Re: Skoda Superb vs Skoda Kodiaq I took a short TD of Kodiaq yesterday. I must say I am impressed with the overall package. But I am not sure if I would put my money on it with all my heart.
The first thing that strikes you is how small and nimble it feels to drive, at least on straight roads. You don't feel the weight and dimensions of it once you start driving. It feels just like an overgrown hatch.
It has a well balanced suspension setup, feels stiffer than the Superb even in Comfort mode setting and that, in my books, is a good thing. Sport mode only makes it better but would be unsuitable for broken roads. Unlike the Superb, vertical body movements are well controlled even in Comfort mode. I hated Superb's excessive suspension travel, almost felt like it was running on worn-out dampers. Kodiaq, despite being a tall vehicle, has it's body roll well controlled with only a faint hint of roll on imperfect but straight roads. I didn't get a chance to see how well it handles around corners. But I expect a bit of roll and perhaps bit of understeer due to tall stance and weight. Overall, I am happy with the way Kodiaq's suspension is setup.
As many others have commented before, it is quite easy to cross legal speed limits while driving a Kodiaq. Not just that, it should be fairly easy to maintain those speeds on any decent road. However, I didn't find it to be sprightly. It gained sufficient momentum when I floored the pedal but took a second or two before engine started growling and picked up pace in a linear fashion. The feeling of being pinned to the seat under hard acceleration was completely missing. I don't know if Kodiaq's added weight contributes to this or if that is the trait of new 2.0 TSI and DQ381 combo. I found the older 1.8TSI+DQ200 to be much more eager and responsive to throttle inputs and gives that feeling of being pinned to the seat. To summarize, it has adequate power but didn't put a smile on my face when I floored it. Or perhaps the refinement and better NVH of Kodiaq actually masking the speed. My TD was too short to make a definitive assessment. Will take another drive few weeks later after the initial euphoria dies down.
My biggest disappointment though is the steering. It was accurate but numb on road feel like all modern electric units, which is Ok. It was light at city speeds but my biggest grouse it didn't seem to weigh up sufficiently enough even in Sport mode for confident maneuverings at high speeds. But that's how 95% of all soft-roaders on our roads drive and the majority would find the steering to be perfect. Not for a driving enthusiast though.
Overall, a very component Crossover/SUV with near Sedan like handling and one that actually feels better to drive than it's Sedan sibling, the Superb. It just needs bit more power, a tighter steering and perhaps a lowering spring ( ) to be a fun car.
I might still buy it unless I find a preowned BMW in my budget.
Last edited by novice : 20th January 2022 at 11:13.
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