The 2020 Skoda Kodiaq is a seven-seater SUV with a small footprint, which makes it a good choice for families with parking and space considerations.
Does this come at a cost though? Let's find out as we put it through our BabyDrive testing…
Being a smaller seven-seat SUV the interior space is compromised. We could fit three child seats across the second-row seat: A rear-facing child seat, a basic booster seat and a forward-facing car seat. Space is tight so you will need to check your three seats will fit.
There are top tether anchorages on the back of all three second-row seats and ISOFix in the two outer seats. There are no top tether anchorages or ISOFix points in the third-row seats.
We found with child seats installed in the second row of seats, legroom in the first and third-rows are minimal. With a rear-facing child seat in the second-row, a 180cm driver can just fit in front of it but I could not sit in the third-row behind it and I am only 162cm, my knees were up around my ears!
Accessing the third-row seats is also worth thinking about too if you want to use this as a seven-seater every day. With three child seats in the second row, you can't access the third-row without uninstalling a child seat.
The other consideration is the boot space, which I thought wouldn't be very practical BUT actually, it is VERY good! Even when using all seven-seats you can fit a twin side-by-side pram in the boot, with a wheel removed, and a couple of shopping bags too! Even much bigger seven-seater SUV's I have tested can't fit this!
Inside the interior is functional and with some nice Skoda design features too.
A torch in the wall of the boot, perfect for when you are searching around in the boot for your kid's favourite toy!!
Window blinds built into the rear door, perfect for keeping little ones shaded from the sun while you are driving! No more trapping jumpers into the window!!
Within the media screen, you can adjust the interior background lighting colour! My daughter LOVED this feature and it was great fun choosing a colour each day to match her outfit!!
There are no aircon vents in the third-row which is not very good for the passengers, especially in the Australian climate. In the second row, there are air vents and controls in the back of the central console box and these can be controlled and locked in the media screen which is a really good feature.
On the screen in front of the driver, you get a great seatbelt visual for all three rows and you can see your fuel distance to empty too which are both great BabyDrive features.
The media system is really nice and clear, simple and modern to use.
It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also.
The reversing camera image is lovely and clear and crisp, with different views available and the ability to mute the parking sensors on the left of the screen.
Storage is good throughout the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq, in the front, there are two cup holders, cordless phone charging well. A good size glove box, net storage and practical door bins.
In the second row, there are map pockets, two cup holders and well-sized door bins…
…and a third-row cup and phone holder.
Nine airbags come as standard in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq and the side curtain airbags extend to the third-row occupants.
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq? How good is the storage in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq?
When using all seven seats the boot space in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq is surprisingly good! It will hold seven shopping bags when using all seven seats. This is better than the VW Tiguan Allspace, Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CR-V and Kia Sorento that will all hold five shopping bags. The Peugeot 5008 which will hold four bags and Mazda CX-8 which will hold six shopping bags.
I could fit a twin side-by-side pram in the boot, with a wheel removed, and two shopping bags. A lot of bigger seven-seater SUVs I have tested can't fit this!
A single pram fits, with a wheel removed, with one bag of shopping.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don’t want to move around while I’m driving such as Tulsi’s lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it’s not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don’t move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum’s life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually mesurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
The single stroller fits, with a wheel removed, and two shopping bags beside it.
The compact stroller fits with five shopping bags beside it.
You could only fit a very small dog in the boot of the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq when using all seven seats.
When only using five seats the boot will hold fifteen shopping bags, comparable to the VW Tiguan Allspace and Peugeot 5008 that will both also hold fifteen shopping bags. The Kia Sorento holds sixteen shopping bags, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-8 will both hold seventeen shopping bags and the Honda CR-V will hold twelve.
A twin side-by-side pram fits in the boot, with six shopping bags.
A tandem pram fits, with a wheel removed, with seven bags of shopping.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don’t want to move around while I’m driving such as Tulsi’s lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it’s not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don’t move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum’s life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually mesurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
The single stroller fits, with eight shopping bags beside it.
The compact stroller fits with eleven shopping bags beside it.
You could fit a large dog in the boot of the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq when using only five seats. The boot floor is nice and flat, perfect for pets and emergency nappy changes!
How good is storage inside the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq?
The storage in the cabin of the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq is practical throughout all three rows. In the front are two cup holders, they are quite small and will hold a disposable coffee cup and a 600ml water bottle fits in them too.
There are other storage slots for the key, a lipstick and some coins and card will fit.
Behind them, the central console box is quite small and the lid doubles as the armrest.
In front of the gear lever is a cordless phone charging well and there are 12V and USB sockets there too.
There are two glove boxes in the Kodiaq, the top one deep enough to hold an iPad and the lower one can be cooled so handy for popping snacks in and my wallet fitted in there with the manual. There is also a storage net in the passenger footwell.
