Can a dashcam, running on a 12v socket (which is permanently on in a Kodiaq) drain a car's battery over a period of 10 days?

BHPian Grootman recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi, I bought my Kodiaq in January 2023. Absolutely loved the car; having graduated from a 2008 Honda City VTEC, Kodiaq was a multi-generational upgrade for me. 

The ride was smooth until June 2023 when the battery died. We were away on a family vacation for around 10 days and the car was parked at my apartment lying unused. After returning, when i tried to enter the car, i discovered that everything was dead. remote unlocking did not work. Had to manually unlock the door. Called Ring Road Skoda in Gurgaon (dealer) and they referred me to the road-side assistance team. They reached my house promptly and tried to jump start the car using an external battery. 

Kept at it for at least 15 minutes and then i jumped into the car and drove straight to the service center as the car refused to start without jump starting. Service center blamed it on the dashcam that i had put into the car (70mai). They said that as that was put into the 12v socket (which is permanently switched on in Kodiaq) and not into the type C USB port, it had drained the battery. That, while they will check the battery and try to charge it to get it up to the necessary voltage/ output, they could not guarantee it. 

When i pressed for a new replacement battery, they kept on insisting that as i had not used the "Skoda stipulated" dashcam (Blaupunkt in this case), battery drain/ replacement would not be covered by Skoda. It did not matter that the Blaupunkt dashcam also had a 12v socket (which would again drain the battery). Anyways, after much haggling, they agreed to replace the battery. But eventually, after a couple of days got a call from Ring Road Skoda that they were able to recharge the battery using a powerful external charger and that the battery was good to go. 

What i want to check with the good folks at Team-BHP is this - Can a dashcam, running on a 12v socket (which is permanently on in a Kodiaq) drain a car's battery over a period of 10 days? Nevertheless, ever since then, i have put the dashcam on the type C USB charging port. 

Now coming on to another set of issues that cropped up during the Delhi winters. I noticed this for the first time in December 2023 and this must have happened at least 5 or 6 times. The engine bay made a slight vibration when i used to start the engine first thing in the morning. This was followed by an engine "start/ stop error" sign going off in the instrument cluster. However, whenever i tried to start the car later during the day, this problem (engine vibration or start/ stop error) never cropped up. 

Highlighted it to the service center guys in January (post another vacation of 10 days when the car was parked; thankfully no battery issues this time). Initially, i was told that the "start/ stop error" was on account of a software issue which would be sorted. They ran all kinds of diagnostic and determined that there was no issue with the battery, engine or software. I was asked to make a video if the vibration recurred or engine "start/ stop error" cropped up again. 

It was all fine since then until a couple of days ago when i noticed starting issues with the engine. It took me at least 5 or 6 tries to crank up the engine. Also, the "start/ stop error" had resurfaced. This time i made a video and sent it to the RR Skoda guys. As i write this, the car has been at the service center for two days now. I just got a message that they have discovered two faulty spark plugs which have been replaced. Battery was fine and they would now try and diagnose the "start/ stop error". Need some help on this team. Would faulty spark plugs create this issue. What made the matter "interesting" was that this engine starting issue only happened in the morning and not after a ride of say even 30 minutes. If spark plugs were the issue, wouldn't it happen every single time. 

Don't even want to comment on the broken AC lever bits. Had to get them all replaced. Thankfully, the RR Skoda guys charged me only 30% of the total cost of the replacements. 

Any help on the above issues would be greatly appreciated.

Click here to read what BHPians have to say about this matter.

Skoda has slashed the price of the Kodiaq L&K from Rs 41.99 lakh to Rs 39.99 lakh.

Skoda has silently discontinued the Style and Sportline variants of the Kodiaq. The SUV is now only available in the top-spec L&K trim.

Skoda has also reduced the price of the Kodiaq L&K. The price has been slashed from Rs 41.99 lakh to Rs 39.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

Skoda hasn’t made any changes to the mechanical bits or the features list. The SUV continues to be offered with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that produces 188 BHP and 320 Nm. The engine is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system.

The second-generation Kodiaq is expected to arrive later this year. Globally, the SUV is available with a 1.5L TSI mild-hybrid, a 2.0L TSI 4WD and 2.0L TDI engines. 

We did a trail again - stuffing pillows into the our luggage bags making it look full to see how many bags could be accommodated in the 270 liters of the Kodiaq’s boot with 3 rows up.

