You’d rather have a nicer house than a nicer car, isn’t it? But in places like Mumbai, nicer – or spacious – houses can get unaffordable, but nice cars have a more or less similar price across India. Last week, after an early dinner in Mumbai, we drove a really nice car – so comfortable that we ended up spending the night in it, and discovered how deserted some parts of Mumbai can get.
Which car is this?
It’s the new Skoda Kodiaq – the seven-seat luxury SUV. It is Skoda’s biggest SUV, and its fourth product in India – after the Kylaq, Kushaq, and Slavia. It’s available in two variants – the Sportline (Rs 46.89 lakh), and the Selection L&K (Rs 48.69 lakh).
Is it as big as a house?
Obviously not – not even as big as a 1BHK. But the feeling of space is massive – with no compromise on legroom, headroom, luggage space, not even third-row space where two adults can sit comfortably.
The front seats are called Ergo seats (which have heating, cooling, and massage functions), and its panoramic sunroof makes the cabin feel more spacious than it is. The wireless charger has space for charging two phones side by side.
If you are interested in numbers, the Kodiaq has 281 litres of luggage space with all three rows up, 786 litres of space with third row folded, and a cavernous 1,976 litres of space with both second and third row folded.
How does it drive?
It gets the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine (201 horsepower and 320 Nm torque), mated to 7-speed DSG gearbox. It’s a big SUV, but fast – the claimed 0-100 km/h time is 7.8 seconds (we couldn’t test the timing on Mumbai roads). Claimed fuel efficiency is 14.86 km/litre (our test unit did close to 10 km/litre), and the fully laden ground clearance is 155 mm.
Mumbai is perpetually getting constructed, and driving over broken roads the Kodiaq felt quite comfortable – in the same league as Audi Q5 (Rs 67-74 lakh). We did some quick cornering as well, and found that there is a little body roll. The steering feedback – mechanical signals that tyres send to the steering wheel – is accurate, and you feel every bump and dip in the road through the steering wheel.
Is it better than an Audi?
Unlike the Q5 (or even the smaller Q3 – Rs 45-57 lakh), the Kodiaq has seven spacious seats, making it a whole lot more practical than other luxury cars.
What about the Fortuner?
The Kodiaq doesn’t have the body roll of the Fortuner and the plastic quality is generations ahead. But it doesn’t have the road presence of the Fortuner, and a lot of SUV buyers buy SUVs precisely for that reason.
Any unique features?
Oh yes, a lot of them.
1. There’s an umbrella compartment in the driver’s door;
2. The boot has hooks to secure your luggage, as well as a luggage net;
3. Rear windows have sunshades;
4. There’s a display cleaner to clean the central touchscreen;
5. When you open the door, an edge protector just pops out.
What about competitors?
On-road prices of the entry-level model will touch Rs 55 lakh, and that is expensive. But the Kodiaq seems to be a better deal that its rivals. The Fortuner, though available in diesel and petrol, and 4×2 and 4×4, doesn’t feel as plush. The Tiguan R-Line is a five-seater and pricier, and the Jeep Meridian, while the most value-for-money in the segment, feels a bit basic inside.
Coming back to the apartment, you can sleep there and hold a party for friends, both of which we couldn’t do in the Kodiaq.
