Auto news on Youtube Jun 26 2018

Seven seats, a spacious trunk, a massive sunroof

and a lot of gadgets inside.

All of this makes Kodiaq – Škoda's first SUV – a very interesting vehicle.

However, I want to know how does it drive.

This is my version of a two-meter test.

Even though I'm only 1.70 m tall,

you can really see how easily taller people can fit inside this car.

I have moved my seat all the way forward and still get a decent leg room

and while I wouldn't call it spacious, it's perfectly comfortable.

I don't think I have seen this much middle row adjustability in any other car,

but you have to take into the account that putting up the third row of seats

will limit this adjustability if you want anyone to fit behind you.

Let's see how much space is up there.

In order to get into the back row you need to move the seats in front,

which does require some force.

It's not that bad and looks more cumbersome than it really is.

I would compare sitting here to a theatre's balcony,

as the seats are raised relative to those in front.

Let's put those up.

The middle row is now moved slightly forward and I really have a lot of leg room.

I think it's unfair to say that those seats are only for kids,

but even though I'm only 1.70 m tall,

there's not much much space left above my head.

The seat is comfortable, there is a cup holder and a 12V outlet,

so pretty much everything one might ask for sitting at the back.

But to be honest, I don't think that someone taller than me will find this place comfortable.

The rear doors open up really wide,

which I'm sure parents will appreciate when mounting child seats inside.

The ISOFIX mounts are included, but only in the middle row,

so the back seats must be populated by older children.

Passengers sitting by the doors also get the added benefit of blindfolds,

which will make their trip much more comfortable.

Riding in the Kodiaq's middle row is comfortable

not only because the seats are quite decent,

but also thanks to a seperate air-conditioning zone, another 12V outlet,

and the big armrest that will seperate you from a disliked passenger beside

and double up as a cupholder.

As every woman, I am always on a diet, which means I'm eating a lot of fruits.

Then, I never know what to do with cores and scraps.

Škoda has come up with what I think is an ingenious solution and included a refuse bin

– a simple bag with a holder that fits inside the door.

You can just push some trash inside, so they won't be rolling on the floor.

Since it's enclosed, it will also keep any odours inside.

The included touchscreen has a major drawback,

that it's is prone to fingerprints.

This is the case with pretty much any touchscreen.

Kodiaq is not meant to be a small city car,

thus the sheer size of it should make it inconvenient in the urban environment.

But you should expect from any car to do just fine in the city as well.

And while parking the 4.7-meter chassis can be an issue

– that's the compromise you have to make

in order to get a big trunk and a spacious interior

you rarely notice how big this car is while driving in traffic.

Kodiaq is floating at the city speeds of 50-60 km/h,

and really seems to like traveling at such velocity.

Unfortunately, it comes with a high fuel consumption,

so it's probably better to take it onto a highway.

Cruising on a highway is really comfortable in this car,

but even at 140 km/h, which is the speed limit in Poland,

after some time you might feel an acoustic discomfort.

Being such a high car, it is quite draggy,

and the sounds of it cutting through the air can get really loud and annoying.

Škoda has worked hard to make this car as ergonomic as possible.

They have not only included a place to store a bigger bottle,

but made everything easily reachable and intuitive to use.

The steering wheel fits nicely into hands

and I have a hard time finding any ergonomic drawbacks.

This car just wants you to drive it.

Kodiaq drives really calm, even though it's powered by a turbocharged 2-litre TSI engine.

The engine is really driveable and doesn't lack power in the lower rev range.

Combined with a DSG transmission, it gathers the car up nicely even at a 3rd of 4th gear.

As this is a family car, it doesn't really encourage energetic driving

and making constant use of all the 180 HP available.

Unfortunately, the fuel consumption will be high no matter how you drive,

thanks to the car's large dimensions and over 1600 kgs of weight.

Being really careful, I was able to achieve 7 l/100 km,

but in a more realistic scenario

– involving normal city driving and some highway cruising

– you might expect something in the region of 9-10 l/100 km.

I've got the specs in front of me.

The 'Style' variant with a 2.0 litre TSI engine,

a 7-speed DSG transmission and a four-wheel drive,

will set you back for 138 700 PLN – not cheap

– while the full trim variant costs 187 000 PLN.

So, is it possible to get anything alse that will be such spacious and will fit seven people inside?

Yes, but the competition comes from the premium segment

and those are much more expensive options.

With this in mind, Kodiaq is definetely worth considering,

but to get a fully-featured variant you will need to have at least 150 000 PLN.

Don't forget to visit Instagram profiles @kasiafrendl.pl and @motocaina

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More car tests are coming soon, bye!