Skoda Kodiaq first drive review image gallery

Skoda's first seven-seater, the Kodiaq SUV will be in Indian showrooms on October 4, 2017. The Skoda Kodiaq has taken sometime to come here but this premium SUV will now target its cousin, the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Hyundai Tucson. The Skoda Kodiaq is packed with features and gets all-LED units with cornering function, while fog lamps use projector beams with cornering function. The Skoda Kodiaq is pretty wide given its overall width of 1,882mm, and the grille and headlights accentuate that feeling. In fact, the design reminds us of the old Audi Q7 and that isn't a bad place to start with for a premium SUV. The interior too is packed with new features like a 8-inch infotainment system that offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink connectivity, 10 colour ambient lighting, umbrellas in the front pocket and retractable door protectors. Our review of the Skoda Kodiaq gives a thumbs up to this new SUV. Excited to check the car out, head right below for the full blown image gallery

In terms of design the Skoda Kodiaq looks typically a Skoda, but with a difference. For instance, the butterfly grille is wider, bolder and finished in matte black for a more muscular effect, to suit the SUV stance better

The Skoda Kodiaq's headlights are all-LED units with cornering function, while fog lamps use projector beams and get a cornering function too

The Skoda Kodiaq is pretty wide given its overall width of 1882mm, and the grille and headlights accentuate that feeling. The raised front edge of the hood makes for a taller appearance

The Skoda Kodiaq tail lights are reminiscent of the Superb's, and in fact the Kodiaq's rear isn't SUV-like at all.

The India-spec Skoda Kodiaq runs on 18-inch wheels shod with 235/55 Hankoook tyres, which make for substantial visual mass

In the Skoda Kodiaq, you get a two-tone finish with the top half of the dash finished in black while the lower half and seats are beige-hued. This is a well-designed cabin and feels premium

These door protectors of the Skoda Kodiaq are unique to the Indian market. They retract when not in use

The Skoda Kodiaq gets the same 8-inch capacitive touch display. The infotainment system offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink connectivity. You can also control the infotainment system using Skoda's boss connect app via your smartphone

The Skoda Kodiaq's powertrain and firm suspension should make for good highway cruising as well. The suspension has you feel some of the bumps at slow speeds but soaks up undulations and bumps very well as speeds go up. The firmness also ensures vertical and lateral movement and body roll are controlled, while making for a confident feel in terms of handling

Skoda will offer the Kodiaq in India with a 2.0-litre, four cylinder diesel engine only, mated to its DQ-500 seven-speed DSG gearbox. The engine offers 150PS and 340Nm and feels very responsive

Second row seats of the Skoda Kodiaq are very spacious and comfortable and seating three abreast shouldn't be an issue. The second row seatback is split 40:20:40, and while the seat can be moved ahead by 180mm, the seats don't tumble forward completely which makes getting into the third row a bit of a task

Boot volume of the Skoda Kodiaq is a decent 270 litres with all three rows up, but flip the third row down and you get 630 litres of volume. Flip the second row down as well and you get a massive 2005 litres of volume

Images by Ishaan Bhataiya