The Skoda Kodiaq has been a hot seller in India, and that’s evident by the fact that the Czech manufacturer had to reopen bookings last year. Skoda has now given the Kodiaq a generational upgrade, which sees it grow in terms of size (while retaining the same wheelbase). It’s also more powerful now, packs in more features, gets new interiors and for the first time, it also gets plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid tech.
From the outside, the 2024 Skoda Kodiaq seems to have taken on a more rounded, more MPV-ish silhouette. It’s longer than the outgoing model by 61 mm, but it retains the same 2791 mm wheelbase. It also retains the signature Skoda grille, albeit slightly restyled, and it now houses a light bar with 14 different light signatures — we think this might be Skoda’s way of following the ‘connected light bar’ design trend. The headlamp design remains similar, with the projector placed below the main unit. At the rear, the tail-lamps are completely new, sleek-looking units, connected via a light bar running throughout the tailgate. The alloy wheels come in different designs as well, ranging from 17-inches to 19-inches.
Globally, the 2024 Skoda Kodiaq is available with a wide choice of powertrains, and it also gets a new plug-in hybrid powertrain with a claimed all-electric range of 100 km. The 2-litre turbo-petrol powertrain is most likely to arrive with the Indian-spec Kodiaq, with a bump of 14 bhp in power output, now producing 201 bhp. This powertrain is paired to a seven-speed DSG, and all-wheel drive continues to be standard. Skoda, however, has not disclosed torque figures just yet. By the way, the wide range of global powertrains includes a diesel as well, but it would simply be wishful thinking on our part to expect it here.
The interiors of the Kodiaq had already been teased sometime back, and it gets a huge layout change over the outgoing car. The 13-inch infotainment screen takes centre stage, and lower down the centre console, you’ll find the rotary dial controls for the infotainment screen, temperature, and seat ventilation controls among other things. These dials are new, and they get an integrated display as well. The new Kodiaq now also gets a steering-mounted gear selector lever — perhaps a modern throwback to gear levers on older cars? We’ll probably know that some time later. The instrument cluster is a 10.1-inch unit, with a head-up display right above.
When can we expect the 2024 Skoda Kodiaq in India? Most likely in 2024, sometime around the 2024 Tiguan’s arrival. Skoda is also set to introduce the Superb sometime in November — stay tuned!
