Skoda has chosen to put an end to months of speculation by officially announcing the Kodiaq name for its upcoming 7-seater SUV.
And yes, the pun in the title is intended, as the moniker was inspired by the Kodiak bear that lives on an island in Alaska.
There’s no typo, either; according to the company, it is derived from the language of the Alutiiq natives, who use the letter “q” at the end of characteristic animal names.
Sitting at 4.70 meters in length, the SUV that will be inspired by the VisionS Concept is 21 cm longer than the Volkswagen Tiguan and 34 cm longer than the Seat Ateca. Unlike its Spanish cousin, it will be able to sit seven people “comfortably”, as the automaker states.
Skoda has yet to announce any engine details, but while the study used a plug-in hybrid powertrain, the production car is expected to get similar three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines as the Ateca and Tiguan, at least at launch. Base models are expected to come with a manual gearbox in front-wheel drive, while more expensive versions will be offered with a DSG and all-wheel drive.
The new Skoda Kodiaq will celebrate its public premiere in the second half of 2016, probably at the Paris Motor Show in October and will hit the market early next year.
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