Skoda India has begun the local assembly of the Kodiaq facelift at its Aurangabad plant. The facelifted Skoda Kodiaq was globally introduced in April this year and is now set for its launch in our market in January. The Kodiaq will rejoin Skoda’s line-up in India after almost two years since it was discontinued when the company pulled the plug on its diesel offerings in the country with the transition to BS6 norms.
- Styling updates include revised grille, headlamps and new bumpers
- Interior likely to get virtual cockpit digital instrument cluster
- Will be powered by a sole 190hp, 2.0-litre TSI engine
Skoda Kodiaq facelift: exterior updates
Styling updates on the Kodiaq facelift are quite subtle and it may take more than a passing glance to tell any differences. Up front, the Kodiaq gets a new, more upright grille, an elevated bonnet, revised headlamps with new LED Daytime Running Lamp signatures, and a slightly revised front bumper. At the rear, similarly, there’s a pair of revised LED tail-lamps and bumper. The facelifted SUV could also get a new set of wheels in India.
Skoda Kodiaq facelift: interior and features
The interior of the Kodiaq facelift remains largely unchanged from the pre-facelift model, although a notable upgrade is the new two-spoke steering wheel, which is also seen on other Skoda models such as the Superb, Octavia and the Kushaq. There could be other changes to the upholstery and trim elements as well. As before, the Kodiaq will continue to be offered with three-rows of seating.
In terms of features, the India-spec Kodiaq facelift is expected to come with all that the older model had, such as an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 10.25-inch virtual cockpit instrument cluster, ambient lighting, three-zone automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof, hands-free parking, front and rear parking sensors, nine airbags and more. Globally, the Kodiaq facelift also gets a larger 9.2-inch infotainment screen as optional extra, although it remains to be seen if it’s offered on the India-spec model.
Skoda Kodiaq facelift: engine and gearbox
The biggest update to the Kodiaq facelift in India will be to what’s under its hood. While the pre-facelift model was powered by a sole 150hp, 2.0-litre diesel engine, the new Kodiaq will switch to be a petrol-only SUV. It will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 190hp and 320Nm of peak torque. Incidentally, this is the same engine that’s also offered on the Octavia and the Superb. As before, the engine will come mated to a 7-speed automatic gearbox with all-wheel drive being standard fit.
Skoda Kodiaq facelift: rivals and expected price
Being a petrol-powered, three-row monocoque SUV, the Skoda Kodiaq will not have any direct rival in the market upon launch, until the arrival of the three-row Jeep Meridian in India. However, it could be compared to the likes of other premium SUVs, such as the recently launched Volkswagen Tiguan and the Citroen C5 Aircross. The updated Skoda Kodiaq is expected to be priced around Rs 38 lakh (ex-showroom) in India.
Are you excited for the launch of the Skoda Kodiaq facelift in India? Let us know in the comments below.
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