Blues n Two’s – Škoda’s Kodiaq RS

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It’s a seven seater family SUV that can sprint to 100km/h in 7 seconds and is not only adept at doing so, but it adds all the drama in the right places, while doing so. I don’t know many families that have such requirements, but one group in particular stood out when looking at the Kodiaq’s talents.

So when Skoda had the idea to make an RS version of the Kodiaq, what were they thinking? Who was their target audience?

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I can think of no better market, than that of the Garda Síochána. They often need hefty work vehicles to carry heavy loads and crew. They also need something with a bit of ooooooomph to ensure they can keep up with the situations they find themselves in. Be it as support vehicles at large events or for pursuit vehicles for those trickier days at work. We all need our work equipment to not only do it’s job but to be utterly reliable in times of stress and strain.

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The Kodiaq RS is adept at both. It’s nimble and easy to drive for a 2.0 litre Diesel. It’s got 4×4 capability for those off-road jobs. It can handle it all so well. So when you look at it like that, then it’s worth the almost double price tag of a normal Kodiaq. And it’s definitely going to be cheaper to run than the current fleet of Audi Q7’s. Which are utterly capable but expensive to run and repair.

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This rapid 7 seater with it’s 2.0-litre twin-turbocharged diesel engine produces 237bhp and 500Nm of torque. Through the seven speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive system, the 0-62mph push takes a smooth seven seconds.

The vRS has a more aggressive look over it’s standard Kodiaq counterpart (which in itself is a brilliant SUV), the re-designed bumpers, piano black trim and 20-inch alloy wheels all add a sense of drama to whatever occasion you find yourself in. Inside the cabin, the Sport seats are covered in a soft to the touch and comfortable Alcantara trim. There are carbonfibre-effect touches throughout the cabin (not too much) and Skoda have included a 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Virtual Cockpit digital instrument panel.

It’s got an enormous boot when the rear seats are folded away. Even on 20″ rims and with a full load, the vRS sits nicely on the road considering it’s size and capability. It’s extremely comfortable and not overly bulky for a large SUV.

So no matter what your next emergency call out is, this is the SUV to get the job done.

Special mention : There’s some fake sounds pumped into the cabin courtesy of the Dynamic Sound Boost. It enhances the low speed sound of the engine and best of all it doesn’t drone on during long motorway cruises. Some love it, some don’t.

Needs work :  The price could be more accessible considering the jump in spec. It was named fastest 7 seater SUV to lap the Nordschleife and has only 1 USB port.

Specs:

Max Power 240 hp Diesel / Auto
0-100 km/h in 7s Road Tax € 570.00
Kodiaq starts at €33k RS from €63k

Model as specc’d €66,895

Boot Space 270/ 894 / 1,795 litres