BMW X3 vs Skoda Kodiaq

What's the difference?

If a BMW X3 is for you, then we have no quarrels with that. It’s a better all-round vehicle than the one it replaces and represents better value. And even though BMW mandates a hybrid driveline, there are still some significant choices within that framework.

By all means buy the M50 if you crave the rush of acceleration that almost 300kW can provide. And if efficiency is your altar of choice, then the plug-in 30e makes a lot of sense, too.

But even if you can afford either of those two more expensive variants, whatever you do, don’t dismiss the entry-level 20 model. At least drive it alongside the others and then make a decision based on all the facts, and not the assumption that entry-level equals the car you afford rather than the car you want.

It might be cheaper, but there’s absolutely no doubt that the 20 model is the one that shines and arguably makes the most of the opportunities BMW’s latest tech offers.

Sometimes less really is more.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The new Skoda Kodiaq is an impressive, family friendly machine with a sharp design, loads of standard fruit, top-shelf safety and heaps of thoughtful touches throughout. It’s comfortable and refined, but thirsty relative to key competitors, and could do with a little more oomph, plus there are some niggles related to things like lane keeping refinement and the reversing camera. But there’s no doubt this so far low-key contender deserves a bigger share of the large, three-row SUV spotlight.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

It might be badged an X3, but this is no small vehicle. In fact, it’s bigger than the original BMW X5 (which set the tone for this entire market segment) with a length of 4755mm (4667mm for the first X5) and a width of 1920mm (1872mm). That said, it’s 25mm lower than the outgoing X3 in a move to emphasise its sportiness. Shorter it may be, but it’s also 16mm wider on the front track and 45mm wider on the rear than the outgoing model.

BMWs latest styling cues also appear in the new car, including the large, split-kidney grille that, for Australian-delivered cars, is also lit around its edges. The short overhangs that characterised the original X5 (and soon characterised this whole BMW genre) remain, and the T-graphic LED tail-lights round out the stylistic touches.

The other thing we noticed (and we’ve seen it on other cars recently) is a panoramic sunroof that doesn’t actually open.

The new Kodiaq’s overall proportions are similar to the out-going version, but it’s around 60mm longer, with a new headlight arrangement and octagonal grille treatment at the front.

Squared-off wheel arches are a design signature, as is the ‘dark chrome’ D-pillar with silver roof rails. The turret slopes markedly towards the rear, no doubt a contributor to the car’s slippery 0.28 drag coefficient.

At the rear, sharp C-shape LED tail-lights are split into three and the dark chrome finish is also applied to the Skoda logo type.

Aside from specific badges on the front guards, car-spotters looking out for the Sportline should tick off 20-inch rims and metallic black finish on the grille, wing mirrors, roof rails, D-pillar and diffuser as well as a horizontal light strip on the grille.

In classic Skoda fashion there are numerous thoughtful details that make life that little bit easier, including pop-out door protectors, bins in both front doors, an umbrella slotted into the driver’s door, and even a media screen wiping tool (dubbed ‘Dry display cleaner’) to keep the inevitable fingerprints under control.

The interior is dominated by a 13-inch multi-media screen and 10.25-inch ‘Virtual Cockpit’ instrument display with ventilated wireless charging pads for two phones on top of the broad centre console. And that console is broad because gear selection is via a stalk on the steering column rather than a traditional centre shifter.

But the standout feature is a trio of press and turn configurable ‘Smart Dials’ for heating and ventilation control.

The current function for each dial is shown on a digital display in its centre. Press the dial to select the chosen function and adjust by turning it. The middle dial can be customised to control up to four user-selected functions including audio volume, fan speed, air direction, map zoom and driving modes (on the Sportline).

The dials are chunky and easy to use. A super neat ergonomic master class.

Cabin space is plentiful in the X3 with loads of room in the front, possibly thanks to the dashboard that is pulled back from you with only the twin screens and steering column offering themselves up to the driver. Even the air-vents are somewhat hidden. There’s good vision out and the seats themselves are lovely. The step into the cabin feels to be at just the right height, too; not too high, not too low.

Rear seating is good, too, although the X3 will always be better as a four seater than five thanks to the shape of the rear bench, but the glass roof opens the space up and there’s plenty of charging points and storage nooks. The sun blinds on the rear-side windows of the more expensive versions should be standard kit on every car sold in Australia.

We’ll take exception to the new gear-selector which doesn’t have a defined Park position and instead relies on applying the park-brake to engage Park. But the ambient light and contrasting cabin colours are a bit of a breath of fresh air.

