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2025 Skoda Kodiaq Review: The Big Family Bear Gets Even Better
The Skoda Kodiaq, named after one of the largest bears on the planet, the Kodiak brown bear, was first introduced to the world in 2016 as the Skoda Vision Concept S. Just over a year and a half later, we drove the first-gen Kodiaq in Kerala and found ourselves rather impressed with Skoda's flagship family carrier.
5 years and a pandemic later, Skoda updated the Kodiaq, giving it a few visual tweaks while ditching the diesel for a petrol powerplant compliant with our stricter emission norms. Despite the tweaks and change in diet, Skoda's big family bear continued to impress.
Now, three years from our last tryst with the big bear from Skoda's stables, the Czech carmaker has gone and revealed a new generation of its flagship SUV. We got to drive the new second-generation Skoda Kodiaq in Mumbai and here are our thoughts about the newest version of the Czech big bear...
2025 Skoda Kodiaq Review: Design & Features - A Sharper Looking Bear
The second generation Skoda Kodiaq is offered in two guises for the Indian market - Sportline and Laurent & Klement (L&K). The new Kodiaq looks a lot like its predecessor, only a lot more refined. The LED lights look sleeker than before and the headlights include a welcome animation; the front and rear bumpers have been reprofiled for better aero and the rear end also includes an integrated diffuser element.
The new Kodiaq is also longer (by 59mm) and lower (by 17mm) than its predecessor and along with the revised aero-profiled front and rear ends means that the second-gen SUV cuts through the air better with an aero coefficient of 0.282.
Finally, the wheelarches have been squared off and the wheels have been revised for better aero performance. And, depending on the variant chosen, the external trim is in either gloss black (Sportline) or matte dark chrome (L&K).
Step inside the new Skoda Kodiaq and the changes are a lot more evident thanks to the new minimalistic theme for the cabin. There are soft-touch materials in quite a few places and the plastic bits feature different textures.
There are new dual screens - a 10-inch digital cluster and a 13-inch touchscreen infotainment cluster with the usual array of connectivity that features sharp graphics and is easy to navigate. And for those tired of touchscreen everything, the Czech firm has added what it calls Skoda Smart dials (3 of them), basically physical rotary controls for the infotainment, HVAC and seat heating. The gear selector also has been moved to the steering column.
Also seen is Skoda's updated 'Phone Box' which now allows you to wirelessly charge two phones at the same time (each at 15 watts) and there is active cooling to ensure that section doesn't heat up. There are more charging options available in the form of four USB-C ports (45W output each). Also seen is a large panoramic sunroof.
The Kodiaq's front seats are electronically adjustable and feature heating, ventilation and massage functions. The second row of seats are on rails allowing you to push them forward and back to change the space available to the final row of seats. And while the front and second rows of seats are as comfortable as ever, that third row is still better left to the kids.
The Skoda Kodiaq is equipped with an impressive array of safety features designed to keep you secure on the road. It includes 9 airbags, a comprehensive 360-degree camera system with front and rear parking sensors, electronic stability control (ESC), hill start assist, hill descent control, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), ISOFIX child seat mounts, and a park assist system. However, the Kodiaq misses out on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
2025 Skoda Kodiaq Review: Dimensions & Mechanical Bits - A More Refined Bear
The Skoda Kodiaq measures 4,758mm long(59mm longer), 1,864mm wide(18mm slimmer) and 1,659mm tall(17mm lower). However, the wheelbase remains unchanged at 2,791mm. The Kodiaq rides on 18-inch wheels draped in 235/55 tyres and it is offered with an 18-inch spare wheel (145/85 tyre).
The new Kodiaq tips the scales at 1,825kg (L&K) and it offers 155mm of ground clearance. The Kodiaq's boot with all three rows of seats up is rated at 281 litres. Folding the third row of seats increases that to 786 litres while folding down the second row opens up a massive 1,976 litres of space. The flagship Skoda SUV also features a 62-litre fuel tank.
The second-gen Skoda Kodiaq for India retains its predecessor's 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine which now cranks out 201bhp (up by 14bhp) and 320Nm of peak torque. The engine is paired with a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission which sends power to all four wheels. The new Kodiaq delivers a mileage of 14.86 km/l (ARAI).
2025 Skoda Kodiaq Review: Driving Impressions - Big Bear On The Charge
The new Kodiaq smoothly settles into a rhythm quickly and no matter which drive mode you are in the engine's power delivery is linear. Even when you do get a bit enthusiastic with the loud pedal, the engine remains smooth as the Kodiaq quickly gathers speed with the 7-speed DSG transmission smoothly shifting through the gears. When the drive extends beyond the city, the Kodiaq comes into its own and remains a brilliant long-distance cruiser.
The suspension setup of the new Kodiaq is tuned to be on the softer side and it glides over bumps and ruts. High-speed stability is brilliant and if you do show the Kodiaq a corner, it can take the twists and turns with ease though those in the back will feel a bit of body roll.
2025 Skoda Kodiaq Review: Verdict & Final Thoughts - The Big Bear Gets Even Better
The second generation Skoda Kodiaq takes all that we love about its predecessor and raises the volume level to 11. The Skoda Kodiaq looks and feels premium and the interior is spacious and practical. All of this makes the Kodiaq a brilliant offering for those looking for a premium family SUV and not willing to compromise and go with the entry-level Germans. And while the Kodiaq may be smarter than the average bear, we do wish Skoda had added ADAS.
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