Skoda Kodiaq review

Second-generation seven-seat SUV lands in the UK with a design refresh and hybrid power The technical rundown of the second-generation Skoda Kodiaq might sound quite familiar.This is largely because the Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen Tiguan, Skoda Superb and the Kodiaq are all based on a new verson of Volkswagen Group's MQB Evo platform.The estates were a joint development led by Skoda, but the SUVs are "entirely separate". Mind you, Skoda can stray only so far from what the mothership dictates.The switch to the Evo platform means the Kodiaq can be offered in plug-in hybrid form for the first time, with the family SUV able to accommodate a huge 25.7kWh battery for an electric-only range of 71 miles, trumping the likes of the Kia Sorento PHEV (34 miles) and Volkswagen Multivan e-Hybrid (30 miles).At the same time, you can also get some reassuringly traditional powerplants, with a choice of two petrol engines (a mild-hybrid 1.5-litre and a 2.0-litre) and two diesels (both 2.0-litres, just in a different state of tune), all with four cylinders. Gearboxes are all dual-clutch (DSG) automatics.