BHPian kurups recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Bangalore - Goa Road trip on the Skoda Kodiaq - 4 Adults & 4 Kids and how the 4 x 4 aced the trip

This is a post on one of my trips from Bangalore to Goa. A friend of mine & family together with ours decided on a Goa trip last Christmas (Dec 2023), travel starting from Bangalore. One week trip taking the route - starting from Bangalore – Haveri (1 Night stop), Hubli - Belagavi – Goa (4 nights) – and while return Goa - Karwar - Murudeshwar (1 night) - Jog Falls – Shimoga - Bangalore.

With kids aged 7, 9, 12 & 14, the question in mind before starting was two cars or one? Though we intended to have kids sit in the 3rd row, the rest of the adults too tried occupying the 3rd row seats and we took a short trip in Bangalore itself and all felt fine - for all of us. Then the concerning question moved from people to accommodating the luggage of the two families. We did a trial again - stuffing pillows into our luggage bags making it look full to see how many bags could be accommodated in the 270 liters of the Kodiaq’s boot with 3 rows up. We could accommodate 4 medium to large-size bags in the Kodiaq’s existing boot and we were confident to accommodate a few smaller shoulder bags more. This was actually good enough for us and we took a call and decided to do the Tour-de-Goa on the Kodiaq. A few days prior to the trip, one more idea stuck exploring the Kodiaq’s boot.

Increasing the Kodiaq’s boot space from 270 Liters to 320 Liters.

Step 1 – Remove the i) Grey Boot cover and ii) The Retractable Boot Load Cover.

Step 2 – Once you remove these two items from the boot, the only delicate thing that u find is a set of taped wires going to the subwoofer. To avoid keeping luggage straight on top of this and to ensure nothing bothers this cable I gave it a flexible but strong cable cover protection. Pic below: -

Step 3 – The luggage could be placed straight in this area, but yet, I discovered a spare white plastic sheet in the DIY area of my house, which I cut out as per the boot shape - as shown below. This was a sturdy sheet, not so flimsy and bent only if you force to bend it.

Once in position, it looked as shown below – giving you a flat surface, neatly tucked in making the spare tyre and the subwoofer cable protected and invisible. We were ready to load our luggage, started off with some soft duffle bags with clothes to start on top of the plastic sheet.

You realize that the dimensions of this hidden space (below the grey hard covering and above the spare tyre) are on average around 100 cms in length, 42 cms wide and almost 12 cms deep. Note that we are not tampering with any electronics or touching any delicate part of the vehicle that can cause any electrical issues to the vehicle. We are making use of the space that Skoda had left vacant above the spare tyre.

We get an additional 50000 cubic cms of space. That’s 50 liters additional space added, increasing the boot space of the Kodiaq from 270 liters to 320 liters.

This is just a jugadu arrangement and use it only if required. I decided to anyway give it a try on our 1500Kms Goa trip, with luggage loaded starting from the top of this white plastic. Once the luggage was loaded, the rear view was still visible and the boot from outside looked somewhat like this – ready to cruise, the 4 x 4 carrying 4 + 4 + 4 (Adults, Kids, Luggage)

The trip started with the Front tyres at 36.5 PSI and the rear tyres at 38.5 PSI. The 1500 Kms round trip ended with hardly 0 to 0.5 drop in tyre pressure. Somehow, I am not convinced with the Kodiaq’s default suggested tyre pressure ratings (39 PSI & 45 PSI with 5 adults & fully loaded luggage) which I feel makes it a lot bouncy on roads with undulations, and don’t feel this as apt for Indian Road conditions. Our entire trip went well with 3 kids easily enjoying the 3rd row seat, sometimes elder kids and sometimes adults taking up that space, and as expected the spare & hidden space of the Kodiaq was well utilized too. Whether it was the highway stretches or the ghat section roads we experienced, we felt no dearth of power. Once or twice heard the grunt sound when it was a continuous upward climb for some stretch and this was when I tried experimenting with the paddle shifters. Felt I should have avoided that and the DSG did its work automatically. Once the tour was over, the grey lid was placed back in its place and is good to be removed if such a need arises at any later day. That was the latest trip that we made with some space modifications done in the car and allowing two families to be accommodated in one car. Kodiaq – bringing families together.

