Decoding the India-bound Skoda Kodiaq

This year Czech car maker Skoda will be launching its largest model so far, the Kodiaq SUV. This is going to be a seven seater vehicle that is likely to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this year. The Kodiaq is still undergoing testing on the roads, to complete last minute checks and final touches before the car is revealed as the final one for production.

It is surprising that the prototype of the car is still under camouflage on its body, since Skoda has already revealed the VisionS Concept car this year during a presentation saying that the final model will come by the end of 2016. The front radiator grille will be similar to that of the Skoda range of car; this is not the first time that Skoda shows a concept model and then releases a final model which is almost identical to it.

Skoda has named this new SUV Kodiaq after a lot of research. The Czech car maker had come to know of a place called Kodiak Island, which is inhabited by natives called Alutiiq. These people called the Kodiak bear, 3500 of them still inhabiting the island, “Taqukaaq,” where the “q” at the fag end was typical of names of animals in the Alutiiq culture. Instead of going for a press release on this topic, Skoda created a video where, for a day, they changed the name of a town of Kodiak in the Gulf of Alaska.

The Kodiaq’s engine line up will be similar to Volkswagen, and likely to include a 1.4 litre turbo petrol engine. The core engine will be diesel, though – a 1.6 or 2.0 litre one, including the 237 bhp twin turbo diesel engine from the Volkswagen Passat. Both options of front and four wheel drives will be offered, along with either six speed manual or a seven speed dual clutch automatic transmission. There will also be a Sportline edition inspired by motorsport, and a Scout variant with more body cladding and rugged styling. The Geneva concept car also showed a four wheel drive petrol and electric hybrid engine; a 154 hp 1.4 litre petrol engine connected to a 54 hp electric engine and a six speed DSG automatic gearbox. A second electric motor at the rear axle generating a 114 hp output, and when both engines work together the total output is 222 hp.

The Skoda Kodiaq can reach 0 to 100 kmph in a claimed 7.4 seconds. It can also move on only electricity for about 50 km. However, this is yet to be confirmed for production.

Source : IndianBlueBook