It is said that "the basic people who understand the public will choose Skoda", the same group, the same platform/technology, a slightly lower price, and indeed how to see Skoda is more affordable and attractive. Although that being said, in recent years, due to the rejuvenation of the Volkswagen brand, there has been a gap between the Skoda model and the more fashionable and technological Volkswagen model, and for Skoda, in the face of the increasingly young automobile market, the "model renewal plan" must be put on the agenda. Before there is a sharp, then there is Kodiak, recently we have a test drive of the new 2022 Kodiak, unexpectedly, the new Kodiak this big body also has a lot of energy.
The big guy who can be hot and dry can't help but want to drive a fast car
The new Kodiak positioning medium-sized SUV, its length of 4701mm, standing on the side does feel that this is a big guy, but this big guy is not "fat", in terms of power performance has far exceeded the commuting needs of the family SUV, equipped with Volkswagen's third-generation EA888 2.0T engine, on the road passion is simply handy.
This 2.0T engine is on top of the new Kodiak, divided into high and low power two, this test drive type is a medium two-wheel drive, a 2.0T low-power engine, a maximum horsepower of 186 hp, a peak torque of 320 Nm, and a wide torque platform, from 1500 rpm to 4000 rpm. Matched with it is a 7-speed wet DSG gearbox, in the actual driving can be described as conscientious, extremely fast gear change speed and good smoothness is satisfactory, as for the transmission 'break- and break- only in sport mode, low speed down to 2nd gear when encountered once, so it can be said that the overall quality of the engine and the gearbox match is still very high.
The new Kodiak offers four driving modes, including Economy, Standard, Sport, and Personalization, with two selectable steering forces for steering, three for power response, and two for air conditioning.
In standard mode, the power output of the new Kodiak is calm and powerful, the initial throttle response at low speeds is not so sensitive, and the speed of the whole vehicle is steadily up. The daily cruising rpm is roughly maintained at 1300rpm-1500rpm, but once the throttle depth is larger, the advantages of 2.0T begin to show, and the power output is very smooth.
In the economic mode, the power of the new Kodiak is also continuously online, and the physical feeling is basically the same as that of the standard mode. Because of its gearbox logic, it is not to reduce fuel consumption by slowly increasing the number of revolutions and limiting the number of revolutions, because this will have a great impact on the power of the new Kodiak. The new Kodiak economic model, when accelerated, should pull up the number of revolutions, but through a positive and fast gear up to press back and forth the number of revolutions, so as to find a balance between power and fuel economy, to bring users a better experience. It is worth mentioning that when you release the throttle while driving, its speed will drop to a very low 800rpm. In addition, in economy mode, the automatic start-stop of the new Kodiak engine will be forced to start, but the starting vibration is very gentle and does not feel uncomfortable.
In sport mode, I always feel that in a trance, driving not a medium-sized SUV, but a small steel cannon, its right angle rear is also "flattened", incarnated into a GT version. At this time, the throttle response is extremely sensitive, the number of revolutions will also be pulled higher, the delay is upshift, the power is always stepped on, although within the speed limit range, the new Kodiak can not give much excitement, even vertigo, but this kind of satisfaction of wanting to get up fast and constantly surpass the side car is still exciting. In fact, this sense of excitement is also related to some pleasant engine sounds, the new Kodiak road noise, wind noise isolation is in the same level of middle and upper level, only the engine firewall sound insulation is almost interesting, but this actually makes the driving more sophisticated mechanical sense.
The new Kodiak also features an "Ejection Start" mode, which turns off the ESP and presses the brakes and throttle at the same time, and the full LCD gauge will display "LC Start Control Program Activated". At this point, the 7-speed DSG transmission allows the speed to be increased to 2500-3000rpm. After the brakes are released, the power is immediately transmitted to the front wheel, and there is a small amount of front wheel slippage after the vehicle rushes out, and then continues to accelerate, and the acceleration of 100 kilometers is about 8 seconds. In the family model equipped with a dual-clutch transmission, being able to have such a "starting dynamic" is already much better than most models.
