The Skoda Kodiaq 132TSI Sportline wagon is a bit of an oddity these days. The Australian car buyer is still in love with the SUV and crossover, so wagon sales are not a priority for many car makers. However, the Kodiaq has a great deal to offer, it’s packed with useful features, and now that the hype has died down a little we thought we would do a longer term review on how it works as a daily driving machine.
Kodiaq Space
The Kodiaq has ample space on board for four fully grown adults and their gear. This wagon has a 40/20/20 folding 2nd row seating arrangement and a 630L boot. This space can easily swallow a lot of cargo and if you drop down the passengers and fold some seating down the space become cavernous. The central seat can fold independently, so rear passengers can have a lot of space if you don’t need it.
The Comfort
The build quality on the Kodiaq is evident before you even get in the cabin. Once you’re all loaded up and set off, you will notice that the ride is extremely quiet. The tyre noise barely raises above a low murmur even at highway speeds. The heated front and rear seats are fantastic for upcoming colder days. Overall, it would be easy to say that the Kodiaq offers a serene driving experience.
The Engine
When you push the engine it gets a little vocal, but most drivers like some noise as feedback. The power is supplied by a 2.0L turbocharged engine that generates 132kW of power (hence the 132TSI moniker) and 320 Nm of torque. Some drivers may believe that this wouldn’t be enough power for the open road, but this is only part of the story. The engine is paired with a dual clutch transmission and seven gears, and you never seem to be in the wrong gear. The DSG has been cleverly tuned by the Skoda engineering team to deliver power evenly when you need it most. That being said many people would love to see the slightly more powerful engine found in the VW Tiguan in the Kodiaq for a little more performance.
Driving Modes
Earlier we mentioned the ride quality, and this was achieved when you use the Comfort mode setting. The Kodiaq rides on 20” wheels that are shod with low profile Pirelli tyres for the Sportline experience. This can be a little harsh when you’re driving in other modes, the adaptive dampers help to even things out, but Sport mode may be an acquired taste for some. When you try out the different driving modes, it’s easy to imagine a future performance Kodiaq variant that explores this facet of the wagon in more exacting detail. In everyday use, the Kodiaq is a practical, well built wagon that’s fun to drive and easy to use.
If they are looking for Skoda Kodiaq, Perth based drivers should get in touch with the team at Skoda Perth to schedule a no obligation test drive today.
