India-bound Skoda Kodiaq SUV unveiled in Berlin

Skoda Auto has unveiled its new Kodiaq SUV today in Berlin, Germany. The Czech manufacturer's SUV rides on VW's Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform.

Based on the Vision S Concept, which was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show, the Kodiaq carries a few design cues of the concept. The grille, headlamp shape and fog lamps are similar to the concept. The side profile on the Kodiaq bears the same belt line crease that runs from the front fender, all the way up to the rear fender and the wrapping around the boot.

There's a chunky crease line on the lower portion of the doors, just above the plastic running board. The LED tail lamps are a slightly different to the concept. They are a little larger than the sleek units of the Vision S. Skoda says that Jozef Kaba?, head of design, and his team were inspired by traditional Czech crystal glass art. The Kodiaq is 4.70-metre long which makes it a fairly large SUV.

A few design elements in the interior are inspired by the flagship sedan, the Superb. Skoda says that the Kodiaq has the largest cabin in its class. The interior length is 1,793mm. The elbow room is 1,527mm front and 1,510mm at the rear. The head room for the front passenger's measures 1,020m, while for the rear it's 1,014mm. Rear legroom measures up to 104mm.

While the steering wheel is similar to the Superb's, the dashboard is all-new. It features similar kind of creases and surfaces as seen on the exterior. The centre console is dominated by the large 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, badged Swing. Skoda's Smartlink feature also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But that's not all. Skoda is offering a few optional infotainment systems too.

The first is the Bolero system with an eight-inch capacitive touchscreen with HD display. The system also features in-car communication facility. The microphone records the driver's voice and plays it to the rear passengers via the rear speakers.

Next is the Amundsen navigation system that adds to the Bolero and features a special display, when driving off-road. The range-topping system is the Columbus with a 64GB flash memory and DVD playback.

Sound output on all systems is via a 10-speaker Canton sound system with a 575W output. Skoda will also offer optional tablet holders which can be charged using a 230V USB socket. There's an optional LTE module that offers high-speed Internet connectivity.

The Kodiaq also gets Skoda's Connect system that consists of two categories, Infotainment Online services and Care Connect. The former shows traffic information, weather information, parking spots, fuel prices and online news. The Columbus infotainment will also get additional features such as Google Earth Services and Google Street view. The Infotainment Connect system is available for free during the first year of ownership, after which it will be available at an extra cost.

The Care Connect service features an Emergency call function that's activated in case the any of the vehicle's supplementary restraint systems are triggered. The call is dialled immediately to an Emergency Call Centre and comes as standard. The Care Connect service also. It also has a notification function for minor accidents as well as breakdowns. Another feature is the Proactive Service, which sends the required data to the workshop on a timely basis. This helps the workshop keep a tab on the vehicle.

Skoda also also introduced a Connect app that allows owners to monitor the car via a smartphone, when it's driven by a friend, relative or kin. The vehicle's speed will be displayed on the phone and one can also keep a track of where the car is heading to.

The front seats are electronically adjustable, while the rear seats come with the optional memory function. They are both heated as well as ventilated. The rear seats are split 60:40 and can slide forward/backward by 18cm. This liberates room for the third-row passengers. While the Kodiaq is available as a five-seater as standard, the additional two seats are optional. Skoda says that he Kodiaq is its first seven-seater.

The boot volume is 720 litres with the rear seats in position. Folding them away (electric folding is optional) liberates 2,065 litres, which is pretty humongous. There's an option to close the boot at the touch of a button. Skoda will also offer foot-gesture operated boot opening and closing function, albeit at an additional price. This feature is particularly helpful when you are carrying heavy luggage.

Skoda will offer the Kodiaq with a choice of two diesel and three petrol engines. The diesels are Skoda's familiar 2-litre, four-cylinder TDI units in two states of tune - 150PS and 340Nm and the more powerful 190PS and 400Nm. There are two 1.4-litre TSI petrol engines on offer. One develops 125PS and 200Nm while the other develops 150PS and 250Nm. The latter also features cylinder-deactivation technology. The range-topping petrol is a 2-litre unit that produces 180PS and 320Nm.

The range-topping diesel and petrol engines are available only with four-wheel drive and a new seven-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox. The 150PS 1.4-litre TSI motor gets 6-speed manual in all-wheel drive trim. The 6-speed DSG is available with this engine in the front-wheel drive version only. The entry-level diesel with all-wheel drive is offered with the manual 6-speed transmission. The front-wheel-drive version is offered solely with the 7-speed DSG. The entry-level TSI is available with the 6-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive only.

The Kodiaq gets McPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear axle at the rear. Besides the usual set of driver aids, the Kodiaq's Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system has a special function XDS+ electronic differential lock that claims to improve cornering stability.

Skoda will also offer Drive Mode Select as an option on the Kodiaq. It has four modes, Normal, Eco, Sport and Individual. Additionally, vehicles with 4WD will get an off-road.

There's the optional Skoda Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) that too is available as an option. The system adjusts damping electronically and is integrated with the Drive Moide Select. The off-road mode also features hill descent control, enabling safe downhill driving in off-road conditions.