Best used large SUV for 2024

The Skoda Kodiaq 140TDI Sportline has clawed its way to the front of the pack to win the large SUV category of carsales’ Best Used Cars for 2024, proudly presented by Bingle.

Once again, the large SUV category has been notable for its volatility, with yet another new winner in 2024. Since the inception of Best Used Cars, the Large SUV category has been won by the Toyota LandCruiser Prado, the Land Rover Discovery 4, the Ford Territory, the Subaru Outback and the Mazda CX-9. Now it’s the Kodiaq’s turn to take out the gong.

The Skoda Kodiaq made its Australian debut in 2017. It drew qualified praise at the time, lacking the packaging practicality we had come to expect of Skoda, but impressing in other ways. Arriving months later in 2017, the diesel Kodiaq 140TDI Sportline variant delivered the blend of performance and economy Australians wanted, matching the Skoda’s dynamic strengths.

Despite the restrictive third-row seating we noted during its local launch, the Kodiaq did impress judges in 2020 to take victory in the Best Family SUV. The judges praised the Kodiaq at the time for its value, styling, technology, accommodation, driving performance and child safety.

As we noted in a comparison between the diesel Kodiaq with the Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-8 in 2018, the optional luxury pack brought a range of advanced safety and comfort tech. Buyers in the market for a used Kodiaq in 2024 are advised to keep their eyes peeled for a vehicle with this added equipment.

What was it about the Skoda Kodiaq that impressed our reviewers back in 2018… and our judges in 2024? The quiet and refined diesel engine was coupled to a responsive seven-speed dual-clutch transmission for economy and torque, the Kodiaq’s cornering and ride quality were certainly competitive, and the Kodiaq was a comfortable cruiser with cabin noise properly suppressed at open-road speeds.

RedBook’s points for the Kodiaq add up to 42.7 points, versus the judges’ scores of 39.0, for a total of 81.7. In 2018, buyers could purchase the range-topping Skoda Kodiaq 140TDI Sportline for $56,790.

While Skoda is praised for its resale value, the Kodiaq in 2024 is valued at just $28,450, according to RedBook.

“The unarguably clever, impeccably-mannered Skoda Kodiaq does everything well too, from the driving experience to the way its designers clearly think about the little things that seem to escape other car-makers,” Tim Britten wrote of the Kodiaq after running the tape measure over the Skoda and its two rivals in his 2018 comparison.

Here’s what one of our judges thinks of the Skoda Kodiaq in 2024:

The Kodiaq is an urban SUV first and foremost and while it’s not as roomy as seven-seat soft-roaders like the Ford Territory, it fills a niche for buyers who don’t need to use all seven seats every day of the week.

And with its blend of comfort and driving appeal, the 2018 Skoda Kodiaq 140TDI Sportline is a deserving winner in the large SUV category of carsales Best Used Car Awards for 2024, proudly presented by Bingle.

The flagship Mazda CX-9 Azami scored 38.6 points from RedBook and 43.0 points from the judges for a total of 71.6.
RedBook value: $35,000

The Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander scored 40.1 points from RedBook and 38.0 points from the judges for a total of 78.1.
RedBook value: $34,900

What makes a car eligible for carsales Best Used Cars awards?
• Less than six years old
• Standard side-curtain airbags
• Standard Bluetooth
• Standard electronic stability control (mandated for Nov 2013)
• Standard reversing camera for SUVs

How did RedBook weight the categories for scoring?
• 10 per cent for resale
• 10 per cent for ANCAP rating
• 20 per cent for cost of ownership
• Five per cent for service intervals
• Five per cent for number of days for vehicle to sell