There are levers in the cargo area to quickly fold the rear seats (60:40) at which point luggage space jumps from 570 litres in the mild hybrid cars to 1700 litres. The battery-pack of the 30e model means that luggage space starts at 460 litres and can be expanded to 1600 litres.

The latest version of BMW’s sometimes controversial iDrive operating system is simpler and easier to use than before and supported by a new operating system, but there’s still some familiarisation necessary. One improvement has been the addition of QuickSelect which works somewhat like the old favourites button system and gets around the need to drill into menus to access the functions you want.

A head-up display is a terrific addition, although where some displays are more tolerant of polarised sunglasses, the HUD in the BMW didn’t like mine and went dark at the most inconvenient angles.

None of the X3 variants feature a spare tyre of any sort. The 19-inch tyres on the base grade are run-flats, while everything else gets a repair kit for roadside emergencies.

If you want to tow, the good news is that all X3 variants can do so. But you will need to purchase the $2200 towing package which enables the X3 to haul a trailer weighing up to 2000kg with a maximum tow-ball down-weight of 200kg.

At 4758mm long the new Kodiaq is around 60mm longer overall than its predecessor, but the wheelbase (2791mm) has only grown by 1.0mm. Yet Skoda claims the interior, including the third row space, is more generous.

And that stacks up in the front which is roomy, functional and visually interesting with lots of room and plenty of storage. That includes big door bins, a box between the seats,with a padded, adjustable lid that doubles as a centre armrest, a lower (large) and upper (medium) glovebox, a hinged compartment near the base of the steering column, and multiple cupholders in the centre console.

Move to the second row and sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position and there’s tons of leg and headroom, and enough shoulder room for three grown-ups to sit together with too much grumbling for medium-length journeys.

And Skoda’s helpful, common-sense approach is there in abundance with, for example, map pockets on the back of the front seats, which have a phone-sized slot stitched into them. -There are pull up shades for each window, big bins in the doors with plenty of room for bottles and more, a pull-down centre armrest with two cupholders, tablet holders in the back of the front headrests, adjustable climate controlled vents plus a ‘Jumbo Box’ on the floor for extra bottles and ‘stuff’ (removable if you need foot room for a centre passenger). Nice.

As for the more spacious third row, it’s still best to think of the two positions back there as occasional spots for up to mid-teenage kids. It’s too tight for adults on anything other than a painful and brief emergency trip.

That said, there’s oddments storage and a cupholder back there. But the second row seat doesn’t roll and fold for rear row access. It’s more a matter of slide (forward) and tilt (the backrest) to provide enough space to scramble in.

No power outlet back there, either, but there are three USB-Cs in the front (one near the rear view mirror for a dashcam), plus another two USB-Cs and a 12-volt socket in the centre row.

Boot capacity is generous and class competitive at 289 litres (VDA) with seven seats up, 749L with five seats up and a whopping 2035L with the second and third rows folded.

In the boot there are numerous thoughtful touches like extra storage wells, bag hooks, a 12-volt power outlet, a luggage net, and of course, the power tailgate.

There’s a space-saver spare under the boot floor, and you’ll be able to tow a 2.3-tonne braked trailer (750kg unbraked).

On the way to making an impact on the category big guns, Skoda will hope to steal sales from large SUV middle-order players like the Hyundai Santa Fe (from $53,000), Kia Sorento (from $50,680) and Mazda CX-80 (from $54,950).

Offered in three grades from launch, the Select kicks off the range at $54,990 before on-road costs, with new standard equipment highlights including 19-inch alloy wheels, heated seats, a 13-inch media display, nine-speaker audio, digital radio and metallic paint.

That comes on top of upgraded three-zone climate control, a power-adjustable front driver’s seat (with memory), leather trim, a power tailgate, keyless entry and start, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, privacy glass, rain-sensing wipers, LED head- and tail-lights, LED ambient lighting and heaps more.

The Sportline ($58,990 before on-roads) adds dynamic indicators, 20-inch rims, sports front seats, synthetic leather and synthetic suede trim (with grey contrast stitching), Sportline glossy black exterior elements, aluminium finish pedals and a heated steering wheel.

An optional $4000 Ultimate Package adds Dynamic Chassis Control (including adaptive dampers), Canton 12-speaker audio, a head-up display, heated rear seats, park assist, surround-view cameras, hands-free tailgate opening, progressive steering, hill-descent control and a power-adjustable front passenger seat.

Then an initial batch of 100 Launch Edition cars ($63,490, BOC) is based on the Select, adding power-adjustable and massaging front seats, a heated steering wheel and rear seats, Dynamic Chassis Control, auto parking, a surround camera view, matrix LED headlights, Canton audio, a head-up display and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Well and truly in the right price ballpark with an impressive standard features list at every level. It’s also worth noting a sporty 195kW Kodiaq RS will be arriving in September.

