While not as plush as more premium SUV rivals, nor especially engaging to drive, the Skoda Kodiaq is exceptionally well pitched for the area of the market where it competes. Better in almost every way than its predecessor, well priced and equipped versus the competition, roomy and easy to live with – from our perspective it’s one of the best family cars on the market.

What we like

The Kodiaq is massively spacious, with a huge boot and acres of room in the first and second seating rows. There are so many touches dotted around the cabin that help to make life that bit easier – a Skoda speciality. We like that customers still have the choice of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid, with the latter being especially impressive thanks to its real-world electric range of more than 60 miles. Combine generous equipment levels with a modern yet user-friendly interior and the Kodiaq is just about the perfect package for a family SUV. 

What we don’t like

While we like the balanced driving experience as a whole, not even the Kodiaq vRS provides much driver satisfaction. Optional extras are quite expensive – though that’s not unusual for Skoda – and it’s a shame you can’t have a seven-seater plug-in hybrid. Though we realise there are packaging constraints, other brands have managed to deliver both. Our biggest concerns, however, are the early reliability issues we’ve experienced. But even these aren’t enough to put us off what is overall an outstanding car.