The 2.0L TSI engine and DSG combo is brilliant. Serves up power when required without any hesitation.
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Took delivery of my Graphite Grey L&K on 14th April. I got very lucky as the dealership till the first week of April had no clue when the car would get allotted. Fortunately, for me two customers who had booked this color cancelled their booking and refused to take delivery because of the price hike. The agent called me and asked me if I was interested and I resounded with a loud yes. I went to their stockyard on 10th April and checked out the car and did not notice any issues. The next day I made the payment and submitted the necessary documents and brought her home on 14th April. On the day of the delivery the dealership sales head told me that it is the first Graphite Grey being delivered in Delhi NCR.
The cherry on the cake was an upcoming wedding in Himachal just a few days after taking the delivery. So, I got a chance to take the Grey Bear to its natural habitat – the mountains. The journey was around 1000kms in total and was a mix of city, highway and mountain roads. I loved every minute of the journey. I am sharing some observations from the journey:
- The 2.0L engine and DSG combo is brilliant. Serves up power when required without any hesitation. The gear shifts are also very smooth. I sometimes felt that there was a lack of promptness to react to the pedal inputs on some very steep inclines.
- The Hill Descent Control was really nice when going downhill, this was the first time I have driven a car with this feature and it was really helpful.
- The seats are very supportive and comfortable for long journeys. The drive itself is very comfortable and I loved the fact that I can customize the driving mode and suspension.
- The NVH levels are very good and the cabin is very silent. This really helps in making the journey less fatiguing.
- Visibility overall is very good and even driving at night was confidence inspiring. However, the 360 degree camera resolution could have been better.
- The infotainment unit is easy to use and wireless connectivity is very fast and reliable. The Canton speakers do a decent job but sometimes the rear passengers complained that it wasn’t loud enough. Also, the screen should have ideally been slightly bigger.
- The A/C is very effective which is a relief as the A/C on my Taigun in comparison is very ineffective and takes a long time to cool the cabin. The physical buttons for the A/C unit are very intuitive and easy to use.
- I guess the only major drawback I can share is the Fuel Efficiency. I am sharing a snapshot of the journey below in one of the pictures. In my other cars I would easily get an average of 18 to 20. I am not complaining though, as I very well knew what I was getting into. Need to try XP95 next time, these figures are with ‘normal’ fuel throughout the journey.
The car is brilliant to drive and an absolute looker, I always have a smile on my face every time I step out after a drive. Sharing a few pictures below.
Keyword: Skoda Kodiaq L&K: Delivery & initial ownership experience