In terms of tires, this test drive is equipped with Pirelli's Scorpion, the front and rear specifications are 235/50 R19, and the good tire width and handling orientation provide a good grip for the new Kodiak. In addition, the new Kodiak's braking force release is linear, the braking rear section is delicate, typical German style, and daily driving confidence is very strong, but when performing high-speed emergency braking, the confidence in the rear section is not so strong.
The chassis is very moral, and the handling is very Nice
Next, talking about the control, the new Kodiak does not convey a lazy posture because of its large size, but is quite flexible. Its steering wheel feedback is moderate, the texture is excellent, and the steering wheel will become "heavier" in sports mode, which needs to be opened fast to feel. Its steering wheel is slightly vacant, but the overall directivity performance is good, there is a certain sense of communication with the front of the car, and it has a good foundation in handling. In addition to the power advantage, the handling is also an important part of the new Kodiak's driving texture.
In terms of chassis, the new Kodiak, as a home SUV, is not a soft orientation, but the toughness and hardness of a typical Ashkenazi chassis. Front McPherson, rear multi-link suspension for the handling of bumps is not bad, at least will not make you feel upside down, but the overall chassis is still a little harder, but this also makes the chassis and power, control of each other matched, especially the control of the roll, rejecting the "big ship" feeling, so it is necessary to sacrifice some of the chassis's sense of isolation.
The tide has changed, and the new design understands young people better
In addition to the restless driving characteristics that make the new Kodiak vibrant, the closer interior and exterior design also gives it a new look. The design of the front face and rear part of the new Kodiak has changed, because of the replacement of the European RS Sport model model style, so its front and lower grilles, rear bumpers, will be more youthful and dynamic, in addition to the front and rear light group shape has also changed, the sense of sharpness is stronger.
The changes in the interior part are earth-shattering, and the new family design makes people feel young and luxurious. The center console uses a variety of material stacking, with 10 colors of atmosphere lights, exuding a sense of luxury and refinement, coupled with the blessing of 10.25-inch LCD instrument, 12-inch central control screen and front-row integrated sports seats, this interior is very stylish and beautiful. In contrast, the center console of the new Kodiak in the past can be described as "plain". Unfortunately, the mechanical gear lever has not yet been converted to an electronic gear lever.
In terms of vehicle and machine system, it is equipped with the new intelligent vehicle connection MOS 3.X system, which is the first time that the system is used in SAIC Volkswagen Skoda models, the system has clear logic, smooth operation, and also supports voice control systems, which can operate multimedia, air conditioning and so on. Entertainment functions, with "small programs", but for most users the demand is not high, and in the user really care about music, listening, video, navigation, the new Kodiak still has a lot of room for progress, the official mention of the Sohu video App has not yet been seen, the follow-up should be updated through OTA. At present, the most suitable and convenient way to use this car machine is to rely on Apple CarPlay/Baidu CarLife wireless mapping.
In terms of ride comfort, the new Kodiak with a wheelbase of 2791mm is excellent in terms of space, and I sit in the back row with a measured height of 178cm, with about 3 fists left in my legs, and the 1883mm width gives it a wide enough rear seat. The middle platform is more convex, but the longitudinal distance is long enough. The new Kodiak seat will actually be hard, and the front row can provide a certain degree of support when turning and changing lines because of the chair type. The backrest angle of the rear seat is in the middle of comfort, not too straight or too reclining, the height of the seat is just right, and the support for the thighs is also in a good state.
Because of the boxy body shape, the side window area of the new Kodiak is actually quite large, whether it is the convenience of the driver when looking at the right side of the vehicle, or the permeability of the rear seat, there is also a large enough open panoramic sunroof above, in terms of household attributes, the new Kodiak is very thoughtful in all aspects.
summary
At a price of less than 200,000 yuan, if you want to buy a medium-sized SUV with a large space, you also need to have such a good performance as 2.0T, and look down, the joint venture brand is also a model of Skoda Kodiak. The new Kodiak, which has been redesigned in design, whether it is fashion sense or technology sense, has kept up with today's mainstream level, and the product power has become stronger. Perhaps, every boy has a dream of a long journey, every man has a family dream, and now the new Kodiak is big enough, strong enough, beautiful enough, and more worth considering.