• Modern interior dominated by large touchscreen
• Physical multi-purpose climate dials are a great touch
• Quality is excellent 

How is the quality and layout?

The new Kodiaq ushers in a new interior design that’s quite different from the previous version of this SUV. Cleverly, though, Skoda has retained some physical buttons, with what it calls Smart Dials. These are multi-purpose buttons that can be used to control volume, temperature, fan speed and even the heated seats.

They’re a great way of reducing the button count by retaining physical switchgear, and work well. The two outer dials control the temperature for each passenger and the heated seats, while the central dial is the ones with up to four uses, changing function at the press of a button. 

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The faux aluminium material they’re made from should be improved, however, as that’s the only element that lets the quality of the interior down, and is one of the features you interact most with. Otherwise, the cabin is very smart indeed, with lots of upmarket and recycled materials used. There’s even a Cognac leather interior option that we’re a big fan of.

The layout perhaps isn’t quite as smart as we’ve come to be used to from Skoda, however. The digital instrument cluster looks a bit of an afterthought and while the ambient interior lighting looks great, at night it reflects in the door mirrors and can prove distracting initially. 

Infotainment and tech

Regardless of which Kodiaq you choose, it will come with a huge 13-inch touchscreen. It can prove a bit daunting at first, but it’s logically laid out and easy to configure. There’s less reliance on using it on the move than some rivals courtesy of the aforementioned dials. But if you need to, the buttons are large and easy to press. 

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Skoda has made some noticeable advancements on the technology front, both in terms of within the screen and elsewhere. A head-up display is available for the first time, as are advanced Matrix LED headlights. Both are optional and are quite expensive – as are most of Skoda’s extras so it’s worth considering carefully which options you can do without as otherwise the Kodiaq’s price can jump significantly. 

Comfort 

• Superb seats
• Brilliant seating position
• Rear passengers will travel happily

If you’ve got a lot of miles to do in the Kodiaq, there are few better cars to do it in at this price than the Kodiaq. We frequently did 150-mile stints in the Kodiaq and always got out feeling comfortable and refreshed. The seats are excellent, with lots of support and adjustment meaning you’ll soon be able to find the best seating position. 

If you’re doing lots of miles or suffer from aches while driving, it’s worth considering the Convenience Plus Package. This brings electrical adjustment and additional lumbar support plus a bonus massage feature. But at more than £2,000, it’s an expensive option.

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Rear-seat passengers will also be more than happy to spend hours at a time in the Kodiaq. Visibility is excellent, with a fairly low belt line meaning that even young children should be able to see out. You can have the seatbacks at various angles too, while those in the back get their own climate menu as part of the standard tri-zone air conditioning.