Skoda Karoq vs Skoda Kodiaq – Which to Choose?

The mid-sized SUV is fast becoming one of the most popular choices for car owners due to its practicality, family friendly design and rugged off road capabilities. As a result there are plenty to choose from these days, but Skoda have come up with a few neat upgrades to the latest Kodiaq and Karoq models that firmly plant them atop every car buyer’s shopping list. So let’s dive in and take a look at some of their features and find out which side of the Skoda Karoq vs Skoda Kodiaq debate you land on.

Skoda Karoq vs Skoda Kodiaq – Quick Comparison

For baseline models – Skoda Kodiaq Style and Skoda Karoq 110TSI Style. 

Exterior Design

With its striking, robust body and impressive off road capabilities, the Skoda Kodiaq sports some serious eye candy. While you’ll probably be spending most of your time inside the car, it is nice to turn heads for the right reasons. Meanwhile, the upgraded Skoda Kodiaq RS model features some very impressive 20″ rims to really give the overall look that extra pop.

Meanwhile, sleek and classy, the Skoda Karoq combines modern European sensibilities with a touch of Australian ruggedness to produce a seriously good looking SUV. It’s not as aggressive in its looks as the Kodiaq, but it is still just as comfortable in any environment.

Interior Design and Comfort

Simply put, the Kodiaq is just a lovely place to be. Inside its vast interior space are a series of high quality features, in particular, its super comfy seven seats made from high quality leather. And with its keyless entry system, you can lock, unlock and start the car without even having to touch the keys. You get multi-climate control functions, a 9.2-inch multimedia screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities, and a thumping CANTON sound system. In addition, enjoy Skoda’s virtual cockpit, wireless phone charging, and heated driver and front passenger seats.

While it is a smaller car than the Kodiaq, the Karoq is still packed with loads of interior luxuries. Similar to the Kodiaq, it features a 9.2-inch touchscreen and integrated multi-function steering wheel. Its comfy leather seats are a joy to sit on. Meanwhile, the VarioFlex seating system uses three rear seats that can be completely removed or independently folded down according to your needs. This new feature creates a massive 1,605 litres of boot space with the three seats folded that can be further increased to 1,810 litres if you take them out completely.

Engine and Powertrain

The centrepiece of any good car has to be its engine, and the Kodiaq boasts a seriously impressive centrepiece. Skoda offers two 2.0-litre engine options across the Kodiaq line, with the Kodiaq and Kodiaq Sportline both coming standard with Volkswagen Group’s impressive 132kW petrol engine, 7-speed auto transmission and 4×4 drivetrain. This low emission engine offers impressive acceleration figures of 0-100km/h in just 8.2 seconds, all while being quite gentle on the fuel bill as it only uses 7.6 litres per 100km.

The Kodiaq RS, meanwhile, is on yet another level. It boasts a powerful 176kW Bi-Turbo diesel engine that can reach 0-100km/h acceleration in just seven seconds. It delivers that power to all four wheels via Direct Shift Gearbox—an intuitive automatic transmission system that can predict your gear changes.

Like the Kodiaq, the Karoq offers two engine choices. The front-wheel drive standard model comes with a 110kW turbocharged 1.4L petrol engine, delivered through an 8-speed automatic transmission system. It is a nice little power unit that gives the car plenty of zip while only using 6.6 litres of fuel per 100km.

But if you’re the type that wants that extra bit of grunt, the Karoq 140TSI Sportline option features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. It delivers 140kW of power to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch transmission system. For a smaller car, that’s a seriously powerful engine, and yet the fuel consumption still comes in at only 6.9 litres per 100km.

Safety

Both the Karoq and the Kodiaq feature multiple airbags for maximum driver and passenger protection. The Karoq has seven airbags while the Kodiaq has nine to account for the additional row of passengers in the back.

On top of the airbags, both cars have a range of features to ensure that your drive is as safe as it is fun. The Kodiaq features front assist with autonomous braking. It uses a radar device in the front grille to monitor the area in front of the car at speeds above 30km/h. If it decides an object in front of the car poses a risk of collision, it immediately alerts the driver that more distance is required.

Meanwhile, the Karoq offers adaptive cruise control. It uses similar radar technology in the front grille to automatically apply braking and acceleration according to the car’s surroundings. This keeps distances between you and other cars at a safe level while in cruise control.

Additional Features

As well as the standard features we’ve come to expect in modern cars, such as power steering, rear parking sensors and climate control, both cars go that little bit further to deliver a truly pleasurable driving experience. The Karoq’s Smartlink offers exceptional mobile phone connectivity, allowing the driver and passengers access to the connected device’s apps without the need to touch the phone. This makes navigating maps and music playlists easier and safer.

Meanwhile the Kodiaq’s Luxury Pack comes with Surround Area View, where several cameras located around the car formulate a bird’s eye view of the car and its surroundings. It also comes with a cooled glovebox, cup holders and bottle holders, and multiple storage areas throughout the cabin.

The Verdict

So which car should you buy? Well it really comes down to what you’re looking for in a car. Starting at $38,990, the Skoda Karoq, offers features, comfort and performance that far exceeds its price range. It is the perfect family car for taking on adventures and creating memories.

With a base price of $52,990, the Skoda Kodiaq is a no compromise ultimate driving machine. No matter the environment, the Kodiaq will not skip a beat. It’s rugged all terrain capabilities make it the perfect car for adventure, while its unparalleled comfort makes it the perfect everyday family car.

Ultimately, there is only one way to settle the great Karoq vs Kodiaq debate, and that is to head to you nearest Skoda dealer and take them both for a test drive.