Skoda Kodiak
Later this year, Skoda will add a second
crossover to its line-up. An Autobild report said that the name ‘Skoda Kodiak’ had been
chosen. The Skoda Kodiak will be the mechnical twin and cheaper alternative to
the VW Tiguan XL set to arrive next year. While test mules of production
prototypes are yet to appear on the streets, a speculative rendering from
Autobild previews how the crossover’s front fascia may look like.
The Skoda Kodiak will be a D-segment
7-seat crossover that will compete with the Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan X-Trail,
as well as the upcoming Renault Koleos successor also arriving later this year.
Like the VW Tiguan XL, the Skoda Kodiak will also be based on the Volkswagen
Group’s MQB (Modularer Querbaukasten or Modular Transverse Toolkit) platform,
and is the third Skoda model to be supported by it.
According to a report released last
month, the Skoda Kodiak will be unveiled at the 2016 Paris Motor Show in
October. It is expected to be offered with 2.0-litre TSI four-cylinder
turbocharged petrol and 2.0-litre TDI four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engines
in varying outputs in global markets.
Additionally, in Europe, Skoda may offer
a 1.6-litre TDI four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine as well. Transmission
choices should include 6-speed manual, 6-speed DSG and 7-speed DSG. The
global-spec version will be built at the company’s Kvasiny plant in Czech
Republic.