Overall experience driving the Kodiaq for 6000+ Kms and some pics

Some of the previous drives undertaken on the Kodiaq and the feedback:

• Bangalore – Mysore – Bangalore
• Bangalore – Mysore – Wayanad – Bangalore
• Bangalore – Mysore - Bangalore
• Bangalore – Kochi – Trivandrum – Bangalore
• Bangalore – Goa – Murudeshwar - Bangalore

With the completion of many such out-of-city drives, I can only say that the Kodiaq has been a fine performer, exceeding expectations, and has given no issues so far. The hunt for XP95 is one thing that bothers and the IOCL app which allows search for specific pumps with XP95 helps. The drives have been extremely comfortable and even after a single stretch drive of 3-4 hours, when you step out of it, you don’t feel exhausted as I have experienced in my earlier vehicles. I experienced maneuver breaking twice and thanks to members of this forum, I didn’t bother much as we should not thanks to this beautiful technology.

Be it the Monocoque chassis or the DCC that is at work, the end result – Driving comfort has been awesome with the Kodiaq. Have used XP95 from IOCL throughout or HP Power95 once or twice on highways. Once when the vehicle was new (around 1000+ Kms) added Shell V Power (assuming it to be 95 octane), only to realize later that it was 91 Octane. Kodiaq with the 2-litre TSI Turbo engine with the DSG DQ 381 gearbox combination pulled it off like a charm. After that one episode, I try to stick on consistently with XP95 only.

With better highways coming our way, the urge to push her hard has always been there. The need for additional power has never been a question with the Kodiaqs’ 2 Lit TSI engine in any of my drives with all 7 seven seats occupied & with loaded luggage to the brim.

Mileage - Sedate driving at around 75-85 KM/hr on highways has given me a mileage of up to 14.4 Km/Lit, an aggressive drive-taking speeds in the range of 120+ Km/Hr have dropped the mileage to 10 Km/lit on highways and Bangalore city drives with heavy traffic have restricted it to 7-8 Km/Lit as well. As you press the accelerator, you reap the mileage would be the best way to put it as far as the mileage goes.

Overall, apart from the niggles covered in my previous post (Post#1581), this is a beautiful beast. The exterior design of the Kodiaq is such that it will age with grace. Sharing some pics taken on these trips:-

At Karwar Beach, Karnataka

Back home @ Tiruvalla, Kerala, a Phantom?

Bangalore Home - after a wash & ready for the next voyage.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Skoda Auto India sold 48,755 units in CY2023.

Skoda Auto India has achieved a new sales milestone. The carmaker sold over 1 lakh units over the past 2 years.

Skoda sold a record 53,721 cars in 2022. The year also witnessed the launch of the Kushaq and Slavia. Although the momentum was slightly hampered by supply issues in 2023, the carmaker sold 48,755 units in CY2023. Compared to the previous year, the number of Kodiaq SUVs sold doubled in 2023.

Skoda has also been expanding its retail network in the country. Customer touchpoints have increased from 120 at the beginning of 2021 to 260 at the end of 2023.

Petr Janeba, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said, “It was extremely important for us to maintain our momentum through 2023 after the record-high of 2022.”

“Despite the supply challenges in the first half of the year, we have ensured that we ended the last quarter of 2023 on a positive note. For 2024, we have a mix of exciting product action on the existing range, new product announcements, furthering our growth through exports and expanding our network,” Janeba added.

Customers can also avail of a complementary 4-year / 60,000 km service package on all models.

Skoda is offering benefits worth Rs 2.66 lakh on the Slavia, Kushaq and Kodiaq this month.

Skoda is offering discounts of up to Rs 1.5 lakh on the Slavia and benefits worth Rs 1.25 lakh on the Kushaq. Customers can also avail of a complementary 4-year / 60,000 km service package.

The highest discount though is available on the brand's flagship SUV. The top-spec Kodiaq L&K gets a discount of Rs 1.96 lakh. Besides this, all three variants - Style, Sportline and L&K, are offered with exchange benefits of up to Rs 40,000 and corporate benefits of up to Rs 30,000. 

Kodiaq customers can also avail of Skoda's complementary 4-year / 60,000 km service package.

Since, this is a brand new car we did not drive past the soft limit of 80km/hr

BHPian LazyBoy2000 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Completed a 3000KM trip on the Skoda Kodiaq L&K delivered on 15th Nov, 2023. The trip started on the very next day after the car delivery. The car still has a temp number on it. Our destination was Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.

The longest and the most comfortable stretch was from Noida to Varanasi around 838km.

