The automotive landscape is constantly evolving, but some vehicles consistently deliver on core promises. For families and those needing ample space, the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq emerges as a compelling option. This honest review delves deep into whether the new Kodiaq lives up to its reputation, offering practicality, comfort, and smart packaging over flashy gimmicks. If you’re considering a large, versatile SUV, understanding the nuances of the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq review is essential before making your decision.
Our comprehensive analysis covers everything from its increased dimensions and revamped interior to its performance and cutting-edge technology. We’ll explore what truly makes the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq a worthy contender in a competitive segment, ensuring you have all the information needed to determine if this Skoda SUV is the right fit for your lifestyle. Let’s find out if it’s genuinely worth buying.
Main Highlights: Skoda Kodiaq 2025 Review
The 2025 Skoda Kodiaq isn’t just an update; it’s a significant evolution of a beloved family SUV. Skoda has focused on refining what worked well, expanding its footprint, and enhancing the overall user experience. This new generation moves confidently into a larger segment, directly challenging established rivals with its commitment to sensible design and unparalleled practicality.
- Enhanced Space: It boasts increased length and a significantly larger boot, cementing its position as a class leader in cargo capacity.
- Refined Interior: The cabin receives a substantial upgrade, featuring premium materials and a quiet, well-composed atmosphere.
- Smart Technology Integration: Introducing innovative “Smart Dials” alongside a large multimedia screen aims to balance modernity with intuitive physical controls.
- Comfort-Oriented Performance: The driving dynamics prioritize a smooth, comfortable ride, making long journeys a breeze for all occupants.
- Family-First Design: Every aspect, from its versatile seating to comprehensive safety features, is geared towards the needs of modern families.
What’s New in 2025?
The 2025 Skoda Kodiaq represents a generational leap, building on the success of its predecessor while introducing crucial improvements. The most notable change is its physical growth, with the vehicle now longer by approximately 61mm. This expansion directly translates into more interior room, especially benefiting cargo capacity and second-row passenger comfort. It’s a strategic move that pushes the Kodiaq into direct competition with larger seven-seat SUVs.
Beyond size, the new Kodiaq introduces a host of refinements. The design maintains familiarity but with updated proportions, emphasizing function over pure aesthetics. Inside, you’ll find a completely redesigned dashboard, featuring a larger central infotainment screen and innovative physical controls known as “Smart Dials”. These advancements, coupled with improved sound insulation, contribute to a more premium and serene cabin environment, elevating the overall driving and passenger experience in the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq.
Design, Interior, and Comfort
The design of the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq continues the brand’s philosophy of understated elegance, though with some stylistic adjustments. While carrying over cues from the first generation, the new Kodiaq features bulkier rear proportions and a slightly less defined front fascia. Some might find its aesthetics less striking than before, but this design direction heavily prioritizes function and maximizes interior space. It’s a pragmatic choice for a family-focused SUV.
Step inside, and the commitment to comfort and practicality becomes immediately apparent. The cabin of the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq feels exceptionally well put together, utilizing quality materials that exude a quiet, robust presence. Skoda has meticulously focused on creating a comfortable environment, evident in the supportive seating and ample room across all rows.
The interior design is geared towards family comfort, eschewing sporty showmanship for thoughtful utility. Road and wind noise are well-suppressed, contributing to a serene atmosphere even at highway speeds. This makes the 2025 Kodiaq an ideal vehicle for long road trips, ensuring everyone aboard enjoys a relaxed and quiet journey.
Performance and Key Features
Under the bonnet, the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq offers a robust and efficient powertrain lineup. A popular choice is the uprated 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, delivering around 150 kW of power and 320 Nm of torque. This engine provides solid performance for a large SUV, propelling the Kodiaq from 0-100 km/h in approximately 7.9 seconds, making it adequately responsive for daily driving and highway overtakes.
The driving experience in the new Kodiaq strikes a commendable balance between comfort and competent handling. Despite its taller SUV stature, it avoids excessive stiffness, offering a smooth ride that absorbs road imperfections with ease. Drivers will appreciate the high driving position, which provides excellent visibility of the road ahead.
While a sportier RS variant is expected to join the lineup later, the standard models focus on refined, predictable handling. The Kodiaq navigates urban environments and challenging conditions, including wet roads, with remarkable ease and confidence. This emphasis on a relaxed and composed ride quality is one of the standout Kodiaq features, reinforcing its appeal as a family vehicle.
Technology and Safety
The 2025 Skoda Kodiaq embraces modern technology with an emphasis on intuitive integration. A large 13-inch touchscreen multimedia system dominates the dashboard, providing crisp visuals and swift responses. While the digital interface is comprehensive, Skoda has also introduced innovative “Smart Dials” for key controls.
These Smart Dials, which combine physical knobs with small digital displays, allow for quick access to climate, volume, and other functions. Although inventive, reviews suggest they offer mixed convenience due to some functionality compromises. Nevertheless, they represent Skoda’s attempt to blend tactile control with digital sophistication, a core aspect of the Kodiaq features. Explore more about the new Kodiaq‘s tech at TopGear India’s review.
Safety is paramount in the 2025 Kodiaq, upholding Skoda’s reputation for robust build quality. It includes a comprehensive suite of modern driver assist systems, such as lane centering and Travel Assist, which work in harmony to provide a relaxed and secure highway driving experience. These systems significantly reduce driver fatigue on long journeys.
