Although it has the same roots as Volkswagen, Skoda has a completely different fate in China, the same powertrain, the same chassis, the same platform, and even cheaper than the same level of Volkswagen models, but the situation of the two can be described as one in the sky and one in the underground.
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In the past November, SAIC Skoda's total domestic sales were 7,800 vehicles, which was 16 times different from SAIC Volkswagen's 127201 vehicles. The sales of many of its models are dismal, and its entry hatchback model Xindong is humiliatingly ranked last in the sales list of similar models with a sales volume of 1 unit, and it is likely to become another model that will be eliminated after Jingrui.
Even the Škoda family's flagship sedan , octavia , sold only 2,282 units in the month , while the entry-level SUV model Komic was slightly better , but its small SUV positioning was also embarrassing.
Kodiak is Skoda's first medium-sized SUV built by the MQB platform, and SAIC Volkswagen Tiguan L belongs to the same platform, although they are slightly different in appearance design, but in the power system, body size, wheelbase and other aspects of the two are almost the same, and even in some configurations, Kodiak is better, and the price is much cheaper.
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But the car didn't get much attention at the beginning of the listing. This also forced Skoda to adjust the model configuration and price for two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019, and provide various preferential schemes, and also introduced the Kodiak GT version of the model to enrich the product line and attract more young consumers.
This series of measures has worked, and in 2019, the sales volume of Kodiak models reached 40,067 units, and its "good quality and low price" advantage has also made it a favorite of consumers who have limited budgets but want to buy Volkswagen models.
But in 2020, the sudden epidemic brought this good sales momentum to an abrupt end. Especially in 2021, Kodiak's sales have fallen off a cliff. According to statistics, Kodiak's sales in November were only 516 vehicles, which was far from the previous monthly sales of about 3,000.
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In order to reverse the decline, SAIC Skoda also decided to introduce kodiak's modified model from overseas to China as soon as possible.
In fact, SAIC Skoda submitted an application to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as early as July this year, and the relevant model information was also exposed, but until the end of this year, the new car still failed to be listed. However, according to the latest news, the new car is basically determined to be listed in the first quarter of next year, and the price is expected to be between 170,000 yuan and 190,000 yuan, which is basically the same as the current model.
In terms of appearance, the redesigned model is more three-dimensional and sporty than the old model, and the overall style is quite similar to the European RS version, the body size is slightly increased, but the wheelbase will be consistent with the current model, still 2791mm.
Compared with the exterior changes, the new car is more prominent in terms of interior adjustments. Referring to the overseas version of the model, Volkswagen's latest "digital" concept fills the entire cockpit. The steering wheel of the new car has been re-equipped with a new style, and the three-panel design with fine workmanship and more chrome decoration is more sporty.
The central control touch screen adopts a larger suspension design, which can refer to the style of Octavia PRO, but there are also rumors that the domestic version will continue the style of the old model. The latest car-machine system based on MQB's digital intelligent architecture will also be used in the new car, and the user's human-computer interaction experience will be greatly improved.
However, with reference to the configuration of Octavia PRO and the previous declaration information, the new Kodiak still has no access to Volkswagen's latest EVO series engine, and will continue to use the 2.0T turbocharged engine + 7-speed dual-clutch power combination, so that the behavior of "eating the old" is somewhat regrettable.
Founded in 1895, Skoda is a century-old car company, and its excellent performance and reliability of automotive products have made it have a very good reputation in Europe. Therefore, from the perspective of product strength alone, Skoda's models are absolutely excellent in the civilian level.
Although in China, it has been influenced by the aura of the public and the impact of its own brands, its deep brand roots still exist, and the reversal is not completely hopeless. The arrival of the new Kodiak may become a key factor in turning the situation around, after all, Chinese consumers still have high enthusiasm and expectations for this "excellent SUV" model.
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