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Customer LoginsSkoda launches important new Kodiaq SUV
Skoda's new SUV-C-segment seven-seater Kodiaq could lead an entry into the US market and is a key component of the firm's plans to expand sales and share in its core European market.
IHS Automotive Perspective
- Significance: Skoda has launched its new Kodiaq sport utility vehicle (SUV), its second SUV and one that will be a key model in terms of growing volume and share in the European market.
- Implications: The new Kodiaq will be one of the most affordable seven-seater SUVs in the market, which will surely be a key selling point for the model, and it is set to undercut rivals such as the Nissan X-Trail and Hyundai Santa Fe.
- Outlook: The model will go on sale in early 2017 and will be a cornerstone of Skoda's growth plans in Western Europe, while the company is also considering entering the US market for the first time, with the Kodiaq the potential launch model for the brand.
Skoda has launched its brand-new Kodiaq sport utility vehicle (SUV) at a ceremony in Germany, with the model set to spearhead a new SUV and crossover model launch assault by the brand. This will underpin its growth plans in Europe and also potentially act as a platform for Skoda to expand into new markets. According to an Autocar report, it is possible that up to five new crossovers and SUVs could end up being part of the Skoda range. Autocar claims the Kodiaq will be joined by the second-generation Yeti, a coupé variant of the Kodiaq, and an SUV-B model that will compete against the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, and Peugeot 2008. This SUV-B model is closely related to Volkswagen's (VW) planned SUV-B model, which was previewed by the T-Cross concept. In addition, the report claims that Skoda may also build a low-cost SUV specifically aimed at the Chinese market. Skoda would not confirm this model plan, but brand head Bernhard Maier did confirm that the company would place much more emphasis on the SUV-crossover space. He said the the Kodiaq would be "at the forefront of Skoda's extensive SUV campaign". He added, "I can't tell you every detail yet, but there are numerous ideas that we want to develop. The new Yeti is coming, the Kodiaq coupé is underway and then there are other opportunities." The Kodiaq will be at the heart of Skoda's plans to further increase its sales volumes and market share in Europe, but the company is also hoping that the model will generate strong interest in Russia and China.
As usual with Skoda, there is a strong emphasis on practicality and value with the Kodiaq, with the company making it a priority to offer class-leading trunk (boot) and cabin space. In terms of its dimensions, the model is 4,697mm long, 1,882 mm wide, and 1,676 mm tall, which puts it on a par with rivals such as the Nissan X-Trial and Hyundai Santa Fe, although its trunk capacity with all the rear seats down is 2,065 litres, which is larger than the X-Trial's previous class-leading volume of 1,982 litres. There will be three gasoline (petrol) and two diesel engine options at launch and three different trim levels - the S, SE, and SE-L - although the brand's top-of-the-range Laurin & Klement specification is likely to be added at a later date. The diesel engine options are both essentially the same 2.0-litre unit in two states of tune, with the entry-level model producing 123 bhp and 251 lb ft of torque and the more powerful unit developing 187 bhp and 295 lb ft. The gasoline units comprise two 1.4-litre TSI units that feature 123 bhp and 148 lb ft of torque and 148 bhp and 184 lb ft of torque, respectively, while the range-topping 2.0-litre unit delivers 178 bhp and 236 lb ft of torque.
Outlook and implications
Although pricing for the Kodiaq is yet to be officially announced, with the strategy set to be announced at the car's public debut at the Paris Motor Show at the end of this month, Autocar is speculating that the model will start at GBP22,500 (USD25,116) in the UK market, which would see it undercut rivals such as the X-Trail and Hyundai Santa Fe and make it the cheapest seven-seater SUV in its class. Skoda is looking at the potential of entering the US market, with a feasibility study due to be completed by the end of next year. The Kodiaq would be the lead model in any attempt to enter this market, but it appears unlikely at this time that VW would take such a bold step with its entry-level brand. IHS Automotive is forecasting combined sales of just under 100,000 units between 2018 and 2020, which would put it well below models such as the X-Trail, which have a much larger global sales footprint than the Kodiaq is likely to have, despite Skoda's ambitious plans to expand into new markets. At the launch, Maier said that the three new markets that currently most interest Skoda are South Korea, Singapore, and Iran, but he added, "America is the one that we don't currently compete in with the biggest potential." The styling of the model has echoes of the Vision S, which debuted at this year's Geneva Motor Show, but it has been significantly toned down from the concept's bold lines and front-end graphics, which is perhaps something of a shame. However, it is still a well-resolved design that will prove attractive to European customers in particular, with Skoda saying it has had more pre-launch expressions of interest than for any other model in its history. The SUV-C category is the fastest-growing global segment, with sales set to increase globally from 4.45 million units in 2010 to 13.75 million units by 2020 according to IHS Automotive data. Thus, the Kodiaq has considerable potential and Skoda will have two compelling models in this segment when the second-generation Yeti is added to the range in 2018.
About this article
The above article is from IHS Automotive Same-Day Analysis of automotive news, events and trends, and is a deliverable of the World Markets Automotive Service. The service averages thirty stories per day and also provides competitor and country intelligence. Get a free trial.