Skoda’s popular Kodiaq RS seven-seat performance SUV makes the move from diesel to petrol power
The Skoda Kodiaq has been a smash hit for the Czech car-maker since its Australian introduction in 2017. Not only has the Kodiaq helped push Skoda’s local sales to record levels, it has also ushered in a large wave of new buyers to the brand. Now, the Kodiaq comes in for its first major refresh, refining the formula and switching up power sources in the case of the flagship RS model.
Ditching diesel
A Nurburgring lap record isn’t the first thing that springs to mind with a seven-seat, diesel-powered large SUV.
Yet even from its first official outing in 2018, it was clear the original Skoda Kodiaq RS didn’t mind straying from convention.
Now, Skoda’s largest SUV has come in for a mid-life facelift and headlining the changes is the switch from diesel to petrol power in the 2022 Skoda Kodiaq RS – meaning a diversion from the very drivetrain that helped Volkswagen’s Czech brand secure its seven-seat SUV lap record at the Nordschleife circuit.
Across the range there’s also more technology and safety features, as well as styling tweaks inside and out, so let’s dive into the detail…
Higher points
The three-model 2022 Skoda Kodiaq range now starts at $48,540 plus on-road costs in Australia – about $4000 higher than before.
Opening proceedings is the Skoda Kodiaq Style, while the mid-level Skoda Kodiaq SportLine is priced at $53,340 plus ORCs.
Both share the same VW-derived 132kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine mated standard to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system.
Standard equipment on the most affordable Kodiaq model extends to seven seats, 19-inch wheels, full LED headlights with daytime running lights, LED tail-lights, ambient lighting, electrically-adjustable folding and heated exterior mirrors, electric parking brake, keyless entry/start and ‘suedia leather-appointed’ upholstery.
Infotainment comprises a 9.2-inch centre touch-screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat-nav and wireless phone charging, matched in the instrument cluster by a virtual cockpit display.
Meanwhile, standard safety gear includes nine airbags, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), multi-collision braking and driver fatigue detection – all commensurate with a carryover five-star ANCAP safety rating awarded in 2017.
Read more closely, however, and other expected safety features are now hidden within optional packs.
A Luxury Pack on the Style is available for $6500 and bundles Matrix LED headlights with leather upholstery (black or ivory), electric front seat adjustment (with position memory), heated and ventilated front seats (and rear seat heating), sports steering wheel (with heating and paddle shifters), auto-dimming/foldable exterior mirrors, tri-zone air-conditioning, blind spot detection, lane assist, traffic jam assist, emergency assist, rear traffic alert and ‘surround area view’.
Moving up the line-up, the mid-grade SportLine has larger 20-inch alloy wheels, Alcantara leather sports seats, full Matrix LED headlights, gloss black exterior details, a drive mode select function and performance steering, fog lights, electric front seat adjustment, folding mirrors and a multifunction steering wheel with shift paddles.
The Luxury Pack is also offered on the SportLine but costs $3700 seeing the model grade already includes some of the items.
Skoda has also packaged up a Tech Pack for both the Style ($3000) and SportLine ($2900), which adds adaptive chassis control with drive mode select, a separate off-road driving mode, 12-speaker Canton stereo, automatic parking assist, electric tailgate and a ‘sleep package’ (that is, adjustable snooze-friendly head restraints for the rear outboard seating positions).
Features from those aforementioned packs are bundled standard in the Skoda Kodiaq RS driven here, which tops the line-up at $67,440 plus ORCs.
The flagship also now packs in a more powerful version of the same 2.0-litre petrol engine found in lesser grades – producing 180kW and 370Nm – the well-known EA888 that does duty in a raft of VW products including the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Skoda Octavia RS.
All Skoda Octavia models are offered with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, with the option of seven years currently being offered to customers.
Likewise, you can purchase a five-year/60,000km service pack up front, which costs $2000 for the RS ($1800 for other grades) and is based on 12-month/15,000km intervals and includes free roadside assist. The packs are fully transferable upon later sale, too.
The engine bay
The move to petrol power with the 2022 Skoda Kodiaq RS is predicated on one very simple fact: the car-maker has boned new diesel products altogether.
Although the previous Kodiaq RS combined spirited performance with diesel efficiency, Skoda claims the move to EA888 petrol power actually improves the RS formula – pointing to its additional 4kW, faster 0-100km/h time (by 0.4sec, 7.0sec claimed), and a 60kg weight saving over the nose of the SUV.
The petrol version loses out in the torque stakes – 370Nm versus 500Nm for the biturbo diesel predecessor – and can’t quite match the oiler’s official fuel consumption, at 7.5L/100km versus 6.7L/100km.
Another feature worth mentioning is the petrol engine requires a minimum 95 RON premium grade.
The RS version employs adaptive chassis control together with progressive steering which changes the ratio depending on how far the wheel is turned.
Twenty-inch Continental tyres are fitted to the flagship, shod to aero-friendly wheels that would appear more at home on an EV. (Skoda says you can take off the inserts if you’d prefer a non-spaceship vibe.)
