Skoda Auto India launches seven-seater Kodiaq at Rs 34.49 lakh

Czech carmaker Skoda has launched its latest global SUV, the Kodiaq in the Indian market, priced at Rs 34,49,501 (ex-showroom, all-India) for the sole, fully loaded Style variant on offer.

The Kodiaq is built on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Querbaukasten (MQB) platform, which also spawns its elder siblings, the Skoda Superb and the Octavia. The full-blown SUV gets big proportions, considering its ability to seat seven people over a three-row arrangement. The Kodiaq is 4697mm long, 1882mm wide, 1665mm tall and sits 188mm above the ground, with a stolid SUV stance. The 2791mm wheelbase hints at the sense of space inside the SUV.

Upfront, the SUV gets the signature Skoda grille, with double vertical black slats finished inside a chrome outline, and comes flanked by a pair of LED headlamps on either side, which get a chiselled out design, lending a rather aggressive look to the Kodiaq’s face. The fog lamp units are LEDs as well and are placed towards the upper corners of the front bumpers, just below the headlamps.

The side profile sees the placement of large doors, with a chunky character line emerging from the end of the hood and running across the doors, to meet the wrap-around tail-lamps at the back. The 18-inch wheels on the top-spec trim feature a clean multi-spoke design, and the squared off wheel housings bring a more muscular touch to the overall design.

The roofline slopes towards the rear, giving a coupe’ like treatment to the Kodiaq’s exterior. The rear again sees inclusion of a strongly chiselled tailgate, as well as sleek LED tail lamps.

What’s inside? 

 
The Kodiaq is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TDI motor which develops 150bhp of power and 340Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a 7-speed dual clutch automatic – the DQ 500 gearbox – and is equipped with an all-wheel drive (AWD) system to offer off-road capabilities. The 1.8-tonne Kodiaq boasts an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 16.25kpl. 

On the safety front, the latest Skoda comes offering nine airbags, ISOFIX anchorage, ABS, EBD, ESP, multi collision braking (MCB) and iBuzz driver fatigue alert as standard equipment on board. It also gets hands-free parking for both parallel and perpendicular parking manoeuvres. 

 
On the inside, the Kodiaq gets a plush cabin with beige leather seats, alongside an 8-inch touch screen infotainment system, offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionalities, along with Skoda’s Boss Connect mobile interface. The cabin also gets mood selectable mood lighting and footwell lighting options. There is a panoramic sunroof on the feature list as well, along with a few intelligent features, including flexible head restraints in the second row, which fold out to become neck pillows; umbrella holders in the doors, automatically retracting door nudge guards and a portable boot lamp, which doubles up as a torch.

The Kodiaq comes with a 4-year warranty and roadside assistance as standard, and customers can opt for a comprehensive 4-year maintenance package for Rs 59,999.

“India is one of the most promising economies with a dynamically evolving automotive industry. The market will be of significant importance in Skoda’s global growth strategy. The Kodiaq is at the forefront of Skoda’s extensive SUV campaign and marks the beginning of our SUV strategy in India. With the Kodiaq we will enter a new segment and customer groups for the brand,” said Skoda Auto Board Member for Finance, Klaus-I Schurmann.

Speaking at the launch of the new Kodiaq, Ashutosh Dixit, director (Sales and Marketing), Skoda Auto India, said, “We want to consolidate Skoda’s position in the Indian market with our three-pronged strategy, which includes revamping our showrooms, enhancing digital platforms and lastly, an aggressive product offensive. We have launched a slew of models over the last 18 months and the Kodiaq now becomes our flagship offering.”

“Skoda saw a notable 29 percent growth in the H1 of FY2018 and we aim to close this fiscal year with a 34 percent YoY growth by end of March 2018 on the back of our new launches. On the marketing side, we have modernised over 70 percent of our showrooms as of date and by end of CY2017, the number should reach 90 percent”, he added.

The Kodiaq comes in four colour options, including Lava Blue, Quartz Grey, Magic Black and Moon White, and while the bookings have commenced, the deliveries are slated to begin from the first week of November.

No plan to launch EVs in India
It is learnt that Skoda will wait and watch the market response for its latest entrant in the SUV segment, for future model launches, there has been no clear indication if Kodiaq Sportline and Kodiaq Scout will be launched in India. Speaking to Autocar Professional, on future mobility and connected car technology, Dixit said, “We have the showcased it earlier that we have the necessary technology and can offer relevant products. But, as of now, there is no plan to introduce electric cars in India, we will wait for the necessary infrastructure development and market response before venturing in this space.”

As per Dixit, with today’s launch, Skoda will target 3,000-4,000 unit sales or 20 percent market share in the overall premium SUV market of around 15,000 units in the Indian market.

How the Kodiaq stacks up against its rivals
The seven-seater Kodiaq (Rs 34.49 lakh) is poised on to compete with Ford Endevaour (Rs 31.4 lakh) and Toyota Fortuner (Rs 31.5 lakh – AMT). While the latest entrant comes at a higher price in compared to its competition, it also lags behind in terms of displacement, power and torque. The monocoque-bodied Kodiaq is also unlikely to match its body on frame rivals on off-road capability.

The Kodiaq comes in four colour options, including Lava Blue, Quartz Grey, Magic Black and Moon White, and while the bookings have commenced, the deliveries are slated to begin from the first week of November.