Did you know that those clever folks at Skoda made a seven-seater? Well, nor did Chris Johnson - but when he found out, he took it for a test drive and here's how he found it.
On opening the door, you notice the high trim level from the off, Clever little spring-loaded door guards pop out to protect your purchase from neighbouring dings and chips, the sumptuous interior blasts you with comfort and - with this being the SE L - there are plenty of high-end gadgets and driver aids to assist you on local and more continental journeys alike.
The load space is cavernous with up to 2,065 litres available which is more than capable of taking a family and all their trammel out for the day - or half a school football team and kit to the match.
Yet despite the interior being cathedral-like, the Kodiaq drives with the nimble touch of any luxury SUV or large saloon.
The heated seats are blissfully comfy with lots of adjustments and the dash, as always in a Skoda, is well designed and perfectly constructed. It gives easy access to the touchscreen infotainment system, offering a wealth of set up features including drive mode select which offers the chance of popping it into sport mode - where the tranquillity of a sedate seven-seater takes on a racier beast capable of lapping up the tarmac with the best of them.
The front and rear LED lights are excellent and adept at helping spot the potholes on winter-worn roads. For the odd one missed, the 19-inch sirius alloys cushion the ride substantially enough to maximise your trip out.
A max towing limit of 1,800kg is on the low side for a braked trailer, but if you choose yours wisely, it is still possible to move a decent load from A to B.
The car as tested would cost you £32,500 plus the options list above the standard SE L specifications. There are many configurations to think about on such a list with a panoramic roof costing around £1,200 and protection pack a further £200. You’d definitely have a great car for less than £35K, which these days won’t buy you a 10 year old large tractor or a new caravan.
So, all in all, this Skoda (in fact most Skodas) offers truly great value for money with a superb heritage and superior build quality thanks to its links with its parent company at Volkswagen Audi Group.
Pros: Style/trim/gadgets/build, comfort and power, 7-seater for less than £35k
Cons: Arguing who drives it first, should I buy the VRS model, heated steering wheel (jealous really!)
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