New Skoda Kodiaq iV PHEV goes on sale in the UK with 75-mile EV range

Skoda's latest attempt to make the Kodiaq interesting involves plugging it in. But at £41,935, you might want to plug your ears instead.

The Facelift Nobody Asked For

Remember back in October when Skoda revealed the 2024 Kodiaq? No? Well, don't worry, you didn't miss much. They gave it the usual facelift treatment - you know, the automotive equivalent of a new haircut and a fresh coat of nail polish. We're talking new lights, bumpers, and - hold onto your hats - squared-off wheelarches. Oh, and they fiddled with the chassis setup, adding something called Dynamic Chassis Control. Because nothing says "exciting family SUV" quite like marginally improved body roll.

The Promise of Electrification

When the "new" Kodiaq went on sale in April, Skoda teased us with the promise of a plug-in hybrid version to come. Well, folks, the wait is over. The plug-in hybrid has arrived, and it's... drumroll, please... exactly what you'd expect.

The iV: Because 'i' and 'V' Together Totally Mean 'Electric'

Skoda, in its infinite wisdom, has dubbed this electrified beast the Kodiaq iV. Because apparently, slapping an 'i' and a 'V' onto any car name instantly makes it cutting-edge and eco-friendly. It's like they're trying to channel Apple and Tesla simultaneously, but ended up somewhere in the vicinity of a confused Scrabble board.

Power to the People (Sort of)

So, what's under the hood of this electrified marvel? Well, you get a 148bhp four-pot engine - exciting stuff, I know - paired with a gearbox-mounted 114bhp electric motor. Together, they produce a earth-shattering 204bhp and 258lb/ft of torque. It's like they took a regular Kodiaq and force-fed it a diet of AA batteries and Red Bull.

The electric juice comes from a 25.7kWh battery, of which only 19.7kWh is usable. Because nothing says "efficiency" quite like a battery you can't fully use. This powerhouse promises an electric range of 75 miles. That's right, you can drive from London to... well, the outskirts of London, before needing to plug in or fire up the petrol engine.

Three Exciting(?) Driving Modes

The Kodiaq iV comes with three driving modes, because choice is important when you're piloting a two-tonne SUV:

1. E-Mode: For when you want to pretend you bought a Tesla but couldn't afford one.
2. Hybrid Mode: For when you can't make up your mind and want the car to do the thinking for you.
3. Sport Mode: For when you forget you're driving a Skoda Kodiaq and think you're in a Porsche.

Oh, and E-Mode won't work if it's below -10 degrees. Because nothing says "reliable electric vehicle" quite like one that gives up when it's a bit chilly.

Trim Levels: Choose Your Level of Disappointment

Skoda, in its infinite generosity, offers the Kodiaq iV in two trim levels:

1. SE (Starting at £41,935)

For your hard-earned cash, you get such luxuries as 18" alloys (because 17" would just be embarrassing), LED lights (welcome to 2015), heated front seats (for those -9 degree days when E-Mode still works), and a 10.25" driver display paired with a 13.0" infotainment screen (because one screen is never enough).

2. SE L (Starting at £44,635)

Fork out an extra £2,700, and you'll be treated to 19" alloys (for that extra inch of street cred), posher lights (to better illuminate your poor financial decisions), leather seats (because cloth is for peasants), an electric driver's seat (for when manually adjusting your seat is just too much effort), and an electric boot (for when opening the boot yourself is simply beneath you).

The Price of Progress

Now, let's address the elephant in the room - the price. Starting at £41,935, the Kodiaq iV is asking you to pay supercar money for a car that's about as exciting as a wet weekend in Slough. For that kind of cash, you could buy a base model Porsche Macan and still have enough left over for a year's worth of therapy to deal with your car-buying regrets.

The Verdict: A Plug-in Hybrid for... Someone?

So, there you have it. The Skoda Kodiaq iV - a plug-in hybrid that's trying really hard not to be boring, but somehow ends up being even more boring in the process. It's like they took a perfectly adequate family SUV and decided to make it heavier, more complicated, and significantly more expensive.

Will people buy it? Probably. There's always someone out there who wants the cachet of driving a plug-in hybrid without the range anxiety of a full EV. And hey, if you've got £42k burning a hole in your pocket and you absolutely must have a Skoda with a plug, then knock yourself out.

For the rest of us, we'll be over here, waiting for Skoda to remember that their brand used to be about offering good value for money, not trying to compete with premium brands by slapping batteries and screens into everything.

The new Skoda Kodiaq iV plug-in hybrid is now on sale. Just don't expect to see too many on the road. After all, at these prices, you're more likely to spot a unicorn than a Kodiaq iV in the wild.