Grab Your Chance To Book Skoda’s Red Hot SUV! - The Kodiaq RS

Have you been waiting for Skoda’s performance SUV? Not long anymore. The bookings for the Kodiaq RS commences on 22nd June. Skoda had unveiled the Kodiaq RS in India back in March this year announcing its arrival soon. Here is what we can expect from Skoda’s performance SUV.

2026 Skoda Kodiaq RS Design

Stand in front of the Kodiaq RS, and you know that you’re looking at something serious. The RS badge, which means Rally Sport, sits proudly on the blacked-out front grille. Skoda is not shy to express its 50-year RS legacy with the blacked-out elements with red accents throughout the car. Unlike the new regular Kodiaq, which gets a connected DRL, the RS gets a fully blacked-out front grille and air dam, which is slightly larger than the regular Kodiaq. 

Coming to the side profile, the Kodiaq RS gets larger 20-inch diamond-cut wheels with upgraded brake discs and red brake callipers. The silhouette is similar to the regular Kodiaq, but with the blacked-out D-pillar as well. 

At the rear of the Kodiaq RS, the immediate difference is the dual rectangular exhausts housed at the bottom of the bumper. The name badges, including the Skoda, Kodiaq and RS badges, are all given black treatments. The rest of the rear looks typical Skoda with a spicy twist.

2026 Skoda Kodiaq RS Interior

Despite fundamentally being a big family SUV, Skoda has given a dollop of the RS treatment in the Kodiaq RS’s cabin, yet retains the feature comforts and tech. Case in point, the sporty bucket seats at the front make you immediately feel the sporty ethos. The Alcantara fabric, the red accents and the RS badge give you the feeling that you’re in something special. The black interior and red accents continue throughout the cabin. The centre of attraction is the 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. The dashboard has a layer of Alcantara finish with red piping running across.

2026 Skoda Kodiaq RS Powertrain

The Kodiaq RS will be powered by the same EA888 2-litre turbocharged engine, which we have seen doing duties in the Octavia RS and the Volkswagen Golf GTI. So there's no doubt that this Kodiaq RS will pack a hefty punch under the bonnet. The powertrain specs are as follows:

DCT- Dual-Clutch Transmission

2026 Skoda Kodiaq RS Features & Safety

Despite the Kodiaq RS being a sporty SUV by Skoda, the RS still would pack in most of the features available in the regular Kodiaqs already available in India. The driver gets a 10.25-inch MID, 3-zone climate control, drive and traction modes and heated and auto-dimming ORVMs. 

On the safety front, the Kodiaq RS gets level-2 ADAS, 360 camera, 9 airbags, all-disc brakes, electronic stability control (ESC), electronic differential lock and rain brake support. All these aided by the Haldex 4-wheel drive system.

2026 Skoda Kodiaq RS Expected Price & Rivals

While there’s no confirmation on what route the hotter Kodiaq will take from the Czech Republic, it will mostly be brought down to India via the Completely Built Unit (CBU) route, which means that the taxes will push the ex-showroom price upwards of Rs 60 lakh in India. 

The Kodiaq RS will essentially be in a class of its own, being a performance-oriented SUV. The closest rival would be the Volkswagen Tayron R-Line. However, in the same segment we have the Jeep Meridian, MG Majestor and the segment king, the Toyota Fortuner. 

ZigSays…

The arrival of the Kodiaq RS in India happens to be the 50th year of Skoda’s RS legacy. And the Kodiaq RS according to Skoda will be the fastest Skoda on sale in India despite being around 400 kilos heavier than the Octavia. While Indians have shown love towards the previous RS models being the Octavia RS, Kodiaq RS will certainly help quench the thirst for affordable performance cars in India.

What do you think of the new Kodiaq RS? Let us know in the comments below.