Less torque more action

Skoda has updated the Kodiaq, ditching diesel in favour of petrol. Nile Bijoux takes it for a spin.

Skoda has given the Kodiaq RS a mid-life update, consisting of a variety of standard tweaks like more LEDs and a slightly different face, but also a new engine, for better and worse.

Outside

It still looks like a Kodiaq, with a slightly different grille and a smoother nose, but the main headlight clusters are now LEDs. There are LEDs all round now. The lower fog lights are slightly smaller too.

More noticeable are the wheels, which have aero covers that help reduce drag and improve fuel consumption. They are a bit plasticky, but the black bits are removable for a more conventional look.

Inside

The cabin features minor updates to trim, stitching and ambient lighting, but is generally the same as before. Well, aside from the new 10.25-inch digital dashboard. There’s also a 9.2-inch infotainment screen, along with a nine-speaker Canton sound system, wireless phone charging and mirroring, and heated/vented/ massaging Alcantara carbon effect sports front seats.

It’s all very nice. The seats are comfortable and supportive, there’s heaps of space for rear passengers (even in that third row) and the new digital dash is awesome.

Under the bonnet

The biggest change is the engine. Power no longer comes from a 2.0-litre diesel engine – instead Skoda has dropped in the tried-and-true 2.0-litre petrol, the same turbo unit as in the Octavia RS.

It produces 180kW/370Nm, an increase and a decrease on those respective values compared to the old diesel unit, a change done out of necessity, considering Volkswagen has ditched most of its diesel engines.

Torque is down 130Nm, which is painful for those who like the low-down shove and have things to lug around (or want to set Nu¨ rburgring lap times), but power has risen by 4kW to try to compensate.

It’s not a bad powertrain either, with an interesting fake noise that sounds a bit like an RS 3 and snappy shifting from the seven-speed DSG.

On the road

The Kodiaq has always been a wellbehaved thing, even with that RS badge, and this one isn’t any different.

Volkswagen Dynamic Chassis Control keeps everything more level, allowing for some hefty cornering speeds, and that more powerful engine means it’ll hit 100kph sooner too, in 6.6 seconds. It’s hard not to miss that torque though. . .

The steering is nice and accurate, weighting up in Sport mode but not too much, and is still easy enough to spin for town driving.

Switching the drive modes also affects the suspension, which never gets too rough. The 4x4 system is decent too, although I didn’t get a chance to test its off-road capabilities.

It’s a hushed ride, aside from the fake engine noise that pipes up in Sport, and there’s a good amount of active safety on board as well, including the latest Travel Assist (VW-speak for active lane-keeping) tech.

Verdict

If you’re after a seven-seater with a bit of spice, the top-rung Kodiaq is hard to look past.

But do you need a spicy seven-seater? Skoda has sold 133 Kodiaq RS up until end of October this year, so the demand is there, but it’s hard not to ignore the rest of the range.

Can’t do without that diesel thrust? The Sportline TDI is still around for $5000 less than the RS, or you could drop right down to the 132kW/320Nm Style and lose a bit of output but save $15,000.