Skoda Kodiaq vRS Review 2023

The Skoda Kodiaq vRS won’t suit everyone. If you’re looking for an SUV that’s hilarious to drive, we’d suggest the smaller Cupra Ateca could be a better buy. If you do need a practical SUV, you can save a lot of money by looking for one of the more affordable Kodiaq models. The Scout, for example, is a more relaxed (and frugal) car available with a potent-enough 190PS diesel engine.

Still, if you want a stylish SUV that’s big enough to squeeze seven people (at a push) while still being fun to drive and without breaking the bank, the Skoda Kodiaq vRS should be on your shortlist.

Skoda initially offered the Skoda Kodiaq vRS with a 2.0-litre bi-turbo diesel engine, which wasn't as quick but offered more torque and slightly better fuel consumption. With the general turn against diesel power, in 2021 Skoda dropped the diesel and offered it solely with the 2.0-litre petrol engine and seven-speed DSG gearbox.

While the Skoda Kodiaq vRS makes a big deal out of its sportiness, the closely-related Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace is available with the same engine for similar money. It’s classier and more understated than the Skoda Kodiaq vRS, in our opinion, and it’s even slightly quicker. Most buyers would prefer the Volkswagen badge, too.

Alternatively, you could also look at the Cupra Ateca, comfortable Volkswagen T-Roc R or Audi SQ2, but these are all smaller and petrol-powered. The Kodiaq isn’t far price-wise from more premium alternatives like the Land Rover Discovery Sport, either.

The Skoda Kodiaq’'s cabin is a classy affair - and that’s especially true for high-spec models like the range-topping vRS. It might not be quite as premium as the Audi SQ2, but it’s significantly plusher than a Cupra Ateca or Volkswagen T-Roc R.

Everything you touch feels well-finished, with even the buttons and switchgear giving off a premium vibe. You get a meaty, thick-rimmed steering wheel wrapped in leather and stylish microsuede seats with contrasting red stitching.

Not only does the sporty Skoda Kodiaq’s interior feel upmarket, but it also appears extremely well made. We’re sure it’ll do a good job of deflecting abuse from even the clumsiest of families.

The biggest and best infotainment system available in the Kodiaq is offered as standard in the vRS. It’s the 9.2-inch Columbus navigation system, which provides sharp graphics and quick responses to pinch and swipe finger gestures.

While it’s very good on its own, you can use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to mirror apps from your phone onto the display. This is great if you’d prefer to use third-party navigation apps like Google Maps or Waze, or if you wish to access your podcasts and music playlists. WiFi is integrated, too, so your passengers won’t have to drain all their phone data on a long journey.

Also standard is the 10.25-inch virtual cockpit, which replaces the conventional dials behind the steering wheel. This is a really desirable system which contributes to the cabin feeling more upmarket than you’d expect for a Skoda. It’s not as distracting as you might expect, either, and drivers can select from a number of different displays.

Audiophiles may wish to look for a Kodiaq with the optional Canton sound system. This uses 10 speakers dotted around the cabin to provide a clear sound, but it’s a £420 option when new.

The Skoda Kodiaq vRS is only sold as a seven-seater in the UK, but don’t go expecting to use all its seven seats all of the time. It might be a big car, but you’d be better looking for a sensible people carrier like the SEAT Alhambra if you actually want to carry seven people regularly.

The third row of seats are in the boot and are difficult to access, although kids will embrace the challenge. Teenagers will find them cramped and uncomfortable for longer journeys, though, and then there’s the small matter of where the luggage is going to go.

With all the seats in use, there are just 230 litres left for stuff. There’s more space in the back of a Skoda Citigo. Still, they drop to provide an entirely flat boot floor and a more generous 630-litre luggage capacity.

Access to the middle seats is easy, and there’s a generous amount of head and legroom back there. You can recline the individual rear seats, which is a nice touch, and the entire bench slides back and forth so you can prioritise where space is needed the most. The outer rear seats are fitted with ISOFIX child seat mounting points, but you’re going to struggle to squeeze three young children side-by-side.

If you have got three young children to carry, look for a Skoda Kodiaq vRS with the optional ISOFIX mounting points on the front passenger seat.

In the front, there’s loads of room. You sit fairly high up, giving you a good view of the road ahead, but even tall drivers won’t find headroom an issue. There’s plentiful legroom, while there’s also a handy amount of storage space. You’ll find a cubby under the middle armrest, big door bins and somewhere to rest your phone in front of the gear lever. 

The Skoda Kodiaq vRS dimensions are 4699mm long, 2087mm wide and 1665mm tall.

You might expect a sporty SUV like this to be hiding a powerful petrol engine under the bonnet. The small Cupra Ateca, for example, uses a 300PS turbocharged 2.0-litre unit.

However, the Skoda Kodiaq vRS ‘makes do’ with a 245PS 2.0-litre petrol paired with a DSG automatic gearbox. It’s powerful enough on paper, but it doesn’t feel super quick in reality. It’ll accelerate to 62mph in 6.4 seconds flat, which is going to be quick enough for joining a motorway or overtaking a dawdling Honda Jazz. It’s a big, heavy SUV though, and it’s not going to defy physics.

