India-Bound Skoda Kodiaq Revealed — In Pics

Updated: Friday, September 2, 2016, 11:46 [IST]

Czech carmaker Skoda has unveiled its first seven-seater SUV, the Kodiaq.

The Skoda Kodiaq is named after the Kodiaq bear which is only found on the islands of the Kodiak Archipelago in southwest Alaska.

Powering the brand new Kodiaq SUV are two petrol engines and one diesel engine.

The first petrol engine a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine that is available in two states of tune: 123bhp and 200Nm of torque or 148bhp and 250Nm of torque. The second petrol engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that produces 177bhp and 320Nm of torque.

The 2.0-litre engine along with the the more powerful 1.4-litre engine also feature cylinder deactivation technology, which shuts down two of the cylinders to save fuel.

The single 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine is also available in two states of tune. The less powerful variant produces 148bhp and 340Nm of torque while the more powerful engine pushes out 187bhp and 400Nm of torque.

The most powerful petrol variant will sprint from 0-100km/h in just 7.8 seconds while the most powerful diesel powered Kodiaq will do the same sprint in 8.6 seconds.

The top of the line petrol and diesel are available with a 6-speed DSG automatic gearbox and four-wheel-drive as standard. The lower specced models use front-wheel-drive and a 6-speed manual gearbox but the automatic gearbox and four-wheel-drive are available as options.

The Kodiaq will get multiple driving modes, with four-wheel-drive variants getting an extra mode: snow. which alters the behaviour of the anti-lock brakes and the transmission's clutch to improve stability on slippery roads. Adaptive suspension will be an option, along with an off roading mode that includes hill-descent control.

Design wise, the Kodiaq's big grille is flanked by sharp, sleek headlamps that look similar to the
ones found on the Superb. The headlamps feature LED daytime running lights as well.

Directly underneath the headlamps sit the fog lamps in their own angular enclosure. The front bumper looks quite chunky as well.

At the rear, the sharply angled LED tail lamps feature C-shaped graphics while a big Skoda badge takes centre-stage. The reflectors are connected by large strip of plastic while the lower bumper is done up in black which provides a good contrast to the rest of the rear end.

Inside, the Kodiaq looks quite sharp. Behind the large steering wheel sit two large dials for the speedo and the tacho with a small multi-information display.

The centre console features a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system which can be replaced by Skoda's optional 8.0-inch display Bolero infotainment system. Also available is inductive wireless charging to help charge up your smartphones.

The Kodiaq is Skoda's biggest SUV till date and is 4,697mm long, 1,882mm wide, and 1,687mm tall. The Kodiaq's wheelbase is 2,791mm long.

The big wheelbase means that there is enough space for all seven passengers to sit comfortably inside the Kodiaq. The second and third row of seats can also be folded down to push the boot space from 720 metres to a massive 2,065-litres.