The Skoda Kodiaq RS has always been something of a rare breed in the automotive landscape, attempting to bridge the gap between a seven-seat family hauler and a performance-oriented driver's car.
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Sure there are plenty of performance SUVs around, but relatively few that pack a full complement of seven seats, making the RS unique enough, but in an era increasingly dominated by electrification, it also remains almost refreshingly traditional.
At the heart of the Kodiaq RS is the Volkswagen Group’s ubiquitous 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine - a unit shared with icons like the Golf GTI - that in the RS produces 195kW of power and 400Nm of torque, representing a healthy bump of 15kW and 30Nm over the previous incarnation. This power is, of course, sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
On the road, these figures translate to a 0 to 100km/h sprint of just 6.4 seconds, shaving 0.3 seconds off the old car's time. Power delivery is smooth and linear, while the transmission is slick, decisive and smooth at open road speeds. It can, however, be a tad hesitant at low speeds. So that’s pretty much business as usual for any car with this powertrain.
The standout technical upgrade for the new RS is the addition of Dynamic Chassis Control Plus, a sophisticated adaptive suspension system that uses two valves - one for compression and one for rebound - to provide 15 stages of adjustment. It is a surprisingly effective system that truly does manage to make the RS soft and compliant in Comfort mode for family duties, or taut and sharp in Sport mode for some back road fun.
The chassis is remarkably well-balanced for a vehicle weighing nearly two tonnes, exhibiting minimal body roll and impressive stability. The progressive steering system further enhances this agility, offering an accurate and well-weighted feel that makes the large SUV feel surprisingly sharp and agile through corners.
The extra power - and slick delivery of that power - make this iteration of the RS easily the most refined yet and, despite the big 20-inch alloy wheels and low-profile tyres adding a degree of road noise, particularly on coarse surfaces, it is extremely quiet and comfortable.
The Skoda Kodiaq RS is a highly versatile machine that successfully melds the pragmatism of a large seven-seater with the spirit of a hot hatch.
Inside, the RS has a distinctly sporty theme with dark greys and blacks accented by red stitching. The front features torso-hugging sports seats finished in perforated leather, which are both heated and ventilated.
As you would expect, the cabin is a showcase of modern technology, dominated by a 13-inch centre touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. The RS uses the clever "Smart Dials" - three physical knobs that can be customised to control climate, volume, and drive modes - seen in other latest-gen Skodas, while other interior highlights include the relocation of the gear selector to the steering column, which liberates space in the centre console for dual ventilated wireless phone chargers and extra storage.
True to the brand's heritage, the Kodiaq is packed with "Simply Clever" touches such as the umbrella tucked into the driver’s door, door pocket-mounted rubbish bins, a touchscreen cleaner, velcro boot dividers that prevent luggage from sliding around, and integrated sunshades and phone holders for second-row passengers.
While the first and second rows are spacious and comfortable, the third row remains something of a compromise. The reason the RS is one of the few seven seat performance SUVs is that it is at the smaller end of seven-seaters in general, meaning that access to the third row is narrow, and legroom is almost non-existent for adults, and is best reserved for small children or emergency short trips.
However, that does also make it a comfortable five-seater with an utterly massive boot - when the third row is stowed, the boot offers a massive 794 litres of space, expanding to 2035 litres with the second row folded.
The Skoda Kodiaq RS is a highly versatile machine that successfully melds the pragmatism of a large seven-seater with the spirit of a hot hatch. While its price has crept up over the previous generation, so has everything else in the segment, so the RS still offers a compelling package if you can stomach the $95,000 price tag.
For drivers who don’t want to give up driving enjoyment, it remains one of the most compelling family vehicles around. At a price.
