The mid-cycle refresh of the largest Skoda SUV is underway.
After Skoda’s apprentices made the SUV into a unique Mountiaq pickup, it’s now time for the big guys and gals to start serious business. The brand’s flagship SUV has been seen in testing. It appears that we are dealing with the Sportline trim, as indicated by the name badge on the front fender.
The bumper has a lot of camouflage on the front. However, it already shows off a new design which is a bit more aggressive. The new design is available with the Amazing facelift We believe the SUV’s seven-seat configuration will benefit from matrix LED headlights. The main clusters’ shape is not likely to change much, considering that the Superb ones have been carried over. To the dismay of some, the two-tier headlight arrangement will be maintained in the second half of Kodiaq’s life cycle. Meanwhile, the taillights will undergo discrete changes with sequential LED turn signals, as seen on the Kamiq. e have a feeling that the Kodiaq was towing a dynamometer, as was the case earlier this month with the Aston Martin DBX. It is possible that Skoda was actually testing a new powertrain. The Superb’s changes have led to the Kodiaq receiving the VW Group’s 2.0 TDI Evo, which was first seen in the Eurospec Passat facelift.
The biggest change is the adoption of a plug in hybrid system, which VW’s flagship sedan in GTE form inherited. The PHEV setup, which is already featured in the Superb iV’s flagship sedan, will include a 1.4-liter TSI 4-cylinder, an electric motor, a 6-speed DSG and a 13-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The combustion engine will produce 156 horsepower (115kilowatts), while the electric motor will deliver 115hp (85kW). The combined output will be 218 horsepower (160 kW). The electric range should be comparable to the Superb iV’s WLTP-certified 34 mile (55 km) range. The charging port will be integrated into the grille, and it will remain hidden when not in use. The Superb iV’s cargo capacity is lower than those of conventionally-powered models. This could also be true for the Kodiaq. This shouldn’t be a problem since the SUV offers plenty of space behind the seats. However, in the seven-seat version, the cargo capacity is drastically reduced. The all-new Octavia is expected to be the focal point of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. However, the refreshed Kodiaq may not be revealed until March 2020 in Geneva.