[aadi2700]

Great initiative GTO, what a shame I was travelling to Mumbai this week (for work) and would be flying out on 14th

[gaurav_3000ad]

Sent the PM. Hoping to get selected for the drive. It promises to be amazing. Thanks Tbhp for organising this for us and making the effort.

Last time’s cancellation was unfortunate but the right call in view of the prevailing security condition at the time.

[amey910]

Great initiative by Team BHP!! After recently attending the BMW event at Raymond Race Track Thane, I feel its fun and informative to attend such events. Looking forward to more such events and hopefully track days

[praveen789]

I was feeling bad that I missed the earlier planned event as I was travelling. However, I guess the universe wanted to give me another chance at it. I am also happy that it is a day drive (not a big fan of night driving).

Signed up and hoping to be shortlisted to spend time with like-minded car enthusiasts!

[Ikran]

Sent PM, hoping for the invite and attend this event.

[SeniorC]

Great initiate GTO and Team BHP. Congratulations. I do hope Delhi is not too far away in the horizon after Mumbai! Having a Skoda in family, they have built great solid cars with superb driving dynamics. Wishing guys all the fun at the event with safe and easy driving. Big compliments to Skoda India group too.

[somersault]

Oh Bad! missing this again.. I am out on Sunday again. Would have loved to compare my older Kodiaq with the new Kodiaq. Last time as well I was out of country.

[SRM]

Couldn't try my luck last time due to other commitments, but luck seems to be kind! Have signed up for this time and hopefully I get selected.

Would be great to have a spin on the fantastic new SoBo roads and have some quality discussions with the fellow enthusiasts!

[KVikrant]

Sad that I'm still a Newbie & hence not qualified. Would have loved to join in for the drive.

[SilverSmoke]

Great event! Loved the drive & the company.

Coming up with a comparison review soon.

Boarded the flight back to Delhi.

[Hayek]

Fantastic initiative @GTO. Wish I could have been there - but had certain prior commitments. Do hope we continue to have regular events in Bombay - as opposed to the next rotation arriving here after several months.

Those who participated, look forward to your posts - both to read more about the car and to ensure that we have more such events that the rest of us can enjoy!!!

[GautamJ]

Firstly, the event was remarkable. It is undeniable that acquiring two-way automobile conversions is an uncommon occurrence, and this event spanned from 12:30 pm to nearly 8:00 pm, engaging in an extensive conversation. It undoubtedly stands as a memorable experience.

Secondly, BHPians are so welcoming. No one can ever feel left out.

Thirdly, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the moderators. Reviewing a car in a short time frame is a challenging task that requires thorough knowledge of the vehicle, careful evaluation of various factors, identification of suitable shooting locations, consideration of weather conditions, and adherence to time constraints.

Regarding the Drive Conclusions section, it is important to add a disclaimer that my analysis may be biased. I found myself naturally comparing our XEV 9E with the Kodiaq, which may have resulted in an incomplete comparison. I apologise for this oversight.



Šimply Clever

1. The ambient light on the door transitions to red whenever the door is opened.


2. ⁠Those 3 digital dials on the centre console, fairly old school vibes in new tech.
3. ⁠Pop-out door edge protectors have made a comeback, providing effective protection until they fail.


4. ⁠All the cabin lights border are illuminated when Headlights are on. Why Clever? Cabin lights are touch operated and are easy find in dark IMHO.




5. ⁠The welcome function, which enables the seat to slide back and down for effortless egress and ingress, is not limited to the driver’s seat but also extends to the co-driver’s seat.

Not so Clever?

1. Driver seat adjusted for ~5’9” person, the seat rails are visible from back seat, no issues on visually, however, the absence of plastic covers at the ends of the rails raises concerns about potential safety hazards for the rear passengers.


2. ⁠Wiper stalk, headlight stalk (only for pass-by and high beam), and turn indicators are merged into one single stalk. Why? Who hurt you Skoda?
3. ⁠The sideboards are not fully covered by the door. Consequently, during rains, this can cause jeans/pants to get soiled while ingress/egress.



