Skoda Kodiaq long-term test: report 3
Skoda's biggest combustion-engined SUV seats seven and looks like good value, but what's it like to live with? We're finding out...
The car Skoda Kodiaq 1.5 TSI 150 e-Tec DSG SE L Run by John Bradshaw, chief photographer
Why it’s here To see if Skoda's seven-seater can provide a winning blend of comfort, practicality and economy
Needs to Tackle long trips with ease, carry bulky loads and be frugal at the pumps
Mileage 2763 List price £42,205 Target Price £37,839 Price as tested £43,005 Official fuel economy 44.5mpg Test fuel economy 42.3mpg
5 March 2025 – Room with a view
It’s been a while since I’ve run a car as unashamedly big as my Skoda Kodiaq, which is a seven-seat SUV and the largest combustion-engined model that Skoda sells. After spending several months in the brand’s smaller Kamiq, the Kodiaq’s scale is quite a leap; at 4761mm long, it extends almost half a meter beyond the Kamiq, as well as standing 45mm taller.
The best way to appreciate its extra size, though, is from inside. I found the Kamiq remarkably spacious for a small SUV; Dr Who would love it. But while adults were comfy enough in the back, it didn’t let them stretch out in the way that the Kodiaq does. And this was really brought home to me on a recent road trip to the French Pyrenees.
The thing is, though, if you think of the Kodiaq as a scaled-up Kamiq, it has more advantages than just greater interior volume. That extra height also translates to a notably higher driving position, and this is something I’ve really come to enjoy during my time with the Kodiaq thus far. It’s great news for visibility; perched high, I can usually see over the roofs of neighbouring cars in urban jams, making me that bit more aware of my surroundings and what the traffic is up to.
My wife and I had the front seats, while our friend Christina was able to luxuriate in the rear of the car by herself. Frankly, she might as well have been in another time zone.
In the Kamiq, you can pass travel sweets to the back seats with a simple bend of the elbow, whereas in the Kodiaq, you have to swivel your entire body and stretch your arm out. I considered rigging up a pulley system to do the job.
On our road trip, it was very helpful in rural France, where my raised viewpoint meant unkempt grass and roadside hedgerows rarely blocked my view of what was going on around the next bend.And yet, despite its size, I’ve quickly got used to judging the Kodiaq’s extremities. Boarding Le Shuttle and threading my way along the train was barely any trickier than I’ve experienced in much smaller cars. The Kodiaq is big, but far from ungainly.
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