Skoda Kodiaq RS

The Skoda Kodiaq RS is the top pick for an enthusiast looking for an SUV, even if most people don’t think of it when someone mentions a big and powerful SUV. Skoda has always been the brand in this country that prioritizes performance and caters to the enthusiast, and the Kodiaq RS is the latest in the lineup to uphold that duty.

With only 50 units on sale and all already booked, the Kodiaq RS brings exclusivity in a package that offers space for seven people, a premium cabin, and modern features, but you also get a powerful and engaging powertrain and handling that can put some sedans to shame.

The Skoda Kodiaq is one of the most handsome looking premium SUVs on the market with its signature Skoda styling. It exudes elegance and sophistication of the standard Kodiaq and the RS model builds on that with its cosmetic enhancements that make the car look fast, even when it’s standing still. 

First look at the nose and you can tell that this Kodiaq is not exactly friendly. It looks angry with a revised bumper that features slats cutting across. The split LED headlights with LED DRLs, the creases on the bonnet and the overall shape of the grille are the same, but there’s now a sense of seriousness here. The chrome has been deleted and replaced with blacked out elements and there’s also a ‘RS’ badge, just in case you still confuse it for the regular Kodiaq. 

The shape and silhouette is the same in profile where the Kodiaq looks big and long, almost like a land yacht. But unlike the regular model, it looks purposeful and has a better stance with bigger 20-inch alloy wheels that look properly sporty. And unlike the Octavia RS, which gets “Aero covers”, the Kodiaq RS’ alloys look….. untampered.

Skoda has reduced the cladding effect here by deleting the black bumper panel at the rear three quarters, and other changes like the blacked out windowline and ORVMs add the final finishing touch. 

At the rear, the connected LED tail lights, the Skoda lettering between them, the roof-mounted spoiler and sharkfin antenna remain the same. But the bumper is new with a mesh like insert in the middle and two exhaust tips at either ends. 

So overall, the Kodiaq RS is more than just a sticker job. It gets proper revisions that add a sporty touch to the SUV’s clean design, and while the changes might not be obvious to most, but those who are even a tad bit interested in cars will immediately spot it. 

In India, the Kodiaq RS’ colour palette includes Moon White, Magic Black, Velvet Red, and Steel Grey. Out of all these options, the Red shade is the one which grabs most attention.

Just like the exterior, which gets noticeable updates over the standard Kodiaq, the interior also features a sportier looking black and red cabin theme with red design inserts and very prominent red stitching all around the cabin.

The dashboard has a bold and butch design with lines that converge into a large central touchscreen. You get huge AC vents on the sides, multi-colour ambient lighting throughout the cabin, and a sporty three-spoke steering wheel with the “vRS” badging.  

Also, unlike most Skoda cars in the market, the Kodiaq RS gets proper physical controls for the AC along with many more buttons across the cabin so you don’t have to fiddle around with the touchscreen for basic functions.

With so much sportiness packed inside this SUV, the cabin premiumness and material quality remains top notch. You get leatherette padding on all surfaces, all the buttons and knobs feel tactile, and even the parts finished in plastic feel smooth. You can easily compare the premiumness of this cabin to any luxury car and you won’t be disappointed.

Front Row Seats

This is where the cabin feels different from the standard Kodiaq as the RS version comes with sportier seats which look like proper bucket seats, even though they are just slightly revised compared to the standard version. These seats are finished in all black, get red stitching, and feature a vRS badging on the headrest. 

These seats offer good space even for people with large frames. The headroom here is more than enough, underthigh support can be extended, the prominent side supports keep you tucked in, and you get ventilation function along with heating, where the latter will remain unused in most parts of our country.

Second Row Seats

The second row is for those looking for a chauffeur driven experience along with those who have a big family and don’t want to compromise on space. Firstly, there is enough space for three people to sit side by side with enough shoulder room to not fight with the passenger next to you. The headroom here will be appreciated by tall occupants and there is no shortage of underthigh support, legroom, kneeroom, and footroom.

Then you get sunblinds in the windows which cover the full glass area, there is a centre armrest with cupholders and a slot to keep your phone, and a mount behind the front seats to keep your phone or tablet and watch a movie.

Third Row Seats

This is where things change. While the second row of the Kodiaq RS offers ample space for adults, the space in the third row is fairly restricted. The headroom here is just enough for someone my height (5’8”), and while two people can sit side by side, there is not enough kneeroom and underthigh support to sit comfortably for anything more than small city commutes.

We’d recommend you use this space only for children, as adults would not want to sit here for any long journey.

Storage and Practicality

Like any big SUV, the Kodiaq RS is packed with storage options. The front passengers get two gloveboxes, both big enough to fit a 1-litre water bottle. There are four cupholders in the centre console, covered with a slider, two of which are removable. There is another storage just under the climate control knobs where you can keep and wirelessly charge two phones and there is a separate tray for smaller items like the key or loose change.

All four doors get bottle holders, the second row passengers get seatback pockets with dedicated slots for phones, there is a centre armrest with two cupholders and a slot for your phone, and behind both front seats are mounts which can be used to keep your phone or tablet if you want to watch something while being on the move.

Third row passengers get cupholders on the edges.

Charging Options

For charging options, the front row passengers get two wireless phone chargers, along with two USB Type-C ports. Second row passengers also get two USB Type-C ports along with a 12V socket, and the same is also available for the third row occupants.

Boot Space

Even with all three rows occupied, there is 281-litres of boot space available. This is enough to keep one medium and one small suitcase, or three small suitcases for any short trip. However, if you fold the third row, you get 786-litre of space, which can keep your entire suitcase set (small, medium, and large) along with a couple of duffle bags for longer journeys.

