What's the news?
Skoda is bringing a sportier version of its large Kodiaq SUV to the Geneva Motor Show in March, the newcomer wearing the badge of Sportline.
Available with two petrol and two diesel engines, the Sportline is easily identified by the black detailing for the front grille, the roof rails, the door mirror caps and the side window surrounds. All the glass aft of the B-pillar is tinted 'Sunset' and there's a silver-coloured trim in the rear bumper. Kodiaq Sportline models get body-coloured protective side trims and 19-inch alloys as standard, although 20s will be an option, while a discreet model designation badge on the front wing completes the picture.
Within, sports seats (with an electrically adjustable driver's chair) are finished in Alcantara and silver stitching. The steering wheel is clothed in leather and there are aluminium pedals, with the sportiness reinforced by the gauges that show G-forces, the pressure of the turbo, how much horsepower you're using at a given moment and temperature gauges for both the oil and the coolant. Driving Mode Select is part of the standard kit, as are puddle lights in the door mirrors, Alcantara inserts and silver-stitched floor mats, ten-colour ambient interior lighting and 'Sport' trim.
Anything else?
The engine choices, not yet confirmed for Ireland, are the 150hp 1.4 TSI petrol and a 180hp 2.0 TSI unit, while the 2.0-litre TDI diesel is available in either 150- or 190hp guises. All Kodiaq Sportlines are four-wheel drive as standard, with top speeds between 197- and 210km/h, while fuel economy is as low as 5.3 litres/100km (53.3mpg) with CO2 emissions of just 139g/km on the 150hp TDI. Quickest to 100km/h from rest is the 180hp petrol, managing the spring in 8.0 seconds flat.