4. ⁠The electric parking brake switch was relatively straightforward to locate, but the auto-hold button remained elusive. During our drive, we were unable to locate it. However, we later got to know that it’s hidden in the 13” infotainment system.

Pros :-

1. Ergonomics was almost flawless, with the exception of the aforementioned stalk.
2. ⁠ORVMs offer a great view.
3. ⁠NVH is good for the most part, even with single-pane windows. Additionally, engine noise is perceptible to rear passengers during acceleration exceeding approximately 1,800 rpm.
4. ⁠The car is smooth if driven with a light foot. DSG upshifts are smooth.
5. ⁠The interior looks fresh and upmarket.
6. ⁠The seat massagers for both front seats warrant a special mention.
7. ⁠Tyres had absolutely no Aqua planning.


8. ⁠Rare car to still have rear foglamps, reflector and puddle lamps on front doors (at least).


9. ⁠Rear Child Locks (for each side) lock both windows and the door.
10. ⁠A 5 year warranty that can be extended to 8 years! More brands should adopt this practice.
11. As a dieselhead, I must admit that my experience with petrol engines is limited. However, the 2.0L TSi engine is widely recognised for its power delivery and specs. The engine is frugal, in our mix of city-highway runs (moderate traffic conditions) and sudden bursts of acceleration, the car returned a lower double digit fuel efficiency (~10.6 kmpl).
12. Despite the current generation Kodiaq omitting the DCC feature, it maintains an optimal balance between ride comfort and handling. Don’t think any owner will be complaining of a lack of DCC.

Cons :-

1. Adjustable cup holder plastic in the centre console, and the manually adjustable window sunshade clips are cheap.


2. ⁠At best, it’s a 5+2 seater.
3. ⁠Looks, though subjective, I prefer the looks of the previous generation. Just unable to overlook the rear overhangs and the rear look.



4. ⁠No ADAS is like a suicide mission. Skoda should refrain from dictating how customers intend to utilise this feature. ADAS extends beyond AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) to encompass BSDS (Blind Spot Detection System), which I firmly believe offers considerable benefits even in city driving conditions.
5. ⁠A slight delay can be noticed when paddle shifters are used.
6. ⁠The absence of a HUD and the inability to project Google Maps (via Android Auto) or Apple Maps (via Apple Carplay) onto the Virtual Cockpit are drawbacks. Furthermore, the complexity of the infotainment system’s navigation and feature toggling options often leads to difficulty in selecting between navigation and other functions.
7. ⁠The overlay for low-speed obstacle detection via parking sensors is poorly executed. Instead of being displayed on the infotainment system, it would be more beneficial to implement it into the instrument cluster (virtual cockpit).
8. ⁠Glove Boxes are of average size. Owners upgrading from Rapid and Octavia might be disappointed.
9. ⁠Canton’s performance was subpar, potentially attributed to the shift in perspective from “cons” to “pros” during the configuration of settings.
10. ⁠Although the door pockets appear to be felt-lined, it seems that the process has only been partially made up.

Punches above its weight?

[vigsom]

Introduction

This is a quick account of a day well spent at the Skoda Kodiaq test drive event. A big shout out to Skoda India and the team bhp support team at Mumbai for the splendid and professionally done arrangements.

1. Attendee tags for all attendees
2. Networking with bhpians, most of whom have never met each other before, and with GTO, Aditya, Omkar, and senior folks of Cars24
3. Product presentation by Skoda India
4. Great five course lunch
5. D-R-I-V-I-N-G the Skoda Kodiaq

The initial experience at any well organised event sets the tone for an interesting experience and good memories.

Precursor to the test drive

We all know that the Taj Mahal Palace is an iconic set up in Mumbai, but traffic does disturb the equilibrium of the surroundings (read roads) especially on a Sunday. The 120 year old hotel has its own old-world charm, which was evident as I walked to the venue, aptly titled the Gateway Room.

