5 Things We Love About The Skoda Kodiaq RS!

We know Skoda cars for being the enthusiast’s choice, and the Czech carmaker has taken that appeal a step up by bringing its RS-badged performance models to our market, albeit in limited numbers. We have seen the Octavia RS in the past, and now, sharing its heart under the hood, comes the Kodiaq RS SUV. It is expected to be priced around Rs 65 lakh (ex-showroom). Just like its sedan sibling, the Kodiaq RS was sold out even before its official launch. We had the privilege of stretching the legs of this 265 PS SUV on long highway stretches as well as through busy city traffic, and these are the five things we absolutely love about it:

Looks Sporty Yet Sophisticated

The Skoda Kodiaq RS has been given a sporty makeover without losing the elegant design that the standard Kodiaq is known for. Carrying forward the exact same silhouette, the Kodiaq RS makes you remember that you’re driving something exclusive by design elements like a gloss black grille with a vRS badging, black ORVMs, black roof rails and darkened window surrounds. The exclusive RS-specific front and rear bumpers add more aggression, while the large 20-inch alloy wheels and bright red brake callipers. Besides, the LED lighting elements are the same front and rear.

Gets Every Feature You’d Expect

The Skoda Kodiaq RS almost leaves nothing out when it comes to features. A large 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 10.25-inch fully digital driver's display, a 14-speaker Canton sound system, ventilated and heated front seats, triple-zone climate control, wireless smartphone connectivity, a panoramic sunroof and a wireless phone charger have all been offered. It doesn’t compromise in safety either - you get 9 airbags, level-2 ADAS, electronic stability control, TPMS, ISOFIX child seat mounts and a 360-degree camera. 

Although it does miss out on the massage function that is available on the Lauren & Klement Kodiaq.

Big Car With Big Room

The Kodiaq RS continues to impress with its practicality. Plenty of headroom, legroom and shoulder room have been provided in the second row, allowing even tall passengers to travel comfortably. The wide cabin and supportive seats also make long-distance journeys less tiring. A comfortable chauffeur-driven experience can easily be enjoyed from the rear seat. 

The third row, however, has been designed with children in mind - adults can use it for shorter trips, but the available legroom and overall space are better suited for younger passengers.

Good Performance For The Heavyweight

The 2-litre turbo-petrol engine, which it shares with the Octavia RS, delivers strong performance and smooth power delivery. You can feel the quick acceleration while overtaking or merging onto highways, and the all-wheel-drive system provides reassuring grip in different road conditions.

Fun Fact: It manages to touch the 100 kmph mark from standstill, 0.1 second faster than the Octavia RS!

The one thing that bothered us was that the overall driving experience felt slightly restrained. The Kodiaq RS is over 2 tonnes, and that weight somewhat takes away some of the sharpness that is usually associated with the RS badge. The exhaust note has also been kept quite subtle, leaving enthusiasts wishing for a little more drama to match the impressive performance.

Comfortable When You Want

The Kodiaq RS can handle a wide range of driving situations, thanks to the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC). The suspension stiffness can be adjusted through different drive modes, allowing the Kodiaq RS to adapt to changing road conditions. The broken city roads and potholes can be tackled with ease with a softer suspension setup that delivers a comfortable ride. A firmer setting can be selected on highways or winding roads, where body movements are controlled better, and the SUV feels more planted through corners.

ZigSays…

The Kodiaq RS proves that you do not always have to choose between a practical family SUV and something that is genuinely enjoyable to drive. It offers the space, features and comfort that most buyers will look for, while still carrying enough performance to put a smile on the driver's face. The fact that all 50 units were sold out before the SUV even reached dealerships also shows that there is great love for performance-oriented cars in India, even in the SUV space. If you managed to get your hands on one, you are not just getting a well-rounded SUV, but also one that very few people will own.

What are your thoughts on the Skoda Kodiaq RS? Let us know in the comments.