Hybrid tech across the board is the key phrase here, with the base-model 20 xDrive fitted with a mild hybrid electric motor and battery pack that works in conjunction with the 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine. Power is 140kW and torque 310Nm. Like most mild hybrids, the electric motor offers power regeneration during braking, a mellow (by EV standards) kick in the pants during take-off and acceleration and also acts as the car’s starter motor.

The performance flagship, the M50 xDrive taps into the same technical philosophy with a mild hybrid augmenting the turbocharged six-cylinder inline petrol engine. In this case, however, peak power is a hefty 293kW and torque maxes out at 580Nm.

The most technically adventurous X3 is the 30e xDrive which uses plug-in hybrid tech to offer a claimed 91km of electric driving, about twice that offered by the original X3 PHEV it replaces. When the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol as fitted to the 20 xDrive, and the electric motor are humming along together, there’s 220kW of power and 450Nm for the taking. The PHEV X3 can run in purely electric mode at up to a claimed 140km/h.

All variants use BMW’s familiar eight-speed automatic transmission and in each case, drive is sent to all four wheels on a permanent basis. Interestingly, the 30e and M50 versions package their electric motor as part of the engine-transmission combination. The 20, meanwhile, places its electric motor externally, as part of the drive-belt rotating assembly.

The M50 model has an M button that unleashes the full performance with one touch, and features an electronically locking rear differential in the interests of high-speed turn-in.

Adaptive suspension that varies the degree of damping is also part of the package on each X3 variant.

All new Kodiaq launch variants are powered by the same 140kW/320Nm ‘140TSI’ 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission and two coaxial (wet) multi-disc clutch packs.

It’s the same direct-injection unit used in numerous other Volkswagen Group products such as the Audi A4 and Q5.

As you might expect, the PHEV 30e model is the efficiency superstar of the X3 line-up with an official combined test figure of just 1.6 litres per 100km and 38 grams of CO2 per kilometre. The four-cylinder 20 xDrive is not bad for its size at 7.5L/100km (and 171g), yet the bruising six-cylinder M50 version with all that performance is not too far behind with an official figure of 8.2L/100km (187g).

The 30e PHEV features a selectable battery-saving mode as well as the option of forcing EV-only running. It features a 19.7kWh battery and BMW claims it can charge using a three-phase, 11kW socket from empty to full in two hours, 15 minutes. It does not make use of fast-chargers.

Exactly how far you’ll travel in the PHEV model will depend hugely on how and where you drive. On long, open road journeys, fuel consumption won’t be much different to the others, but with just a 50-litre fuel tank, it’s range won’t be stellar. But in urban running where the batteries are being recharged for free as you brake, the difference will be significant. Meanwhile, with a 65-litre fuel tank in the mild hybrid grades, the theoretical range (based on the official fuel number) is 865km and 765km for the 20 and M50 respectively.

While BMW recommends premium fuel for maximum efficiency, it also says that each X3 variant will not be harmed by the use of standard ULP if that’s all you can get hold of.

Skoda’s official fuel consumption figure for the Kodiaq 140TSI, on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 9.2L/100km, emitting 209g/km of CO2 in the process, which is a reminder we’re dealing with a roughly 1.8-tonne, three-row, seven-seat SUV powered by a 2.0-litre engine.

Minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded and with a 58-litre tank theoretical range is around 630km.

Start-stop is standard and on test over several hundred kilometres in the Select and Sportline, we saw an average of around 8.5L/100km, but that was majority highway and B-road running. Expect low 10s and above in the city. Not horrendous but not spectacular.

Big heavy SUVS like this one haven’t always been too dainty on their feet. The extra bulk and height mean suspension has to be firmer, the big wheels and subsequent loss of tyre sidewall depth plays against ride quality and before you know it, the compromises have piled up and the driving experience has gone to hell.

This time, however, BMW’s claim that the X3 was designed from the start as an SUV and not converted from a sedan platform seems to hold water. There’s an overall greater sense of cohesion in the way the car steers and flows through corners and faster bends. The steering feel and feedback are a big part of that, too, and the whole seems at least as great as its parts.

The M50 is, predictably, a rocket with loads of accessible acceleration and a great noise while you’re enjoying it. That said, the 21-inch wheels and tyres don’t do anything for ride quality, but it remains an entertaining performance car in a familiar, ICE kind of way.

The plug-in is also perky with its 220kW on tap, but it’s less old-school and more techy. And while you can’t pick the point at which ICE hands over to electric and vice-versa, sensitive drivers will absolutely know that there’s a big dollop of electrical assistance when your right foot starts asking the tough questions. It definitely feels more overtly hybrid, though that shouldn’t be any kind of surprise, purely because that’s precisely the case.

