Skoda Kodiaq RS 2021 Review

Sounding a little pricey in isolation at $68,890 plus on-road costs, the 2021 Skoda Kodiaq RS actually represents great value considering it’s a large performance-oriented diesel SUV with few mainstream rivals in class.

Skoda has previously talked up how the Kodiaq RS represents vastly better value against competition from premium marques such as the Volvo XC60 and Jaguar F-PACE, while among the broader cohort of large SUVs from the major brands, the top-spec diesel Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, and the Mazda CX-8, are among the closest at around the $65K mark.

While you’re considering the position of the RS, you might also note that Skoda is switching to petrol power for the updated model due at the end of 2021, ditching the muscular 176kW/500Nm 2.0-litre biturbo-diesel engine for the 180kW/370Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol that powers the Volkswagen Golf GTI.

What you get with the current RS is a model that offers a very racy feel both inside and out, starting with the exclusive Race Blue paintwork, subtle muscular remodelling of the front and rear bumpers, black highlights, monster 20-inch wheels and red brake callipers, all of which keep it unmistakably ‘RS’.

The interior has race-inspired, fully-electric Alcantara-trimmed seats with carbon-look leather side bolsters across each row. Sports pedals, Alcantara-trimmed door cards with carbon dash inserts extend the sporty feel, broken up by the 9.2-inch touch-screen infotainment system.

Other attractions include the Volkswagen Group’s Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, satellite navigation, voice control, Bluetooth with audio streaming, front and rear seat heating, self-parking, auto-on headlights, rain-sensing wipers, electric fold-in mirrors, a powered tailgate and adaptive cruise control.

As with all Skoda models, a five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty is provided.

The 2021 Skoda Kodiaq RS inherits a five-star ANCAP safety rating courtesy of crash testing performed back in 2017. That sounds a little out of date but the fundamental requirements regarding chassis integrity during a crash remain the same.

Soft-compound 235/45 Continental rubber in combination with nicely tuned suspension keeps the RS safely planted on the road, but the ever-present electronic ‘hand of god’ is in the background to bring you back should you stray.

I’m usually referring to electronic stability control and, of course, anti-lock brakes, but I guess the ‘hand of god’ now extends to an increasing list of electronic safety nets.

Driver assist safety systems on board the RS include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), multi-collision braking, driver fatigue detection, blind spot monitoring, rear traffic alert, lane keep assist and all-round camera monitoring.

And if that doesn’t work, nine airbags are amid the last line of defence.

While I’m usually pretty quick to turn off the lane keeping function in most vehicles after finding them actually fighting me behind the wheel or doing what I call ‘ping ponging’ from one side of the lane to the other, I was happy to keep the Skoda system active after finding it unobtrusive and the fact it could actually pick a reasonable line through bigger-radius turns.

There’s no questioning the lighting capabilities of any Volkswagen Group products, and LED headlights on the Skoda do their job in the dark and the fog lights fill in the gaps on the inside corners when searching for those corner apexes.   

Small-capacity diesel power is very popular in Europe and the 2021 Skoda Kodiaq RS employs a very sophisticated 2.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine.

Diesel power units may not be exactly synonymous with high performance, but the Kodiaq RS may just be the one that converts you.

You’re actually hard-pressed thinking it’s a diesel as the ‘Dynamic Sound Boost’ or synthetic ‘acoustic experience’ takes over from the actual engine noise and is probably best described as a throaty petrol four.

There’s no mistaking the torquey diesel power delivery though, as the RS pulls strongly from just above idle.

Twin turbos work in series as a lag-reducing, low-boost small turbo spools quickly to increase response and reduce fuel consumption as well as bearing the bulk of the load when cruising. The high-boost turbo then does its thing in the mid-to-high rpm range.

Paired with a four-wheel drive system and a dual-clutch seven-speed transmission, the Kodiaq RS can dispatch the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.0 seconds. It also performed commendably around Norwell Motorplex test track, producing a steady 70.0sec lap time – a little surprising as it actually felt a lot faster.

The engine feels like a much bigger-capacity unit and is its strong point. Max torque operates in a window from 1750-2500rpm, with peak power remaining flat from 4000rpm, so it offers decent shove down low and in the mid-range.

The DSG gearbox operates seamlessly but in ‘manual mode’ (and using the flappy paddles) it will select the next gear by itself before the engine redline so it’s really only when performing down-shifts or short up-shifts that there’s a benefit.      

The sport utility vehicle term gets thrown around a lot these days, so it’s a pleasant surprise to actually come across a genuinely sporty SUV in the 2021 Skoda Kodiaq RS.

It’s very good and more than nimble around the racetrack and, dare I say it, it’s almost too good. It is super-safe to the point of being idiot-proof, and if you come unstuck on the racetrack you’ve done something drastically wrong.

It stops well, turns well and with all four paws clawing at the ground, it definitely puts its power down well.

There’s an inherently well-balanced chassis underneath that I wish Skoda would trust a little more. Instead, it’s held back from its ultimate performance by the subtle use of the electronics and feels like it operates at about 90 per cent of its capabilities.

I get it with the base-model examples, but this is an RS. I’m probably being a little unfair, I guess, as it is a seven-seat SUV after all. But that’s what the Kodiaq RS does – it makes you feel like you’re in a sports car.

Let’s face it, not too many will hit the track so it’s nice to see its road manners are spot on and the ride quality for a performance car hits the mark.

The 2021 Skoda Kodiaq RS turned some heads across my week of testing and I felt like a kid at Christmas showing off a new toy.

It has some really cool features that aren’t on offer in most cars. I particularly love the brilliant pop-out and retractable door protectors and the very Bentley-esque hidden umbrella in the driver’s door.

The Kodiaq RS wants for nothing and is about as good as it gets if you’re looking for a good-value seven-seat SUV with a bit of a sporty presence.

It’s not too large either, so it’s practical for everyday use and the third-row seating comes in handy for the smaller skid lids.

Boot space is enough at 270 litres which expands to a large 630L with the third row stowed, to just over 2000L with the second down.

There’s plenty of legroom and headroom throughout and the seats offer clever folding options like the centre seat squab folding separately for long cargo without disturbing the outboard passengers.

It’s reasonably frugal on fuel too, with a claimed combined economy figure of 6.2L/100km, which I skewed out to over 8L/100km after a couple of hot laps on the circuit.

Don’t let the heavy focus on sportiness sway you into thinking that it’s a hard-core, track-focused machine.

Think of it as a well-rounded jack of all trades – sporty, luxurious, nippy and practical.

It gets my tick.

How much does the 2021 Skoda Kodiaq RS cost?
Price: $68,890 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel
Output: 176kW/500Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.7L/100km (ADR Combined) 
CO2: 163g/100km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)

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Disclaimer: Luke Youlden is a Bathurst 1000 champion, 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup series competitor, Tekworkx Motorsport mentor and chief driving coach, deputy chief instructor for the Porsche Experience and also works for Pilota Sportiva, whose clients include Audi Driving Experience and Volkswagen Group Australia.