The front door bins are large enough to hold a large refillable water bottle and there is a rubbish bin in the driver's side, which should be in ALL cars! Apart from Skodas, The only other car we've found to include a rubbish bin is the Volvo XC40.
Door bins in the second row are slightly smaller, they will hold a large refillable water bottle, with a little space behind too.
There is a fold-down armrest in the central seatback with two cup holders that will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup.
On the back of both front seats are map pockets that will hold but not conceal an iPad.
In the third row, there is a cup holder on one side…
…and a well large enough for a phone on the other side.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq?
The 2020 Skoda Kodiaq is not a very noisy car. The media system is crisp and clean. It's easy to navigate and use, with a touch screen. You can also swipe your hand in front of the screen to move it too.
It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The reversing camera image is lovely and crisp and clear. You have the birdseye view as well and behind and you can mute the parking sensors on the bottom left on the screen.
Or turn them off with a button, down in the central console.
There are some great features within the media system in the Skoda Kodiaq. You can adjust the interior lighting colour which goes down very well with the younger members of the family and is a great way to keep them entertained if you are waiting in the car for any reason; it got me through a click and collect shopping trip and we learnt our colours too!
The rear air conditioning can be controlled through the media screen and it can be locked, which is a great BabyDrive feature as it stops rear little passengers fiddling with the rear controls and accidentally cooking themselves! There are no third-row air vents though which is a downside.
We didn't find the auto engine cut out disturbing for little passengers in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq. You can turn it on and off with a button on the central dash.
I find this function really disturbing for sleeping babies, you have just got your baby to sleep in the car and you stop at lights and the engine turns off sometimes they will stay asleep but when the engine shudders to a start again it shakes baby awake and all your efforts are ruined!! Even coming to a stop at lights with the engine running can be enough to wake a sleeping child so turning the engine off and on again will definitely do it! I have driven routes I know have roundabouts rather than lights just to avoid coming to a stop for any length of time!!
Cruise control in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq is very accurate. The cruise control buttons are on a stalk behind the steering wheel on the left. I find them easy to use now I have driven cars with this method frequently but the first few times it took a lot of getting used to.
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!
That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?
It’s where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place.
Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I’m reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don’t like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I don’t trust cameras alone.
The indicator volume wasn't baby-waking in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq.
The distance to empty is clearly displayed in the screen in front of the driver, which is really helpful as a parent.
The distance to empty display becomes extra important as a parent because getting fuel with a baby is a whole new world of difficult. If they are screaming in the car you definitely do not want your journey prolonged with a fuel stop! If they are asleep the turning off of the engine, doors opening and locking and unlocking, then re-opening the doors and closing, starting the engine again, beepers going off because you haven’t got your seatbelt on when you start the car or because you blink in the wrong direction, do you take them out of the car when you go in to pay? If you do will you get them back in the seat again or will they have a complete meltdown and you’ll be stuck on the fuel station forecourt with a screaming baby!! Hopefully, you are starting to gather the anxiety that what was once a simple fuel stop can be for a mum!!!!
For this reason, the distance to empty display can let you know if you have enough fuel to make it home with bub and then go out and get fuel another time when you will not have to take bub with you.
The doors and windows of the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq close gently, so they are not particularly baby waking.
The doors close quite easily with a gentle close, which was surprising for a car of this size. With baby asleep you can get in and out without worrying the doors will be too noisy. The same for the windows their mechanism is not too noisy and I didn’t notice them having a loud opening or closing sound.
With baby asleep you want to be able to get in and out without worrying the doors will be too noisy and wake Bub up!Â
Road and engine noise are good in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq, and it feels sturdy and robust on the road.
There is a good seatbelt removal visual for all three rows of seats, in the bottom of the screen in front of the driver and an alarm.
There are individual child locks in the driver's door and control panel. These are great so if you have an adult or teenager in the back with a younger child on one side not everyone has to have their windows and doors locked, you can select which side.
You can also lock the doors with a button on the central dash.
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child seats fit in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq?
There are no top tether anchorages or ISOFix in the third-row of setas so I couldn't install any child seats back there.
In the second-row seats, there are top tether anchorages on the back of all three seatbacks. They are within plastic guides relatively easy to access reaching across the boot.
There are ISOFix points in the two outer second-row seats, also within plastic guides and these are easy to connect to.
We could fit three child seats in the back of the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq. A rear-facing, simple booster seat and a forward-facing seat fitted. I also found during testing for best seven-seat SUV comparison with Carlsales.com.au that I could fit two Infasecure Kompressor child seats in with a rear-facing capsule.
I also found when I tried to sit in the central seat between two child seats, I could just fit but my shoulders were extremely cramped.
