5 Things I Love About Our Skoda Kodiaq vRS, And 1 That Annoys Me

A month or so into our time with our new long-term Skoda Kodiaq vRS, we’re rather enjoying life with the big old hector. Here’s everything we love about it, and the one thing that’s annoyed us so far.

It has plenty of real world performance

These days, 261bhp doesn’t really sound like a great deal, especially in an almost two-tonne, seven-seater SUV. 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds doesn’t sound all that quick, either. The fact is, though, that we’ve been rather spoiled by performance cars with outrageous power outputs and face-hurting acceleration and, even in this big brute, this Golf GTI-sourced engine is plenty.

It’s enough performance for easy overtaking, making up ground at traffic lights and two-way roundabouts, and pressing on along a country road when you just want to get home, but you never feel like you’re enormously risking pushing the boundaries of your abilities, physics or the law. There’s a lot to be said for this kind of considered performance when people are driving around in 700bhp+ luxury SUVs, and even hot hatches have breached the 400bhp barrier.

The vRS badge isn’t just for show

My other concern about the Kodiaq vRS’ ‘performance’ positioning is that earlier this year, I spent a week with a Superb Sportline with exactly the same engine, gearbox and all-wheel drive system.

With that car offering up the same setup minus the vRS name, I thought sticking the performance moniker on the Kodiaq without giving it any extra shove would essentially make the badge irrelevant, but while the numbers are the same, it’s clear that work’s been done to make it feel distinct. 

I’d need to drive both back-to-back to be certain, but even with its extra heft, the Kodiaq feels more urgent under acceleration and dialled in through corners than the Superb did. The noise that gets piped in is burblier, too, even occasionally V8-ish – all fake, obviously, but nevertheless quite amusing.

It’s full of Skoda-ness

The latest batch of Skodas could really show lots of other, more expensive car companies – not least some VW Group stablemates – a thing or two about how to do a good interior. Besides all the materials feeling good, there are just so many pleasing sensible touches.

The button on the steering wheel that acts as a shortcut to deactivate your speed warning and lane keep assist, the configurable ‘Smart Dials’ that still give you physical climate controls without shotgunning the dash with buttons – it all just speaks of a company that’s putting actual thought into user-friendliness. And yes, there’s an ice scraper inside the fuel filler door and an umbrella secreted away in the driver’s door.

It doesn’t lose sight of what makes the standard car good

When I drove the regular, non-sporty second-gen Kodiaq on its launch last year, I loved how relaxing it was – just a big, comfy sensory deprivation chamber that seals you off from the outside world and lets you sit back and relax.

I was concerned that vRS-ifying it might cause it to lose sight of that aspect, but on first impression at least, that’s not the case. It’s still very refined and hugely comfy, especially with the VW Group’s superb DCC dampers slackened off. It’s still the sort of car you could do a huge journey in without a problem – only now, you’ll get there slightly quicker.

It has so much room

Fairly obvious, I’ll grant you, given that it’s a vast seven-seater, but even plenty of biggish cars reveal space shortfalls when you try to pop someone behind a six-foot-ish driver. Not so in the Kodiaq – if I had an identical twin, he could quite comfortably sit behind me on a long trip while we enormously confused people sitting next to us at traffic lights. I’ve not had a chance yet to fill up all seven seats, but will report back when I have.

But I don’t like the looks

I never really mentioned this in my original review of the new Kodiaq, because unless it’s something really vile like a BMW XM or stunningly gorgeous like an Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio, there’s not much point in discussing a car’s looks in that context. Ride, handling, economy, performance, price and so on are all objective, but looks are subjective.

But now I’ve got a platform to go into a bit more depth, then allow me to rant: I think this new generation Kodiaq is about as easy on the eyes as a rainy Tuesday in Croydon (apologies to any readers in Croydon).

There are way too many odd angles and creases, far too much visual heft around the back, and the LED lightbar that runs behind the vanes of the grille is just plain garish. And while I appreciate the fact that Skoda hasn’t fallen into the usual performance car trap of ruining the ride with enormous wheels, the 20-inchers that are fitted do look a bit lost beneath the Kodiaq’s vast body.

It’s a shame when the old car was quite a brutishly handsome thing. Good thing I don’t have to look at it when I’m driving it.