Think of Skoda’s current offerings and one of the following is likely to pop to mind — a well-valued, practical estate or a budget hatch. But what about performance cars?
Step in vRS. The lesser-known sub-brand has appeared on a number of Skoda models over the years, namely the Fabia vRS and more recently the Octavia vRS, but now it’s the turn of the Kodiaq to get the treatment. That means more power, improved handling and racier looks — but is it worthy of the badge?
Performance
Powering the Skoda Kodiaq vRS isn’t a big petrol engine you may expect from a performance machine — rather a 2.0-litre twin-turbocharged diesel unit. It produces 237bhp and 500Nm of torque, which is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed DSG gearbox. 0-60mph comes in 6.8 seconds with a top speed of 136mph possible.
The way it delivers that power is pretty deceptive. It doesn’t feel quick at first, but then a glance at the speedometer will soon make you realise it’s covering distance at a greater rate of knots that you may have expected.
Ride & Handling
Despite its large SUV body, the Skoda Kodiaq vRS feels like a much smaller machine to drive thanks to its all-wheel-drive system and specially-adapted active chassis control system. A side effect of this however, is a pretty harsh ride when compared with tamer options in the range.
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Interior & Equipment
There are non-drastic changes on the interior of the Kodiaq vRS, meaning it’s still spacious and ergonomically designed, just like the regular car. That said, some tweaks have been made to give it a racier feel — including the addition of quilted Alcantara door cards, bolstered sports seats and a raft of carbon-fibre-effect trimmings.
Practicality isn’t compromised either, meaning the Kodiaq vRS still boasts a 270-litre boot space with all seven seats in place — rising to 630 with the back row down and up to a monumental 2,005 with just the front row in place.
As for equipment, standard offerings include 20-inch alloy wheels, LED head- and taillights, gloss black trim pieces, tri-zone climate control plus front and rear parking sensors.
Cost
With a price tag of £43,000, the Kodiaq vRS may seem pricey but for that money you get bags of kit and a decent bit of performance to boot. As for efficiency, returns of 35.3mpg and 167g/km of CO2 means it should be relatively affordable for a car of this calibre.
Verdict
The Skoda Kodiaq vRS takes all the best bits of the proven SUV and brings with it the ability to have fun on twistier roads. Need to get the kids, the dogs and enough gear into a car that you also want to genuinely enjoy when the chance arises? This could be the one for you.