While the boot lip is slightly higher, which makes loading and unloading luggage slightly difficult, especially if the bags are heavy, you do get a powered tailgate which makes things a tad bit more convenient.

The Kodiaq RS gets all the features of the standard version, which is also very well equipped for its price. So when it comes to features on board, you don’t feel like you’ve missed out on anything important.

Here you get a 13-inch touchscreen which grabs a lot of attention as it takes a lot of space on the dashboard. The screen has large enough icons to operate on the move, and it is easy to navigate once you figure out where all the settings are. This screen also supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, both of which run smoothly, and it is paired with a 13-speaker Canton sound system for a clear and crisp surround sound experience.

You can also change the background theme of this touchscreen, and play around with colours to match your vibe, and the same is also reflected on the driver’s display.

The same driver’s display, which is a 10.25-inch unit, also has a clearly visible feed with crisp information. While there aren’t many themes to choose from, you can customize what you want to be displayed on each side. 

Other premium features include a large panoramic sunroof, three zone climate control, ventilated and heated front seats, and two wireless phone chargers. Basic necessities like keyless entry, push button start/stop, electrically adjustable and auto folding ORVMs, and powered front seats are also on offer.

For passenger safety, the Kodiaq RS is equipped with 9 airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, a tyre pressure monitoring system, hill start assist, hill descent control, and front and rear parking sensors.

You also get a 360-degree camera, however, the feed is not as crisp as you’d expect in a car of this segment. It looks a little grainy and that is not so easy to read in low light or harsh light conditions. There is also no dedicated 3D mode. Skoda should’ve offered a better camera system as much clearer camera systems are now available in cars sitting two segments below.

Lastly, the Kodiaq RS gets Level 2 ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) features like adaptive cruise control, driver attention monitor, lane keep assist, and autonomous emergency braking. However, these features are not well tuned for India’s driving conditions, and you have to turn them off every single time you start the car, as there is no way to save your settings.

Engine Options and Performance

The people buying the Skoda Kodiaq RS will buy it for what’s underneath the skin and bonnet. And if you’re one of those people, you’ll be happy to know that the Kodiaq RS gets the same 2-litre turbo-petrol engine that powers the fabled Octavia RS. But the difference is, while the sedan is a front-wheel drive vehicle, the Kodiaq RS provides better traction and grip with its all-wheel-drive system. 

This engine is well refined, you barely hear it even when you’re pushing the car, which I found to be a led down. But, when it comes to performance, the power delivery is smooth, and there is a duality to the drive experience which you need to know.

City Performance

When you’re driving in the city and you accelerate, the car picks up speed gradually, especially when moving from a standstill. There is no sudden surge of power the instant you put your foot on the throttle. For some, this may not be what they expected, but for most people commuting in the city, the linear and predictable acceleration feels safe and familiar. 

However, there is power when you need it. While performing overtakes in the city, at speeds of 40 or 50 kmph, I just had to slightly push the throttle, and I had enough power to move ahead with pace. And this is even more fun on the highways.

Highway Performance

This is where you feel the significance of the RS badge. The thought of planning an overtake never crosses your mind, and going from crawling speeds to triple digits takes no time. It feels quick, the nose slightly lifts up when you floor the throttle, and it goes through gears like it's eating them.

However, at no point does it feel too much. While there is over 260 PS of power to play with, it is still a big and heavy SUV that won’t scare you no matter how hard you push. The 7-speed gearbox also feels smooth when you’re cruising, and sporty when you want to quickly downshift a few gears before entering a corner.

For most people, this performance is more than enough, and the duality of sporty and predictable nature makes it easy to live with. What’s not so easy to live with is the fuel efficiency, which in my case, was around 5-6 kmpl at max.

Ride Quality

A common trait in all Skoda cars in India is the suspension setup being on the firmer side. So even when I drove it on a normal city road that too in comfort mode, I still felt small jerks over potholes and sharp speedbreakers. However, the ride quality inside the city is still good enough to not make you complain.

It does a good enough job to absorb most of the uneven patches, and while you do feel the irregularities inside the cabin, they don’t result in much motion to make you uncomfortable. The firmer setup also limits body roll, which means the side-to-side movement is well controlled.

You also get Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) with the Kodiaq RS, which allows you to adjust the stiffness and cushioning of the suspension setup. So if you drive a lot in the city, you can choose to keep it in comfort mode, so that you feel the least amount of motion this car allows. DCC also lets you tweak the steering weight, which will come in handy when you’re driving around a tight corner.

Handling

With DCC you can also make the suspension stiffer, and that helps on the highway. If you live in an area which has smooth highways, then driving it in Sports mode will keep the car extremely stable. Even in comfort mode, driving on the highway feels easy as the vertical motion you feel over undulations is limited. And, at triple digit speeds, the car remains stable and planted.

But when you go around a corner, then you realise that even though it is an SUV, it handles like a sedan. The body roll is limited, the all-wheel-drive pushes you through the corner, the steering is precise, and it feels like it's hugging the corner.

The Kodiaq RS feels like a car which can be your daily commuter and also something that you’d want to drive on a track.

Skoda’s way of providing performance, drivability, tech, and space all in one package is best seen in the Kodiaq RS. It seats seven of your family members, and gives them all the features and premiumness they can ask for.

But when it's you alone, it gives you a fun and exciting driving experience the enthusiast inside you wants along with the handling of a performance sedan the enthusiast inside you will appreciate. 

To get a better understanding of the pros and cons, head to our story where we explain them in detail.

Other Cars To Consider

Volkswagen Tayron R Line

Reasons To Consider

• Sportier design

• Better features

Reasons To Ignore

• Less powerful