Skoda Kodiaq long-term test: Report 9
Skoda's biggest combustion-engined SUV seats seven and looks like good value, but what's it like to live with? We're finding out...
The car Skoda Kodiaq 1.5 TSI 150 e-Tec DSG SE L Run by John Bradshaw, chief photographer
Why it’s here To see if Skoda's seven-seater can provide a winning blend of comfort, practicality and economy
Needs to Tackle long trips with ease, carry bulky loads and be frugal at the pumps
Mileage 10710 List price £42,205 Target Price £37,839 Price as tested £43,005 Official fuel economy 44.5mpg Test fuel economy 40.3mpg
30 June 2025 – Beauty is in the size of the cupholder
I’ve found yet more evidence that the Czech brand had me in mind when designing the Skoda Kodiaq. Wherever I roam, my favourite travel mug comes with me. It keeps hot or cold beverages at just the right temperature for a good few hours, for refreshment when I need it. And unlike that of my previous Skoda Kamiq, the Kodiaq’s cupholder actually opens wide enough to hold it.
In fact, the Kodiaq is so in tune with the way I operate that it reminds me of certain trousers I own. With the temperatures soaring recently, my combat-style shorts have had a decent airing; you know, the practical type with pockets galore. And while that means I’m never short of somewhere to stash my car keys, office security card, wallet or any of a dozen things I need during a day’s work, I do waste a certain amount of time patting my legs down to remember which pocket contains what.
The Kodiaq is the same; there are so many storage spots dotted around it that it can take a while to remember where I put things. From time to time I’ll absent-mindedly toss the key into the cupholder (with keyless unlocking and start, the keys could be anywhere inside the car and I’d still be good to go), and then spend a few moments remembering where it is when I try to lock the car at journey's end. I could have just have easily put it in one of the mammoth pockets on the doors. Or, if it had been my passenger who had unlocked the car, maybe it's in one of the glove boxes.
Yes, that's glove boxes in plural, because the Kodiaq has two. The lower one is a slightly awkward wedge shape but still holds the owners’ manual and my sunglasses case just fine. That leaves the top ‘box handy for other documentation, such printed instructions on how to get to where I’m scheduled to conduct a photoshoot. Or perhaps I’ve put those in the door pocket, or maybe in the cubby hole under the centre armrest. Not to worry, I'll look for them later.
That centre cubby, too, is a generous size, ready to take care of fruit and snacks for a journey, or whatever other clutter that could come in handy. It pays, though, to carry out an audit every now and again; the other day, I found a bonus Twix in there that I’d forgotten all about.
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