Škoda evolves the Kodiaq in the name of sustainability and safety, with the second generation also grown in size. Approximately 4.75 meters long, almost 1.90 meters wide, and 1.65 meters high curved, it presents an aesthetic in which the second generation Matrix LED headlights and the grille with horizontal light strip stand out. The side is slimmed down by the shape of the rear pillar, while behind the newly designed light clusters are the protagonists. In any case, the car conveys solidity through its proportions, and the protective elements in the lower part of the bodywork.
The spacious interior, with a load capacity of 745 liters for the plug-in hybrid variant, highlights an independent infotainment display, with a screen diagonal of up to 13 inches, and gains, for the first time , even the head-up display. Furthermore, the gear lever has been mounted on the steering column, to add order and space to the central tunnel. A further novelty is represented by the Škoda Smart Dials, three rotary controls positioned under the infotainment screen.
There is no lack of integration of the chatbot based on artificial intelligence ChatGPT for the Laura voice assistant, while the updates to the multimedia system are over the air. In a large environment, of a car that can have a 5 or 7 seat configuration, there is also the new ventilated Phone Box which allows the inductive charging of two smartphones simultaneously at 15 W of power. Furthermore, Škoda Connect's mobile online services for the plug-in hybrid variant also include remote climate control, plug & charge charging and remote charging start, with the last two features mentioned which will be available at a later time. Under the skin, the Škoda Kodiaq hides the latest generation of the plug-in hybrid powertrain composed of a 150 HP 1.5 TSI unit and an electric motor, for a system power of 204 HP, which are transmitted to the front wheels through a gearbox 6-speed DSG.
Thanks to the new 25.7 kWh battery, the plug-in hybrid Kodiaq boasts an electric range of over 100 kilometers and accepts direct current charging of up to 50 kW of power, to recover from 10 to 80% of capacity in just 25 minutes. In addition to the rechargeable hybrid Kodiaq iV, the second generation of the Bohemian SUV is available with the 150 HP 1.5 TSI mHEV petrol engine with 48 volt mild-hybrid technology, and with two variants of the 2.0 TDI with power outputs of 150 HP and 193 HP .
In all three of the last mentioned engines, the engine is combined with the 7-speed DSG transmission. On a dynamic level, the second generation Kodiaq features, on request, the new active ride control system which uses two independently controlled valves to separate the rebound and compression stages of the suspension. For active safety, the new Škoda Kodiaq uses nano radar sensors positioned in the right and left corners of the front and rear bumper, which increase the performance of the driver assistance systems. Finally, it can take advantage of new devices such as Turn Assist, Collision Avoidance Assist, Crossroad Assist and Exit Warning. The price list, which currently includes the mild hybrid and TDI petrol engines, starts from 40,700 euros for the 1.5 m-HEV Selection DSG, and reaches 52,550 euros for the 2.0 TDI EVO SCR Style DSG 4x4. The 7-seater variants, available starting from the Executive trim level, do not incur a surcharge compared to the similar 5-seater versions.