Skoda Kodiaq Re-introduced in India with Petrol-powered Variants, Prices start at Rs 34.99 lakh

Skoda has begun 2022 with a bang by bringing back its flagship offering, the Kodiaq SUV. Like before, the new Skoda Kodiaq is locally manufactured here in its production plant in Aurangabad. However, this time around, the Kodiaq has come in a petrol-only avatar, with new features and new variants in its lineup.

Prices and Variants

The new Skoda Kodiaq is now available in a total of three variants – Style, Sportline and Laurin & Klement. While the base-spec Style variant is priced at Rs 34.99 lakh, the top-spec Laurin & Klement variant tops the lineup at Rs 37.49 lakh. The mid-spec Sportline variant, which is a sportier-looking iteration of the SUV, has been priced at Rs 35.99 lakh (all prices ex-showroom, India).

Exterior

The new Skoda Kodiaq re-introduced in India is the facelifted version of the model sold in India before, and comes with mild but noteworthy revisions all around. The SUV now features a more upright grille with upper tapered edges, sleeker LED headlamps with new daytime running LEDs, reprofiled front and rear bumpers, sleeker LED tail lamps and a new design for the multi-spoke 18-inch machined alloy wheels. As in the Superb, the Sportline variant of the Kodiaq gets a black finish for the grille, front and rear bumper inserts, alloy wheels, rearview mirrors and roof rails.

Interior

There is not much change to the layout of the cabin of the new Kodiaq – while the Sportline variant comes with all-black leather upholstery, the other two variants get a dual-tone black and beige leather upholstery.

The new feature revisions in the new Skoda Kodiaq are the two-spoke multi-functional steering wheel like in the Octavia (unlike the three-spoke unit of the previous model) and a better 12-speaker Canton sound system (unlike the 10-speaker unit of the previous model). The other new features in the cabin of the Kodaiq are heated, ventilated and powered front seats, wireless connectivity for the Apple Carplay and Android Auto in the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a wireless charger.

In addition to these new features, the Kodiaq continues to get a 10-.25-inch full TFT instrument console, ambient lighting, three-zone automatic climate control, AC vents for all the three rows of seats, hands-free parking, front and rear parking sensors, nine airbags and a panoramic sunroof.

Powertrain

Out goes the 2.0-litre diesel engine of the erstwhile Kodiaq, as the new version gets the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder TSI petrol engine, which powers other Skodas like the Octavia and Superb. Here too, the engine is coupled to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and pumps out 190 bhp of maximum power and 320 Nm of maximum torque. The new model also gets a dynamic chassis control for adjusting the firmness of the dampers of suspension setup, depending on the drive mode engaged.

Competition

At this price, the only other seven-seater petrol-powered SUV is the Toyota Fortuner, which, unlike the monocoque frame-based Kodiaq, gets a ladder-on-frame chassis. Apart from that, the new Kodiaq will rival the petrol variants of the upcoming Jeep Meridian.

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