Skoda Dropping Kodiaq RS Due To New Emissions Regulations

After the demise of the Citigoᵉ iV electric city car, Skoda will reportedly drop the Kodiaq RS (vRS in the UK).

The mid-size SUV, which shares its platform with the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace and Seat Tarraco, will be put to sleep gradually in the coming weeks, due to the new emissions regulations. In the meantime, it’s still on sale, retailing for €48,729 ($57,619) in Germany and £45,740 ($60,331) in the UK.

The model will however return to the company’s portfolio once the mid-cycle refresh debuts, probably before the end of 2020 or early next year. However, it won’t get a plug-in hybrid system like the 2021 Octavia, which is also offered with diesel and petrol powertrains, the Czech car manufacturer has confirmed in a statement quoted by Autocar.

Review: Skoda Kodiaq RS Is Still A Well-Rounded SUV, Only With Extra Spice

The publication has also cited Alain Favey, the sales and marketing boss, who said that “there is no Kodiaq PHEV in the foreseeable future”, because “it’s much too early for us to see patterns with regards to consumer progression from ICE to PHEV to BEV. The Citigoᵉ iV is already over, and we have only had the Superb plug-in hybrid since last year, so we don’t have any of those customers who would be buying a next car. But perhaps people might jump directly from Kodiaq to Enyaq (Skoda’s first electric crossover) without going through the transition of a plug-in hybrid.”

Unveiled two years ago, the Kodiaq RS packs a bi-turbo 2.0-liter TDI diesel that pumps out 237 HP (240 PS / 177 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. The nought to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) is dispatched in 7.0 seconds and top speed is 136 mph (220 km/h).

As for the Enyaq iV, which is built on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, it’s offered with different powertrain configurations, with rear- and all-wheel drive. The range-topping RS has a dual-motor setup, with a combined output of 302 HP (306 PS / 225 kW) and 339 lb-ft (460 Nm). This version has the ability to sprint to 62 mph in 6.2 seconds and hit 112 mph (180 km/h), with a max range of 286 miles (460 km).