Getting comfy
The 2022 Skoda Kodiaq RS might be marketed with a performance bent, but it has the basics of a family SUV well and truly covered.
Space is generous across the first two rows of seating, bolstered by an open outward view, integrated sun shades, sleep-friendly head restraints, and door protectors that place a thin strip of plastic between the door and the rest of the world each time they’re opened. (Part of Skoda’s ‘simply clever’ mantra.)
What’s more, the quasi-premium positioning of the Kodiaq RS is underlined by swathes of Alcantara and leather trim and soft contact points together with bristling digital displays and the VW Group’s excellent virtual cockpit. About the only thing missing is a head-up display.
And although the Kodiaq still employs a last-generation centre fascia festooned in switchgear – at least in the face of the minimalist Volkswagen Golf Mk8 – it is both legible in its presentation and easy to use on the move.
Ingress and egress is facilitated by moderate door openings and there is ample space for a couple of 6ft-tall occupants on a long journey, or equally, a couple of child seats utilising ISOFIX attachment points on the outbound pews.
We’d describe the third row as more of a temporary occupant space, which is just fine for the audience the Kodiaq is aimed at. There’s enough room for a couple of people on short journeys, but is otherwise a sound 765-litre boot space replete with quick-fold levers for the split-fold second row seats, luggage hooks and a temporary space-saver tyre underneath.
The cargo floor itself is flat and is accessed by a relatively low loading height and electronic tailgate.
Elsewhere, the technology and safety on board here is functional and user-friendly. We found the infotainment system quick to respond to commands, supported by so-so arrangement of USB-C chargers (two in the front, none in the other rows). A 12-volt outlet in each row wins back points.
Familiar territory
The 2022 Skoda Kodiaq RS driving experience is familiar – even with a change in power source.
The application of the VW Group’s ubiquitous EA888 2.0-litre turbo-petrol across multiple generations of Golf GTI and even Skoda Octavia RS (plus many other derivatives) means the new Skoda Kodiaq RS will feel relatively familiar to anyone well-versed on VW engines.
The 2.0-litre feels refined and pointed in its performance, offering whip-like expediency through the gears when required thanks to its seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, plus inherent refinement and excellent open-road passage.
The petrol engine feels spirited at the top end of the dial and offers convincing mid-range performance between corners. A digitally-synthesised and switchable feature means you can undertake said pursuits with the soundtrack of an Audi RS 3 – though it’s safe to say the feature isn’t for everyone.
We always premise our praise of the EA888-DSG combo on the fact that you do suffer from some low-speed hesitation, plus an elasticity in the powerband under acceleration.
That trait is certainly highlighted in the circa-2000kg Kodiaq RS if you’re trying to get away from an intersection in a hurry, but can be largely driven around in daily conveyance.
The petrol engine’s other missing feature here is that of torque. Although peak pulling power is available from a lowly 1600rpm, the four-pot simply can’t emulate the additional 130Nm on offer in the predecessor diesel – which exemplified just why so many Aussies (admittedly fewer than in the past) are still hell-bent on the technology driving their wheels.
It’s a similar story for efficiency; we averaged 9.5L/100km in the new petrol RS across a mix of conditions, a couple of litres higher than in past experiences aboard a diesel-powered RS.
Where the petrol-powered RS begins to make its statement is driving agility. Taking away 60kg worth of mass over the nose imbues Skoda’s seven-seater with an additional sharpness during changes in direction.
Where the petrol-powered RS begins to make its statement is driving agility. Taking away 60kg worth of mass over the nose imbues Skoda’s seven-seater with an additional sharpness during changes in direction.
It’s hardly night and day, but it does buy into the clever packaging hype that Skoda officials love to spruik.
The Kodiaq RS rewards keener drivers with well-weighted steering and ample body control for a big SUV, while its front-biased all-wheel drive system and Continental tyres provide sound contact with the road underneath.
On the other side of the ledger, the Kodiaq RS offers a balanced ride and handling mix, occasionally thudding over sharper obstacles yet resisting the temptation to crash.
Light low-speed steering and an excellent outward view otherwise help shrink down the Kodiaq’s 4.7-metre length.
On urban roads, we’d say the ride is slightly firmer than your regular SUV set, and the cabin subject to more road noise, but for the performance trade-off it’s a negligible compromise.
Winning formula?
The 2022 Skoda Kodiaq RS has been one of our go-to SUVs at carsales since its introduction.
The switch to petrol power continues the legacy, bringing a new-found lightness to the table together with comparable performance and efficiency.
The carryover interior treatment, Euro-factor and technology on board will ensure Skoda’s seven-seater remains at the pointy end of the mainstream SUV space.
And, as always, the left-field inclusions ice the cake.
How much does the 2022 Skoda Kodiaq RS cost?Price: $67,440 (plus on-road costs)Available: NowEngine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrolOutput: 180kW/370NmTransmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automaticFuel: 7.5L/100km (ADR Combined)CO2: 171g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)
Keyword: Skoda Kodiaq RS 2022 Review