, electronically activated rear child door locks (controllable from the driver’s door), integrated sunblinds in each rear door, a tablet holder on the rear of the front seats, cup holders with grip bubbles to open a bottle with one hand, an LED torch in the luggage area and a new door edge protector that automatically deploys every time the doors are opened to reduce damage in confined spaces.
As with other Skoda models, option packages are available for the Kodiaq to give owners the opportunity to personalise their cars. A Tech Package ($2,500) adds Adaptive Chassis Control with different driving modes, hands-free electric tailgate, a ten-speaker Canton sound system, automatic parallel and 90-degree parking functionality, an off-road driving mode, car personalisation with different keys and Manoeuvre Braking Assist, which helps steer the car if it decides an accident is unavoidable.
A Luxury Package ($4,900) is also available for the Kodiaq, and includes electrically adjustable front seats with memory functionality, perforated full-leather seating in black or beige, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated second row of seats, tri-zone climate control, auto-dimming side mirrors with memory functionality and a whole raft of safety equipment, such as blind-spot monitoring, rear traffic alert, 360-degree parking cameras, traffic jam assist and emergency assist.
Finally, a Launch Package ($5,900) is available for a limited time, and includes all of the equipment from the Tech Package, 19-inch anthracite ‘Triglav’ alloy wheels, as well as a number of optional features from the Luxury Pack, including blind-spot monitoring, rear traffic alert, a 360-degree parking camera, emergency assist, traffic jam assist and auto-dimming side mirrors.
Metallic Paint ($700), a panoramic sunroof ($1,900) and the same 19-inch ‘Triglav’ wheels ($1,650) from the Launch Package are also available as standalone options.
2017 Skoda Kodiaq Australian pricing (plus on-road costs):
– 132TSI AWD 7-speed DSG: $42,990
2017 Skoda Kodiaq options:
– Tech Package: $2,500
– Luxury Package: $4,900
– Launch Package: $5,900
– Metallic/Pearl Effect Paint: $700
– Panoramic Sunroof: $1,900
– 19-inch anthracite ‘Triglav’ wheels: $1,650
The Skoda Kodiaq arrives in dealerships on May 31st ahead of the 140TDI 2.0-litre turbodiesel AWD variant arriving later in the year. Skoda Australia has also confirmed the addition of the SportLine variant with larger wheels and a sports bodykit before the end of 2017. The Kodiaq Scout, a more off-road orientated version is a possibility for Australia as well, as is a less expensive and lower-powered front-wheel drive variant.
Big things are expected of Skoda’s new SUV, which will no doubt have high sales expectations placed on its handsome shoulders. Chasing Cars will be at the launch of the Skoda Kodiaq in early June, and will bring you all the details of this crucial seven-seat SUV as they come to light.