Driving to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel via the Coastal Road Tunnel, but knowing that we would be driving back the same route a few hours later in an all new Skoda Kodiaq



The Central dome in the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel


Hotel lobby in the Taj hotel tower


Gateway to the Gateway Room


Nice way to describe the event


Glimpses of the product presentation




Menu curated for the event


Well laid out tables - working five course lunch


Dessert


Breathtaking views from the Gateway Room on a rainy day

[vigsom]

Experiences with the Skoda Kodiaq

Moving onto the most exciting part of the day - experiencing the Skoda Kodiaq - 3-4 bhpians were marked against each car, and each bhpian would have the privilege of driving the Kodiaq for at least 45 mins. The car I was marked against had three bhpians with routes mutually agreed as follows

1. VWAllStar - Taj to Bhakti Park
2. vigsom - Bhakti Park to end of Atal Setu back to Bhakti (return from Atal Setu to Bhakti was courtesy Sinharishi giving me more time at the wheel)
3. Sinharishi - Bhakti Park to Taj

The pics and videos would do the talking

The steering wheel, despite being two spoke, looks awesome, and a huge step up from what was offered on the earlier Kodiaq


L&K at the bottom of the wheel looks class


Great looking grainy Cognac leather low on maintenance; also seen in the pic is the lower storage box which is rather small


And an upper box that can hold an owner's manual


Mirror controls - for the left, right, mirror heater and open/ close


Classy knob on the AC vent to adjust vent opening


Extremely good looking console


Panoramic sunroof roof


Dark chrome monograms - look better than the glossy chrome earlier


C-shaped taillamps look class


Underside of the Kodiaq - the AWD is visible, also the fuel tank shielded from heat


Third row seat deployment is a little difficult as the rear parcel shelf assembly needs to be removed


VWAllStar driving on the Worli Bandra Sea Link and me watching the grin on his face

https://youtu.be/oDCE4HAhKaE?si=kOAj4Ge5VjInaknU

The wheel - the Hankooks are noisy and the alloy design looks EV like. I'd have loved diamond cut ones


L&K badge on the fender looks class


The engine seemed hotter than normal - and when I was trying to figure out why, I saw the expansion tank cap set at 23psi or 1.7 bar, way higher than the 1.1 or 1.3 bar radiator caps on most other cars


Headlamp control module


ECU next to the battery


Me driving the Kodiaq from Bhakti Park to Atal Setu and back




The indicator and wiper stalk is just above the Cruise Control stalk; there is a tendency for the driver to accidentally push the CC stalk up instead of pushing the indicator stalk up to signal right turn


The outstanding 13 speaker plus 1 subwoofer Canton sound system enjoyed while navigating the Atal Setu

https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQg_QC5l...8wkUfYDE4zjXKZ

Sinharishi driving the Kodiaq via the Coastal Road Tunnel back to Taj

[vigsom]

Summing the drive up

1. A great vehicle, truly upgraded on many fronts over the earlier avatar except for a few omissions - ADAS, adaptive suspension, and the tiniest of them all - no oil dipstick, just a removable cap
2. Fantastic experience for the driver, with top class interiors, easy to maintain upholstery, commanding view of the road ahead, butter smooth steering
3. I didn't get to sit in the second and third rows so have no observations
4. One hundred kmph at a mere 1600 rpm - this certainly is a fuel efficient engine on the highway!
5. The NVH was in check and one would hear the familiar growl when the engine crossed 2000rpm or so
6. Tyre noise was a tad high for a car that had done just 5000km

Value proposition for the potential buyer

1. A great driver's car for the Skoda fan. But the omissions mentioned above could have been added in a car at this price point.
2. The generous warranty and extended warranty on the product would certainly be some reassurance.
3. The novelty that the 2025 Skoda Kodiaq offers in terms of upgraded interiors is not likely to wear out as fast as with the earlier Skodas.

My personal takeaways from this event

1. Driving a new Skoda for the first time
2. Meeting up with 25 more bhpians and feeling valued - a BIG Thank You to all for the lovely day spent
3. Meeting up with the Skoda India team who were very courteous and open to feedback
4. Meeting with the eager to listen Cars24 team
4. Being greeted by Aditya with a 100W smile, Omkar with a lot of warmth, and Rush with a bear hug! I truly felt special and my trip was well worth it.


Thank You All!