Since, this is a brand new car we did not drive past the soft limit of 80km/hr so in this stretch which mostly consists of Yamuna Expressway, Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Lucknow-Varanasi Expressway(usually busy but we covered this after midnight so was empty), we got a mileage of 17Km/l which made us super happy. We stayed for a few hours in Varanasi before advancing.
Here is a snap of the car in Varanasi.

After halting for a few hours, we started for Jamshedpur.

This in comparison to the first stretch was small but it had a lot more uneven roads. It was during this stretch we felt the biggest difference b/w different drive modes. The comfort mode was super smooth, we did not even feel a majority of the bumps. The suspension is super smooth and silent. The car glides over bad roads. We drove in Normal mode for most of the time since we felt comfort mode would spoil us and we wouldn't like to drive our other car(Sonet). But even in Normal mode the car's suspension easily eats up a majority of bad patches. We drove from Day to Night and loved the headlight spread and throw. We got a mileage of 13 km/l on this stretch.
We reached our destination at night. Here is a snap from the next day morning.

Here is the beast getting a much-needed washing.

The car impressed us a lot. All of my relatives were in awe of the Car.
We started back for Noida on the 21st via the same route and the ride was again smooth and comfortable. During the return journey, since we had already crossed the 1000km mark we pushed the car to triple-digit speeds and it felt super stable and composed. Braking was superb and never felt inadequate.

This car is great for long drives. Our dog(Golden Retriever) who has trouble sleeping in other cars on long trips, could easily curl up on the back seat and sleep.

Here are some observations from our trip.
1. Get some kind of paint protection done. Some street dogs jumped at the car when it was parked and it left some very minor scratches, nothing a ceramic can't fix.
2. The Canton speaker system is fantastic, I am not an audiophile but the system in this car sounds amazing.
3. The suspension and DCC are a game changer in this segment and price range.
4. The engine is responsive and has no difficulty in overtaking at high speeds.
5. Mileage can easily reach 15km/l if driven smoothly under 80km/hr
6. Great headlights.
7. AC Cooling is great in the first and second rows, but felt could be better in the last row.

The car is now undergoing ceramic and partial PPF treatment, after which the HSRP will be installed.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Both the Innova Hycross and Škoda Kodiaq are fantastic products in their own way, both punch well above their weights.

BHPian CEF_Beasts recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Have been planning to change my Fortuner for some time now, it’s a MY2014 4X2 MT Diesel run 1.09 Lakh kilometres till now.

It’s in the best of its health overall and has not stranded us anywhere to date.

The reasons we’re considering selling the Fortuner are:

• Ingress and egress have become a pain point for my parents in the Fortuner, who will be the primary users of the car.
• Bumpy ride in the Fortuner is something they didn’t mind for the last 9 years but as they are getting older (my parents are in their late 50s) they’re finding it a bit difficult even though they don’t say the same
• It’s a diesel, and the way the government is making new rules and norms gives us jitters about whether we will be able to sell the car when we do and will return peanuts at that time, this is a question that no one can answer today…

The SHORTLIST: Short and Sweet:

Innova HyCross VX(O) 8 seater

Things we Liked about this new entrant:

• Hybrid powertrain is the main talking point. My mother wants a hybrid only now. The silence at startup and as well as while on the move gives it vast superiority over our Diesel Fortuner.
• Loads of space in all 3 rows, for example, I sat back to back in the Hycross and 2nd gen Fortuner facelift at the dealership and I was in for a shock when I saw a difference in legroom between the two, where the driver’s seat was set to my height in both, the flat footboard in the 2nd row helps as well. 100mm more of wheelbase and a monocoque chassis give the HyCross a massive advantage in terms of space over the Fortuner.
• Features galore on an Innova are something I really didn’t expect from Toyota but they did nonetheless.
• Hybrid powertrain ensures that the fuel economy is brilliant in the city and on highways up to a particular speed.
• Ride quality is just supreme, blows the Fortuner out of the park… We had taken a test drive on the top-end ZX(O) which has 18 inches, and with the VX(O)’s 17 inches the ride quality will be even better.
• With the HyCross we will continue staying in the known and reliable Toyota ecosystem, like we have been for the last 17 years.
• 8 years and 1,60,000kms hybrid battery warranty from the factory inspires confidence
• Light Electric assisted Power steering unlike the Fortuner’s Hydraulic unit means it’s extremely easy to navigate the car on tight Mumbai roads and at the same time weighs up well as speeds pick up.

