Skoda Australia has confirmed the new second-generation Kodiaq SUV will land here in November, and will pack a more powerful turbocharged petrol engine.
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The 2025 Skoda Kodiaq is a big deal for the Czech brand in Australia, playing in the critical large SUV segment and serving as a three-row flagship for the company's SUV range. It's also one of the brand's top sellers in Australia, second only to the Kamiq in 2023 with 1555 units registered.
Skoda's local boss Michael Irmer confirmed with media at the recent Skoda Brand Day that the Kodiaq will see a staggered launch, with standard models arriving first and the as-yet-unrevealed RS performance halo arriving after.
While the Volkswagen Group subsidiary won't confirm exactly which trim levels we'll see at launch – currently the Style and Sportline sit under the RS – the brand has indicated the sole powertrain at launch will be an updated 2.0 TSI with 150kW and all-wheel drive, up from the current 132kW donk.
That means the Kodiaq will finally be aligned with European specification in terms of outputs, as the previous 132kW 2.0 TSI 4×4 has long been superseded by a newer 140kW version in overseas markets.
Don't expect diesels or the new plug-in hybrid to be available at launch either. While Skoda hasn't necessarily cancelled them out altogether in the face of pending emissions regulations in Australia, there are no firm plans to bring either powertrain technologies to the new Kodiaq at this time.
It's understood the entry-level 110kW 1.5 eTSI with 48V mild-hybrid tech is also off the table for the Australian market.
It's understood the new Kodiaq RS will follow the latest VW products in upping power to 195kW from the current 180kW, in line with the facelifted VW Golf GTI, new-gen VW Tiguan as well as the updated Skoda Octavia RS – all confirmed for Australia in the coming 12 months.
Measuring 4758mm long, 1864mm wide, 1659mm tall, and riding on a 2791mm wheelbase, the new Kodiaq is 61mm longer, 18mm narrower, and 17mm taller than the original. The two generations share the same wheelbase.
As before the Kodiaq is offered as either a five- or seven-seater globally, though Skoda Australia is expected to exclusively offer three-row models.
With most of the increased length occurring behind the rear axle, the third row and boot are more spacious – Skoda says the increase ranges between 30 and 75 litres depending on variant and the position of seats.
Confirmed for overseas models is a standard 10-inch Virtual Cockpit display, complemented by a free-standing 10.0-inch touchscreen atop the dashboard. Also standard is a nine-speaker sound system, four 45W USB-C ports — two in the front, and two at the back — and a 15W USB-C port in the back of the mirror.
The gear selector has been shifted from the centre tunnel to a wand behind the steering wheel in a very EV-like design change, freeing up space for a larger 2.1L lidded storage area.
On the safety front, new features include warnings if traffic is detected when opening a door; Collision Avoidance Assist, which enhances steering inputs when trying to avoid an accident; and warnings and autonomous braking when cars, pedestrians or cyclists are detected when turning into traffic or crossroads.
There's also an autonomous parking assistant that can do head-in and parallel parking while the driver is either inside or outside the vehicle. Read our coverage of the new model's reveal here.
Since the original Kodiaq was launched in 2016, some 841,900 units have been sold worldwide.
MORE: Everything Skoda Kodiaq
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
