Skoda Karoq vs Skoda Kodiaq

What's the difference?

This new entry-level Karoq gives the already accomplished mid-size SUV an even sharper value-for-money edge. On top of that it's space efficient, hugely practical and economical. Safety's up to speed, the ownership package is solid and it's a quiet, refined drive. Before joining the RAV4 queue, we'd suggest giving this Skoda some serious thought.

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.

Skoda's distinctively broad, vertically slatted grille stands the brand apart, and even after six years in market the Karoq looks crisp and contemporary with chiselled character lines and jagged head and tail-lights blending successfully with more gently curved surfaces along the car's flanks and turret.

It might be a subconscious side-effect of knowing Skoda is part of the VW Group, but I can't help seeing hints of Tiguan here and there, particularly around the side windows and rear end.

But cool touches like aero-influenced inserts in the 18-inch alloy rims reinforce the Karoq's individual look.

Move to the inside and while the 8.0-inch central media touchscreen and 8.0-inch digital instrument display are on the pace the overall design shows the car's age.

Quality trim materials lift the tone, the cloth seats with contrast stitching look (and feel) great, but the understated dash design in particular is 'traditional', the vibe accentuated by liberal use of piano black highlight elements.

That said, the mix of on-screen functions and physical controls works well ergonomically and the leather-trimmed, partially-perforated, flat-bottom steering wheel is hard to fault.

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.

In terms of dimensions, at just under 4.4m long, a bit more than 1.8m wide and a fraction over 1.6m tall the Karoq is a relatively small medium SUV.

Yet, its 2638mm wheelbase means there's enough space between the axles for generous accommodation front and rear with enough room left over for a decent boot.

There's ample room for me, at 183cm, in the front with plenty of breathing space between driver and co-pilot. Not to mention heaps of storage including big door bins with room for large bottles, an open area in the centre console under an extending and height-adjustable centre armrest, various coin and oddments slots, a good size glove box, a broad lidded dash-top compartment and a drop down box near the driver's right knee.

Move to the rear, and sitting behind the driver's seat set to my position, I've got good head, leg and shoulder room. Best for two adults, although three would be possible for (cozy) short trips.

Three up to teenage kids will be fine back there, but if your kids are in a capsule, child seat or booster you'll be good with two but three will be a bridge too far.

Again there are door bins with enough room for oversize bottles, three cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest (one is 'venti'-sized) as well an oddments tray at the back of the front centre console and map pockets on the front seat backs. Adjustable ventilation is another plus.

With all seats up the Karoq offers a healthy 588 litres (VDA) of storage space, expanding to 1810L with the 60/40 split rear seat folded. A rear seat 'ski-port' style door also increases flexibility.

There are numerous bag and tie-down hooks as well as thoughtful storage spaces around the boot space. A full-size (speed limited) spare sits under the floor and while the tailgate misses out on power assistance, there's a typically useful dangling grab handle to help with closing.

For those keen on towing the FWD Karoq is rated up to a 1.5-tonne braked trailer (750kg unbraked).

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.

The Karoq is powered by a 1.4-litre, all-alloy, direct-injected, turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine sending 110kW (at 6000rpm) and 250Nm (from 1500-3500rpm) to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

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.

Skoda's official combined cycle fuel economy number for the Karoq is 6.5L/100km, the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine emitting 147g/km of CO2 in the process.

On the launch drive program for this new entry-level model, covering city, B-road and freeway running along the coast south of Sydney, NSW, we recorded an average of 7.6L/100km.

That's useful for a conventional combustion engine without the benefit of electric hybrid assistance. Worth noting, however, minimum fuel requirement is the pricier 95 RON premium unleaded.

You'll need 50 litres of it to fill the tank which equates to a theoretical driving range of 770km using the official figure or around 660km using our on-test result.

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.

Despite riding on sizeable 18-inch alloys (shod with 215/50 Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber), first impressions behind the Karoq's wheel are dominated by how composed and refined it is.

Even on coarse, irregular B-roads the car remains supple yet balanced and well buttoned down in the corners. The steering is nicely weighted and road feel is good.

Skoda says the Karoq will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 9.2 seconds, which isn't ferociously fast but the 1.4-litre turbo four delivers its peak pulling power from 1500-3500rpm, which means you're never short of mid-range urge.

The smooth eight-speed auto also helps keep things on the boil although power delivery isn't always linear. Squeeze the throttle and the engine can take half a beat before responding in something of a rush.

Shift from 'Normal' to 'Sport' mode and the transmission will respond more urgently, holding on to ratios longer and changing down more readily. And if you want full control, move the lever over into the 'Tiptronic' manual position for satisfyingly rapid changes on-demand.

The engine remains quiet, only making its presence felt at higher revs, the supportive front seats remain comfortable over lengthy stints and the brakes (vented discs front, solid rotors rear) deliver firm, progressive stopping power even under the pressure of an enthusiastic twisty backroad run.

Under the heading of miscellaneous observations, the multimedia system is easy to navigate and quick to respond, the extending, height-adjustable front centre armrest is brilliant and the adaptive cruise system responds to changes quickly yet calmly.

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.

Skoda is ahead of the mainstream pack, offering a seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, which is two years up on the majority of the Karoq's competitors.

Roadside Assist is complimentary for the first year, renewed annually if you have your Karoq serviced at an authorised Skoda dealer.

The main service interval is 12 months/15,000km, which is in line with most of the competition, and Skoda offers a seven-year service pack for $2750, or $393 per workshop visit, which is competitive with much of the segment but some way off the Toyota RAV4 non-hybrid at $215 per service on a capped-price deal.

On top of that, through Skoda Choice you can opt for a Guaranteed Future Value offer ranging up to five years, with variable deposit and finance currently at a 6.99 per cent rate.

At the end of the term you can trade-in for a new Skoda, pay out the balloon amount and keep the car or simply hand it back.

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.