Which brings us to the 20 entry-level grade. And while it’s going to be a controversial statement, this emerges as the most cohesive, rounded variant of the new X3. There’s something in the way the fizzy, bubbly (but very smooth) 2.0-litre four-cylinder provides more than enough urge, but never threatens to dominate the dynamics.

With less weight over the front wheels than the M50, and less weight overall than the PHEV, the 20 corners flatter, steers more intuitively and is simply more fun more of the time. Even on the optional 20-inch tyres, it rides better than the others, too, and might even be better again with the standard 19s other than the fact that those are run flats and we didn’t get try them.

Skoda claims the Kodiaq will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds and while there’s enough power for overtaking and easy cruising, it’s no powerhouse.

Peak power of 140kW arrived high up in the rev range (4200–6500rpm) but maximum pulling power (320Nm) sits in a broad band from 1400–4100rpm, which is just where you want it around town and on the highway.

The seven-speed dual clutch auto delivers quick, smooth shifts and steering wheel paddles (standard on the Sportline) add extra involvement if you want or need to shift ratios yourself.

Suspension is by MacPherson-type struts at the front and multi-links at the rear, and ride comfort is good, with B-road imperfections and high-frequency bumps not upsetting the car unduly.

The combination of the Select’s 19-inch rims, shod with 235/50 Hankook Ventus S1 evo rubber, is comfy, although the Sportline on 20-inch alloys, wearing 235/45 Hankook Ventus evo SUV tyres, is much the same.

We drove a Sportline fitted with Dynamic Chassis Control (as part of the optional Ultimate Package) and in ‘Comfort’ the adaptive damping set-up is overly soft, to the point where the car lopes and feels floaty over undulating sections.

Switch to ‘Sport’ and it’s too firm on anything other than a billiard table smooth surface. Surprise, surprise, ‘Normal’ is the just-right Goldilocks setting.

Pushing a little harder through some back road corners, the AWD system with automatic torque distribution does its thing seamlessly, while the electrically assisted rack and pinion steering is nicely weighted and accurate with good feel.

What doesn’t always feel so good is the lane-keeping assist system making abrupt, intrusive corrections. Not all the time, but often enough to furrow your brow.

Braking is by discs all around, ventilated and clamped by dual-piston callipers at the front, and solid with single-piston sliding callipers at the rear. They proved progressive and strong over several hundred kilometres on the launch drive program.

Under the heading of miscellaneous observations, this car’s ergonomics are top-notch. All buttons, switches and controls are intuitive and easy to use.

The twisting column-mounted gear shift stalk, an increasingly popular placement, takes a bit of getting used to, but once you’re familiar it’s great.

A 12.0m turning circle is sizeable, even for a car of this size, and we noticed a distorted view from the reversing camera, especially when manoeuvring close to other cars. 

The Kodiaq is impressively refined and quiet in terms of engine, tyre and wind noise.

The standard ‘Comfort’ seats are great, as are the Sportline’s grippier sports seats (and they’re still easy to get in and out of), while soft-touch materials around the dash and doors enhances the cabin’s premium feel.

The second-gen Kodiaq has been given a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment and there’s a swag of new or upgraded crash-avoidance tech on board, including a head-up display with traffic sign recognition, predictive adaptive cruise control, upgraded lane assist with adaptive lane guidance, improved AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, turn assist, traffic sign recognition, recalibrated driver fatigue detection and traffic jam assist.

If, despite all that, a crash is unavoidable, there are nine airbags fitted, including a front centre bag to minimise head clash injuries between driver and co-pilot. And standard multi-collision brake helps reduce the chance of secondary impacts after an initial crash.

There are three top-tether points for child seats across the middle row, with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions.

BMW’s warranty on the X3 is the company’s usual five-year/unlimited kilometre deal. But in this case, there’s also a six-year/100,000km warranty on the high-voltage battery.

Also typical for BMW is the service interval which is not a set time or distance and instead is determined by how the car has been used. It’s called condition-based servicing and it’s nothing new at BMW.

There’s also capped-price servicing available. For the X3, the five-year/80,000km service package is $2475.

The Kodiaq is covered by Skoda’s seven-year/unlimited-km warranty, which is ahead of the mainstream five-year warranty pack, although a little short of some, like MG and Mitsubishi at 10 years.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/15,000km, which is the expected norm for the category, and costs are still being fine-turned.

That said, you can expect pre-paid service pack pricing of around $2750 for seven years, or an average of roughly $393 per service, which is on the money for the category.