The commitment to occupant protection is evident throughout the vehicle’s design and construction. From advanced airbag systems to high-strength steel in the chassis, the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq is engineered to offer peace of mind for families. Its blend of active and passive safety features makes it a highly secure choice in its segment.
Fuel Efficiency and Charging (Plug-in Hybrid Variant)
For those looking for a greener option, the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq introduces a compelling plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant. This version is configured as a five-seater, optimizing battery placement and cabin space. It offers excellent flexibility for urban commutes and longer journeys, significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The PHEV model supports fast charging up to 40 kW, allowing for a full charge in approximately two and a half hours. This rapid charging capability is a significant advantage for owners needing quick top-ups between drives. While specific electric range figures vary by market, the ability to cover daily commutes on electric power alone is a major draw.
When running in hybrid mode, the urban fuel consumption is around 9 L/100 km. This figure is reasonable for a vehicle of its size and power, showcasing a balanced approach to efficiency. The PHEV option solidifies the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq‘s appeal to environmentally conscious buyers seeking versatility without compromise.
Market Positioning and Value Proposition
The 2025 Skoda Kodiaq does not aim to aggressively chase fleeting automotive trends. Instead, its market positioning is firmly rooted in offering refinement, sensible upgrades, and maintaining its market-leading advantages in space and practicality. Skoda has strategically expanded the Kodiaq‘s dimensions, allowing it to compete more effectively with larger three-row SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento.
It is positioned as a quintessential family-friendly SUV, delivering exceptional value without resorting to flashy gimmicks. The new Kodiaq consistently outperforms many competitors in terms of usable space, both for passengers and cargo, and overall comfort. This focus on core strengths ensures that the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq appeals directly to buyers who prioritize functionality, durability, and a comfortable ride for their entire family. Its honest approach to design and engineering makes it a very appealing proposition.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Significantly larger boot space and overall interior room. | Third row still tight for adults on longer journeys. |
| Comfort-focused ride and refined driving dynamics. | Styling updates might be considered less bold by some. |
| High-quality, quiet, and well-appointed interior. | “Smart Dials” receive mixed reviews for full intuitiveness. |
| Comprehensive safety features and driver assist systems. | Urban fuel consumption on PHEV isn’t outstanding (9 L/100 km). |
| Strong value proposition and practical family appeal. | RS variant not available at initial launch. |
Bonus Section: Competitive Analysis and Expert Opinions
When evaluating the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq, its standing against key rivals like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento becomes clear. While these competitors offer their own strengths, the new Kodiaq often outperforms them in sheer usable space, particularly in the boot. Even with all seven seats in use, the Kodiaq maintains a commendable luggage capacity, a crucial aspect for larger families.
Expert opinions from across the globe consistently highlight the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq‘s pragmatic excellence. According to Chasing Cars, the vehicle’s focus on refinement and sensible upgrades makes it a highly competent and mature large SUV. Similarly, TopGear’s detailed review emphasizes its ease of driving and unparalleled practicality, noting that it’s a confident and honest offering in its segment. These sentiments underscore that the Kodiaq delivers on its promises of space, comfort, and intelligent design, making it a strong contender for anyone needing a robust family vehicle.
FAQ
- Is the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq a 7-seater?
Yes, the standard 2025 Skoda Kodiaq is a seven-seater, with a third row that enhances versatility. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant, however, is configured as a five-seater to accommodate its battery pack. - What are the biggest changes for the 2025 Kodiaq?
The most significant changes include an increase in length (around 61mm), a much larger boot (29L increase), a redesigned interior with a 13-inch touchscreen and “Smart Dials,” and updated powertrains for improved performance and efficiency. - How does the 2025 Kodiaq compare in boot space?
The 2025 Kodiaq offers a notably large boot space, which has increased by 29 litres compared to the previous model. It provides excellent luggage capacity, even when all seven seats are in use, outperforming many direct rivals. - What engine options are available for the new Kodiaq?
Initial offerings include an uprated 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine producing 150 kW. A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant is also available, along with expectations for a sportier RS variant to join the lineup later. - Does the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq have advanced safety features?
Absolutely. The 2025 Kodiaq comes equipped with comprehensive modern driver assist systems, including lane centering and Travel Assist, contributing to a relaxed and safe driving experience on highways and urban roads.
Conclusion
The 2025 Skoda Kodiaq stands as a testament to thoughtful engineering and a clear understanding of what families truly need in an SUV. It’s not about flashy new features or aggressive styling; it’s about delivering refinement, unmatched practicality, and genuine comfort. From its increased interior space and cavernous boot to its smooth performance and comprehensive safety, the new Kodiaq excels where it matters most.
For those seeking a versatile, family-friendly SUV that offers solid value and avoids unnecessary gimmicks, the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq is undoubtedly worth considering. It’s a confident, mature offering that promises to make everyday journeys and grand adventures alike more comfortable and enjoyable. We hope this 2025 Skoda Kodiaq review helps you make an informed decision. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or read other insightful articles on our site. Remember to explore our About Us section to learn more about our commitment to honest reviews. #SkodaKodiaq #SUVReview
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