We’re too hot for the hot Kodiaq, apparently.
Czech carmaker Skoda has pulled the wraps off the hottest Kodiaq yet, fitted with the most powerful turbodiesel mill the company has ever used. Dubbed the Kodiaq RS, it has already clinched the title of the fastest 7-seater SUV to ever lap the Nurburgring ahead of its Parisian debut. This isn’t a tarted-up Kodiaq, no no. This is the full monty.
The 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine under the bonnet makes a whopping 176kW and 500Nm, which is put down to all-four wheels via a 7-speed double-clutch automatic. 7-seconds is all you need to hit 100km/h from rest, before hitting V-max at 220km/h. But when your foot hasn’t buried the loud pedal into the floor, you should be able to nearly match the claimed fuel consumption, which is rated at 6.0L/100km.
Speaking of loud, the Kodiaq RS certainly looks it. There are 20-inch alloy wheels with a dual-tone polished finish, behind which lie 17-inch disc brakes. There are full-LED lights at the nose and tail, and there are twin tailpipes at the back too. There are RS-specific bumpers, and a unique grille, that’s finished in a gloss-black hue that’s also been applied to the door mirrors, window frames, and roof rails.
If that’s not enough, the Kodiaq RS is also the first Skoda to ever utilise something called a Dynamic Sound Booster system, which “complements the natural sound of the exhaust system and refines the engine’s sound profile” by utilising in-car electronics and manipulating the speakers both inside and outside the car. Fake noise, basically.
Aside from the engine-noise fakery, the cabin’s been given a thorough going-over as part of the RS treatment. There’s an Anthracite roofliner, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, pseudo-Alcantara upholstery with red contrast stitching, red LED ambient lighting (though that may be configurable), RS-specific displays on the infotainment system and digital instruments, as well as alloy pedals and fake carbon-fibre trim pieces. It’s all rather nice. In Europe, the Kodiaq can be specified as either a 7- or a 5-seater, with the latter boasting a 600L boot behind the rear wheels.
There’s also Dynamic Chassis Control thrown in here, as well as six-way adjustable drive modes, which work together to provide the best possible experience depending on selected drive mode. It also manipulates the progressive steering to fit the drivers’ mood too, and ensures the Kodiaq is just as versatile as you’d expect it to be. And the all-wheel drive system changes and adapts too: It’s front-driven normally, but up to 85% of torque can be transferred to any one individual wheel based on situational requirements. Quite swish.
All sounds pretty dandy, right? If you’re grabbing your wallet to head to your local Skoda dealership, we have bad news: Because the biturbo oiler is in such high a tune, it will not be made available in regions that are designated as ‘hot climates,’ which unfortunately includes Australia. It’s highly unlikely but not entirely impossible that they could slot the 2.0TFSI engine from the Volkswagen Arteon in here though, but that is wishful thinking and not an educated guess in any regard. We can hope though, right?
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