Things we Loathed about this new entrant:

• Absolutely pathetic interior plastic quality, even our 2005 OG Innova was better than this!!
• The eCVT makes the engine vocal at even a slight tap of the accelerator pedal which makes anyone just back off from the pedal.
• No 8-seater option on the top-end ZX trim.
• Long waiting period stretching between 12-18 months
• VX(O) misses out on leather seats and an electrically operated driver’s seat which our Fortuner has.
• Will not be as abuse-friendly as our Fortuner not that other Toyota monocoques aren’t surviving on our roads, but still it’s a point that crosses one’s mind often.
• The 360-degree camera quality is appalling, to say the least.
• As reported by many users the headlights need a major upgrade, and they can’t be altered since the main beam is sealed and if you change the fog lamps from the aftermarket your warranty goes for a toss.
• Just to mention we have already booked the HyCross VX(O) 8 seater in Blackish Ageha Glass Flakes colour on 04/09/23. Now if I want I can get the HyCross a bit early by using some contacts in TKM or the dealership itself, but I’m in no hurry. Don’t want to buy something which I’ll regret at a later date.

Škoda Kodiaq Sportline / L&K

Things my parents Liked:

• Feels just like a proper premium car from the big 3 if you hide the Škoda badge!
• Has even more features than our BMW
• The ingress and egress were even easier than the Innova HyCross.
• The ride quality was much better than the Fortuner, the DCC on the L&K test-drive car was a boon.

Things my parents loathed:

• It’s a 5+2: Lack of space in the 3rd row, when my dad tried to enter the 3rd row, the SA himself didn’t allow him to enter I quote “It’s only for pets and not even for small kids, you’ll get a cramp if you go in! ”
• TSI engines have a habit of gulping down their oil at some insane levels.
• The SA was clear that it’s a 5-seater
• We have absolutely no idea how Škoda‘s after-sales and support, have read so many Škoda horror stories that it just don’t inspire confidence.
• The DQ381 may be a wet clutch DCT, but it’s still a VW DSG at the end of the day. Right on the forum there is a Tiguan Allspace owned by a member who has had his DQ381 unit changed twice.
• The Kodiaq being a CKD and not manufactured here, part availability can become a major problem 5-6 years later down the line, considering we will be keeping the car for a minimum of 10 years. The next generation Kodiaq is also due soon in 2024, but it’ll be crossing the 50L OTR barrier for sure, which will exceed our already stretched budget.

This is a very difficult case of HEART vs MIND

The HEART wants the Kodiaq: I have always loved the Kodiaq because it simply punches above its weight and not just one segment (X1, Q3 and GLA) but a whole two segments (X3, Q5 and GLC). But Škoda’s lack of interest in giving the Kodiaq the E20 compatible 2.0L TSI was a major deterrent. My X3 30i is E25 compatible for reference. When I read about a member getting the E20 sticker on his car, I jumped out of my chair and brought the Kodiaq back into the shortlist with a bang.

We want a 7-seater simple, the Kodiaq just about qualifies for the criteria, we don’t use the 3rd row as often now but still the fact that our Fortuner has a pretty usable one makes it a bad pre-shortlist shortcoming for the Kodiaq.

The after-sales quality, reliability of the DQ381 and parts availability a few years down the line give me anxiety and is something I don’t want my parents to go through just because I want the Kodiaq.

The MIND has a very simple and solid case for itself like always with the Innova HyCross.

Stick with a Toyota that we have been associated with for the last 17 years, with no issues on the after-sales and part availability front. Can be serviced at a meagre cost throughout its lifetime with us. Has oodles and oodles of space across the cabin. Hybrid will ensure low running costs and a bit of saving the environment from our side.

Both the Innova HyCross and Škoda Kodiaq are fantastic products in their own way, both punch well above their weights

Should we compromise on the quality of plastics, a slightly underpowered engine, a long waiting period, slightly fewer features in the VX(O) and poor overall headlights and go for the Innova HyCross VX(O) 8-seater

OR

Should we compromise on the overall after-sales and parts availability at a later date, space in the 3rd row, and reliability of the DQ381 and go with the Škoda Kodiaq L&K / Sportline?

So which one should we go with? HEART vs HEAD. This is the 3.4 million rupee question that I can’t seem to wrap my head around!

