ŠKODA KODIAQ

The Kodiaq is back in an all-new avatar, and reminds us what true Škoda luxury feels like

- HALLEY PRABHAKAR

Sedans like the Octavia and Superb were Škoda's identity in India, but buyers gave in to the SUV craze eventually. Enter the Kodiaq—Škoda's first SUV. Sure, the Yeti had its cool-weird charm, but the Kodiaq felt right, striking a balance between practicality, premium feel and presence. Škoda has sold nearly a million units worldwide and over 9,000 in India, so it's fair to say it's earned its stripes.

And now Skoda has gone all-out to develop the second generation Kodiaq, wanting to bring back that high-end magic that made us all fall in love with the brand! The SUV is also clear the moment you set your eyes on it: it isn't here to blend in. The face looks sharper and bolder, the grille's grown up, the LED headlamps are sleeker and in L&K trim, you get jewel-like DRLs tucked between the slats that sparkle. It's the kind of touch that makes you go “Nice!” The Sportline keeps it sporty with a gloss black grille, while the L&K dials up the contrast with a matte silver finish.

The Kodiaq also looks noticeably longer from the sides. Its silhouette leans more toward estate-crossover than SUV, giving it a European vibe. The Sportline's gloss black D-pillar makes the rear quarter glass look bigger, while the L&K goes with dark chrome. Squared-off wheel arches add muscle and the 18-inch wheels suit our roads perfectly, though the 19-inch wheels offered internationally look classier. The overall design is also clean, and refreshingly free of unnecessary creases. The rear gets a full makeover with sleeker, more angular C-shaped tail lamps and dynamic indicators. A long reflector runs across the tailgate, giving off connected-light-bar vibes, but isn't one.