Facelifted 2021 Skoda Kodiaq Debuts With Revised Styling And New Tech Features

Skoda has given the Kodiaq a mid-cycle refresh, almost five years after it was first released.

The 2021 model boasts updated looks that bring it in line with the company’s latest vehicles, new technology gear and a new engine for the range-topping Kodiaq RS.

Discreet exterior updates

The front and rear bumpers of the brand’s flagship SUV, which is a sister model to the Volkswagen Tiguan and Seat Tarraco, have been restyled.

It has a more upright grille, slimmer LED headlights with available LED Matrix clusters, repositioned fog lamps, new diffuser, taillights, narrower rear window and ‘Skoda’ lettering in the middle of the tailgate, in addition to a new selection of wheels up to 20 inches in size.

The cockpit

The dashboard panel is virtually unchanged and incorporates the standard 8-inch or optional 9.2-inch infotainment system in the middle. This is complemented by the optional 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The two-spoke steering wheel that equips the entire 2021 Kodiaq range, save for the SportLine and RS models, which get a three-spoke design, is also new.

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The ambient lighting has been enhanced, there are new decorative trims, contrast stitching and new seats with ventilation, heating and massage functions. Smartphone integration, digital radio, improved audio and remote functionality are also included. The cockpit remains one of the most spacious in the mid-size SUV segment and can accommodate up to seven people.

New petrol engine for the Kodiaq RS

Powering the entry-level model will be a 150 PS (148 HP / 110 kW) 1.5-liter TSI petrol engine with a six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive. A 190 PS (187 HP / 140 kW) 2.0-liter TSI will be available as well, alongside a 2.0-liter TDI diesel in two outputs, with 150 PS (148 HP / 110 kW) and 200 PS (197 HP / 147 kW) respectively. All, bar the 1.5 TSI, are offered with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission as standard. The 150 PS TDI is available with either front- or all-wheel drive, and the rest come with AWD.

Sitting at the top of the range is the Kodiaq RS (vRS in the UK), which is now powered by a 245 PS (242 HP / 180 kW) 2.0-liter TSI petrol engine instead of the old bi-turbo diesel.

Skoda will start accepting orders for the facelifted Kodiaq in the coming months. In the UK, it will launch in July, and the lineup will comprise of the S, SE, SE L, L&K and SportLine trim levels, with the vRS topping the range. Pricing details will be announced in due course, yet it will probably cost a bit more than the outgoing iteration, which starts at £26,635 (equal to $36,569).