BERLIN -- Skoda has added a plug-in hybrid version to its Kodiaq midsize SUV for the first time to help it compete with the growing number of full-electric competitors in its segment.
The plug-in hybrid Kodiaq mates a 1.5-liter gasoline engine to a 25.7-kilowatt-hour battery and an electric motor to give a combined power output of 204 hp and an electric-only range of 100 km (62 miles), the brand said.
The car is also available with a mild-hybrid 1.5-liter gasoline engine, a 2.0-liter gasoline engine and a 2.0-liter diesel with two power outputs. All-wheel drive is available on the higher output diesel and the 2.0-liter gasoline.
Skoda launched the second generation Kodiaq here on Wednesday. Deliveries will start in late spring 2024. Skoda did not disclose prices.
The new-generation Kodiaq is 61 mm longer than the current model at 4758 mm, and it gains 75 liters of trunk space to create what Skoda says is a class-leading 910 liters in the five-seat version. A seven-seat version is also available.
The Kodiaq is the No. 2-selling model in Europe’s midsize SUV segment after the full-electric Volkswagen ID4. Skoda sold with 56,124 Kodiak models through August, according to market researcher Dataforce. Skoda’s full-electric midsize SUV, the Enyaq iV, sold 39,125 units in the same period.
The Kodiaq shares the VW Group MQB Evo platform with the Skoda Superb, VW Passat and VW Tiguan, and carries over many of their innovations.
All versions of the new SUV use a dual-clutch automatic transmission, which has allowed Skoda to move the gearshift to the steering column. The central console adds more storage space and room to wirelessly charge two mobile phones side by side.
Skoda has diverged from VW in the interior layout of the Kodiaq compared with the new Passat and Tiguan, with rotary dials below the central dash screen.
The three “smart dials” are programmable to change the function they control, with two outer dials adjusting the interior temperature, seat heating and seat ventilation, and the middle dial controlling the volume of the infotainment system, fan speed, air direction, smart air conditioning, driving modes and map zoom.
A 10-inch central dash screen is standard, with a 13-inch version available on higher-spec models. A digital instrument panel sits in front of the driver, and a head-up display is also available for the first time in a Kodiaq.
Improved connectivity means the plug-in hybrid can be programmed to set the temperature before driving, as well as the charging time. Skoda says it has broadened the range of functions available on demand via the infotainment system, with drivers able to order mapping, adaptive cruise control and high-beam control via the screen if they have not been already specified.
The exterior design has been updated to include Skoda’s new horizontal crease line in the grille as well as quad light units in the front. A horizontal light strip separates the driving and running lights. At the rear, a red light bar joins the two C-shaped lighting pods.
Skoda claims the new Kodiaq is much improved aerodynamically, with a drag coefficient of 0.28. Aero optimization includes electrically controlled active cooling shutters that close the grille when not needed. Other aero features include contoured exterior mirrors, redesigned front and rear bumpers, aerodynamic wheels, an extended roof spoiler and integrated longitudinal roof rails.
Optional equipment includes massage seats, LED matrix headlights and Travel Assist semi-autonomous driving.
The Kodiaq can also be programmed to park itself. The Assisted Drive Plus package include what Skoda calls Trained Parking assistant, in which drivers can record the approach to up to five favorite parking spaces over a distance of 50 meters and have the car park itself with a command.
The Remote Parking assistant can also be used to direct the vehicle into parking spaces not stored in the system from up to five meters away.