Legroom is a consideration in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq. With a rear-facing child seat installed in the second-row, we could just fit a 180cm passenger in front and I could not fit in the third-row and I am only 162cm! My knees were up around my ears I could not travel like that.
Posting bub into their car seat was easy from outside the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq because of the nice large doorways and the SUV higher roofline makes it easier for leaning in to do up seatbelts and harnesses.
Australia being a country of weather extremes; blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If it’s hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst you’re doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq? And How good is the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq to drive?
The front seats of the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq Sportline tested here are very comfortable to drive in and easily adjustable using the controls on the side of the seat base. You can also save your seating position into the memory, which is really handy too when there is more than one family member who drives the car!
The headrests are not adjustable and I found I couldn't wear a ponytail while driving.
I had spent hours styling my hair this morning to get this ponytail just right too… said no new mum ever!!!
For a mum travelling in the back with bub, the seats are very comfortable, the central seat back is firmer because of the fold-down armrest and cup holders.
For the first year of Tulsi’s life when we would go out as a family, if I wasn’t driving, I would travel in the back with Tulsi so it’s important to check the back seat comfort as you may be spending a lot of time in them! They were never something I gave any thought to before but I definitely notice a good or bad back seat now!
The steering wheel is fully adjustable in/out and up/down and is not too chunky so feels nice in your hands.
Across the front dashboard, there are four large air conditioning vents. Two in the centre and one at either end of the dashboard.
The dual aircon controls are centrally located on the dash and easy to use while driving. This model also has heated seats which were nice during winter!!
There are aircon vents in the back of the central console box for the second-row passengers in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq. There are controls there too and heated seat controls. These are reachable by the feet of little passengers though and could be fiddled with.
Luckily there are aircon controls in the front media system that can control and lock the rear aircon which is a great BabyDrive feature.
There are no third-row air vents which is not great when carrying passengers in the third-row especially in the Australian climate.
Visibility in the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq is surprisingly good, the windows are quite large and the third-row passengers especially get a good view out which can help with travel sickness.
When maneuvering or parking, the visibility out the rear windows is effected with child seats installed. The mirrors and excellent camera image really helped.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and Tulsi has either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful. Usually I dread parking new cars as they take longer in our tight apartment block carpark, but the 2020 BMWÂ 2 Series Gran Coupe 218i, was relatively easy to park with the help of the cameras.
BabyDrive Indepth - Safety
How safe is the 2020 Skoda Kodiaq?
The Skoda Kodiaq scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2017, with an adult occupancy protection score of 92%, and rating of 35.26 out of 38 points.
It scored 7.07 out of 8 for the frontal offset test, and 8/8 for the side impact test and 7.97/8 for the pole test.
For child occupancy protection the Skoda Kodiaq scored 77% (38.21 out of 49).
The crash test performance for a 6-year-old scored 11.68 and the crash test performance for a 10-year-old scored 9.87.
Of the child occupant testing ANCAP said:
In the frontal offset test, readings of neck tension in the 10 year dummy indicated poor protection. Otherwise, protection of both dummies was good or adequate in this test. In the side barrier test, protection of all critical body areas was good for both dummies.
For child safety features and child seat installation the Skoda Kodiaq scored 6 points for safety features and 10.67 points for installation check.
For pedestrian protection, the Skoda Kodiaq was scored 62% (26.1 out of 42) and for safety assist it was scored 54% (6.5 out of 12).
The Skoda Kodiaq has nine airbags as standard, dual frontal and side airbags in the front, drivers knee airbag and curtain airbags for the front and rear side passengers on all three rows.
The Skoda Kodiaq comes with electronic stability control (ESC) and hill hold control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front assist with city emergency brake, anti-lock braking system (ABS), anti-slip regulation (ASR), extended electronic differential lock (EDL), engine torque control (MSR), hydraulic brake assist (HBA), driver steering recommendation (DSR), rain braking system (RBS), multi-collision braking (MKB), emergency fuel supply cut-off, automatic flashing brake lights in an emergency, electronic engine immobiliser, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), passenger protect assist, fatigue detection, front LED fog lights with cornering function, activation of warning lights on impact in collision and activation of warning lights on impact all as standard.
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and the parking sensor beeping sound.
I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Tulsi’s asleep!
Just FYI, The Kodiaq has 9 Airbags, not 6. It also has side airbags which are different to side curtain airbags, I have 2 Kodiaqs.
Good feedback thanks! Cross checked with the specs and updated 🙂
Hello, can up you please give more info regarding the child seats in the second row?
Are you able to check if three forward facing car seats fit in this car.
Potentially a 0-4yr car seat and 2 x 12months-8 years?
Or even 2x 12months- 8year and one rear facing?