There’s a useful 370Nm of torque which means it’ll effortlessly build speed when required, but it is hindered slightly by its standard DSG automatic gearbox. The seven-speed transmission can be a little hesitant to respond, especially from a standstill. You can get paddles behind the steering wheel to take control of the gearbox but it’s still not as involving as a manual gearbox.

The standard Kodiaq is a very refined choice - so you’d expect the range-topping model to be even more civilised, right? Except, this is sporting the vRS badge. Even though it’s powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine, Skoda’s attempted to make it sound like a V8 muscle car.

Under acceleration, you’ll hear a distinct engine noise that sounds nothing like a modern 2.0-litre petrol. That’s because it’s got a Dynamic Sound Boost feature, which essentially uses a speaker to mimic the sound of something throatier and remind passengers that they’re in a sportier-than-average Kodiaq.

Settle into a cruise and it’s a refined enough SUV. You’ll notice a bit more road noise from the rumble of the 20-inch alloy wheels, but wind noise is pretty well hushed. You’re not going to notice any serious vibration through the controls and the Kodiaq isn’t too focussed to use as a family car. That’s a good thing for a seven-seat SUV.

While there’s a whole host of clever safety equipment available on the Skoda Kodiaq vRS, it’s surprising (and a bit disappointing) how much of it will cost the original buyer extra rather than it being included as standard. This is an SUV that costs more than £48,000 new so we can’t help but feel that Skoda’s been a bit stingy with its standard equipment. 

As an example, Skoda offers a driver alert system with a fatigue sensor. This monitors your behaviour and alert you to stop when required. It’s a useful safety feature - but who’s going to pay £50 for the car to tell them to stop for a coffee?

A lot of the most useful features are lumped together as part of the driver assistance package. This costs £1,075 on a new Skoda Kodiaq vRS and is worth looking out for on the used market. Highlights include the lane assist - which nudges your steering if you start to stray from your lane - and rear traffic alert, which’ll let you know of approaching vehicles when backing out of a space. It also adds blind-spot detection and traffic jam assist, as well as adaptive cruise control.

The Kodiaq comes with ISOFIX child-seat mounting points as standard on the outer rear seats. If you want to fit one to the front passenger seat, look for one with option box ticked to have them fitted here too. It’s an extra £45 when new.

Trick crash-prevention technology aside, the Kodiaq scored a solid five stars (out of five) when it was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2017. It’s fundamentally a very safe choice for transporting your family.

The Skoda Kodiaq scored an impressive 9.61 out of 10 for reliability in the HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Survey, and although this is for all versions of the Kodiaq rather than just the vRS, you can expect it to perform similarly well.

As a brand Skoda did equally well, finishing 6th overall out of 30 manufacturers, which suggests that Skoda owners are very happy with most aspects of their cars.

The Skoda Kodiaq vRS is going to be quite an expensive car to insure, particularly if you’re a young or inexperienced driver. It’s placed in insurance group 31, making it (unsurprisingly) the costliest Kodiaq you can insure. Still, the smaller Cupra Ateca falls into insurance group 33 - so it could be worse. We’d always recommend shopping around for quotes, anyway.

Unfortunately, you’re going to have to splash the cash on road tax. All petrol and diesel cars registered since April 2017 are subject to a flat rate of £165 a year in tax. On top of that, premium cars (with a list price of more than £40,000), are charged a ‘premium tax’ of an extra £355 a year for five years (from the second year onwards).

That means - even if you don’t pay more than £40,000 for a Skoda Kodiaq vRS - you’ll have to pay £520 a year in tax. 

The Skoda Kodiaq vRS tops the standard Kodiaq range, meaning it’s loaded with kit. Its extensive equipment list includes 20-inch alloy wheels, bespoke front and rear bumpers, black exterior highlights and dual exhaust pipes. Metallic paint is included, while front and rear LED lights are also standard.

Inside, you’ll find Alcantara sports seats with red stitching and vRS logos. They’re heated in the front, while the driver’s seat gets electric adjustment with adjustable lumbar support. All Skoda Kodiaq vRS models come with the 9.2-inch Columbus navigation system as well as the Virtual Cockpit. 

Front and rear parking sensors are included, as well as Dynamic Chassis Control. You’ll find Isofix child seat fittings on the outer rear seats, while a tyre repair kit replaces the conventional spare wheel.

Despite all this standard equipment, there are quite a few desirable optional extras to look out for. These include a heated windscreen (£310 on a new Skoda Kodiaq vRS), adaptive cruise control (also £310) and a panoramic sunroof (£1205). Park assist will help you tackle a tight parking space (£330), while a rear-view camera is a useful option (£395).

If you cover lots of miles, it might be worth looking for one with the £1,075 driver assistance package. This brings with it lane assist, blind-spot detection, traffic jam assist, rear traffic alert, emergency assist and adaptive cruise control.