It’s very likely that the Skoda Kodiaq is one of those cars: beloved by those who own one for its size and typically thought-out functionality, and considered a bit much by those who don’t. Mainly for its size. The vRS version is the same but more so because it implies a go-faster attitude. And with 265hp installed in the newest derivative - and the most torque in any current combustion-powered Skoda - the flagship has the trouser length to back this up. Which, in an exclusively seven-seat model, is fairly hard to come by.
Accordingly, Skoda UK probably expects repeat buyers to fall on the new vRS like it were a tennis ball in a dog kennel. Which would explain the pricing. We suggested it would be knocking on the door of 50 grand when the car was revealed last year, but we were wrong - the new vRS starts at £52,595. This is a large enough figure to draw in plenty of similarly-sized rivals, not least the retro-inspired and hybridised Hyundai Santa Fe. But the Santa Fe does not get the 2.0-litre TSI from a Golf GTI, nor come with a sporty badge. That combination will likely be good enough for some.
For the happy few, a predictable layer of vRS goodness is all present and correct: inside, you get model-specific seats, a sports steering wheel and plenty of black microsuede; outside, there’s a redesigned front bumper, 20-inch wheels and stainless steel exhaust tips. Underneath, uprated brakes and adaptive chassis control are standard equipment alongside quicker reacting progressive steering. There’s even an Off-Road mode to take full advantage of the all-wheel-drive system, should repeatedly charging to 62mph in 6.4 seconds prove insufficiently fulfilling.
There is a kicker, though. Likely conscious that asking a non-devotee to part with more than 50 big ones for a Kodiaq is going to send them all to Hyundai’s front door, Skoda has introduced a new petrol engine to the line-up - for £45,255 (coincidentally what you would’ve paid for a vRS back in 2021) you can now have a seven-seat, all-paw SE L with a 204hp 2.0-litre TSI. For £47,755, you can have it in Sportline trim, which (not coincidentally at all) undercuts the £49,255 you’ll pay for a seven-seat, AWD 215hp Santa Fe. Either way, order books open on January 16th.
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