Looking forward to reading all the opinions shared by the esteemed members of the forum.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

I know you are tempted by the Kodiaq, but you already have a fun crossover in the X3.

Pick the Innova Hycross. You'll save a couple of lakhs, it's more practical, spacious, reliable, and efficient. Most importantly, your parents will love it more than the Kodiaq. After all, they are the primary users of this car.

I believe any garage should have diversity. Instead of two German crossovers parked side by side, I'd any day prefer a German SUV (your X3 for the fun & engineering) alongside a practical MPV. The latter can also be put through the rough use you wouldn't subject an X3 to.

Here's what BHPian VRJ had to say on the matter:

The options in the 40-50L segment are very limited. I recently got the ZX(O) Hycross. I drove around 4,500 km in the past 4 months. I also own a 2018 Fortuner 4x2 MT. Your observations are spot on with regard to the Hycross.

Major cons of the Hycross:

1. The lights are absolutely trash. Sometimes I wonder if they’re even switched on. The fog lights on the Hycross are trash as well. The Fortuner has a visible difference when the fog lights are switched on, whereas the fog on the Hycross lit up the road right in front of the bonnet that you can’t even see and I’m 6’2.
2. The engine gets ridiculously noisy when you hit the accelerator, especially on the highways. Innova is supposed to be a highway champ, but due to the engine noise, CVT and lights, it’s now a city champ.

But why did I get the Hycross?

1. I test-drove the Kodiaq first. Absolutely loved it. The seats, the DCC, the engine, the audio and the second row. All top class. Four drawbacks were reliability issues, low-end turbo lag, fuel efficiency and resale value. Service with Skoda in Vizag is bad as well. Test drove first from my current house to my office (2.5km) and the car returned at 6.5 km/l. Next, I drove from my new house to my office (14km one way) and the car returned at 8.5 km/l. In Vizag, we don’t have the same traffic present in Mumbai or Hyderabad. On the other hand, my Hycross returns 10-12 km/l from my old house and 15-18 km/l from my new house. I know there are a set of BHP’ians to whom efficiency isn’t a priority, but for me it is.
2. I never had the opportunity to test drive the Hycross because it wasn’t available. We also have a 2008 280,000 km run Innova and our Fortuner is at around 85,000 km. Not once in 15 years have we had a breakdown. Service bills are always very reasonable. So, based on our prior experience with Toyota, we blindly got the Hycross. A car wouldn’t have a 2-year wait period if the car wasn’t good, would it?

Major pros of the Hycross:

1. Suspension is soft and balanced. The body roll is decent. This was exactly what I was looking for after 5 years with the Fortuner.
2. Fuel efficiency is good when driven sedately. If you drive it like a normal ICE, then it’s as efficient as an ICE. I’ve even got 5 km/l and also got 16-20 km/l. On the same route, I can get 10 km/l and also get 16-18 km/l. The hybrid tests your patience to the limit.
3. It’s a proper 6-seater. The first two rows are top-class for the price. Good wide seats. Parents and friends love the comfort.
4. Fortuner’s steering literally gives me shoulder pain at times. The Hycross is the polar opposite. You can turn the steering with one finger.

So, the light steering with ventilated and comfortable seats wireless CarPlay with good enough audio and the smooth CVT with the petrol hybrid make it a fabulous car in the city. This is what I wanted in my daily car. Ticks all the boxes. Hycross is a good daily city car. On the highways, it’s the opposite. The engine noise, the CVT and the lights make me regret buying the Hycross. Not that you can drive the Hycross on the highway with those horrible lights. Fortunately, I have the Fortuner MT for highways. The Hycross is a no-nonsense comfortable and efficient car that can last 10-15 years, whereas the Kodiaq is a fancier comfortable inefficient sophisticated car. Both have their pros and cons. Depends on your running and priorities.

Here's what BHPian manofinfinity had to say on the matter:

I would suggest going with the Hycross as you already have X3 a pretty good German All-Rounder, we also would have considered Kodiaq if it had a diesel engine, 2.0 TSI will be a fuel guzzler for Sure, you already have a petrol X3.

Hycross has better Space and ride quality compared to Kodiaq, will keep your Family Happy for a long time and I feel would be a good upgrade over Fortuner.

Here's what BHPian car_guy1998 had to say on the matter:

Since you already own an X3, I'd suggest you get the Hycross since it's Hybrid and also will be reliable and cheaper to run and maintain being a Toyota.

And, your parents will be satisfied with the comfort and space the Hycross offers.

As a recent owner of Hycross bought in July-end, I find the third row to be comfy and way better than the OG Innova that we owned before, Crysta and Fortuner (3rd row is unbearable).

Also, it's very easy to drive in city limits, thanks to light steering.

I drove our Hycross for nearly 3000 km before I moved out of the country in mid-Aug and another 3000+ km were added by dad and chauffeur.

And, our folks are getting around 14-17 km/l in the city depending on the traffic and I got 18 Kmpl on the highway once.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The 2024 Kodiaq is available with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. The SUV also gets a plug-in hybrid version for the first time.

Skoda has finally taken the wraps off the second-generation Kodiaq. The SUV will go on sale in Europe before making its way into the Indian market sometime next year.

The 2024 Skoda Kodiaq is based on the MQB platform. It measures 4.75 meters in length, 61 mm more than the outgoing model, while its wheelbase and width remain unchanged.

The exterior design of the new Kodiaq is an evolution of the previous generation model. The SUV gets a revised grille and LED headlamps up front and reworked LED tail lights at the back connected by an LED light bar.

The interiors have also been given a makeover. The Kodiaq gets a dual-tone dashboard with a 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the centre. The SUV features Skoda’s latest 2-spoke steering wheel and a 10-inch digital instrument cluster. It comes in 5 & 7-seater configurations and is equipped with ADAS.

The 2024 Kodiaq is available with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. These include a 1.5-litre TSI mild-hybrid, a 2.0-litre TSI 4WD and a 2.0-litre TDI that will come in two states of tune.

Additionally, Skoda is also offering a PHEV version for the first time. It uses the 1.5-litre TSI engine paired with a 25.7 kWh battery offering an electric-only range of over 100 km.

The next-gen Kodiaq will be based on the VW Group's MQB modular platform.

Skoda has released a set of digital sketches of the upcoming Kodiaq. The second-generation Kodiaq will make its global debut on October 4, 2023.

As per the renderings, the new Kodiaq will feature the signature Skoda grille flanked by sleeker-looking LED headlights on either side that also have integrated L-shaped LED daytime running lights. The SUV also gets trapezoidal fog lamps similar to the outgoing model.

The new Kodiaq will get a new front bumper with a more angular design, a strong shoulder line with flared wheel arches and redesigned tail lamps with an LED light bar in the centre. The SUV will be offered with multiple wheel sizes ranging from 17 to 20 inches.

The next-gen Kodiaq will be based on the VW Group's MQB modular platform. The SUV will be available in two seating configurations: 5-seater and 7-seater. It measures 4,758 mm in length, which is 61 mm and 59 mm longer than the outgoing 5-seater and 7-seater versions, respectively.

The upcoming Kodiaq will be offered with a choice of petrol and diesel engines. These include a 1.5-litre TSI mild-hybrid, a 2.0-litre TSI 4WD and a 2.0-litre TDI that will come in two states of tune.

Additionally, Skoda will also offer a PHEV version in select markets. It will use the 1.5-litre TSI engine paired with a 25.7 kWh battery offering an electric-only range of over 100 km.

The new Kodiaq and Superb will come with five engine choices.

Skoda is all set to unveil the new-generation iterations of its Kodiaq & Superb models sometime later this year. Now, ahead of their arrival, the Czech carmaker has officially revealed the interiors of the two models.

Both the upcoming second-gen Kodiaq & fourth-gen Superb feature an all-new dashboard with a large touchscreen display at the centre and three knobs with a small 1.26-inch display showcasing which feature they are controlling. The outer knobs are said to control the temperature, along with seat heating and ventilation functions of the driver and front passenger. The central knob controls media volume, drive modes and fan speed. The three knobs are further flanked by four physical buttons which control the front & rear defogger, air circulation & climate control.

Apart from the knobs, both the new-gen Skoda Kodiaq and Superb come with a large 13-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with connected tech, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, a two-spoke steering wheel with mounted controls and premium upholstery and soft-touch material all-around.

Skoda has already revealed the powertrain options for the two models. The new Kodiaq and Superb will come with five engine choices. These include a 1.5-litre TSI with mild hybrid, a 2.0-litre TSI in two states of tune, a 2.0-litre diesel also in two states of tune and a 1.5-litre TSI paired with a 25.7 kWh battery pack.