Skoda reveals China-only Kodiaq GT
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 18th Oct 2018
SKODA has officially unveiled its coupe-style Kodiaq GT that will sit atop the Czech brand’s SUV line-up exclusively in China, described as its “most important sales market”.
The Kodiaq GT becomes Skoda’s second China-only SUV offering following the unveiling of the Kamiq small crossover earlier this year, and will be shown to the public for the first time at the Guangzhou motor show next month.
According to the brand, one quarter of all Skoda sales took place in China last year, with 325,000 new deliveries occurring in the world’s most populous country in 2017.
Building on the styling cues of the Kodiaq, the GT adds a coupe-style rear reminiscent of the BMW X4/X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLE Coupe, with a more prominently sloping roofline than the Kodiaq.
Designed to look more athletic than the traditional SUV, the Kodiaq GT features a black grille bezel with chrome-plated dual vertical ribs, slightly sportier front bumper, and more pronounced black trim underneath the grille.
At the rear, it sports a more pronounced tailgate crease with Skoda lettering (the first model to do so in China), lightly restyled tail-lights, black rear window surrounds, a sportier rear bumper with reflective red tape running the width of the vehicle, and dual-exit exhaust pipes.
Inside, the Kodiaq GT scores the virtual cockpit digital instrument cluster as standard, while MirrorLink and Apple CarPlay are also standard fare.
Skoda says the Kodiaq GT will come with “numerous” active safety systems, including blind spot detection, autonomous emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control with stop and go function.
Powertrain choice consists of a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol TSI engine offered in two states of tune, either 137kW driving the front wheels or 162kW with all-wheel drive, both mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. Torque figures have not been detailed but respective outputs of 320Nm and 350Nm are likely.
Skoda China president Ralf Hanschen said the Kodiaq GT would appeal to new customer groups in China.
“The Skoda Kodiaq GT is an important milestone in Skoda’s China strategy, being the first coupe SUV in our model range specifically designed for the Chinese market,” he said.
“We are confident that this sporty and stylish Skoda model will appeal to new customer groups and provide an even more impressive driving experience for our customers in China.”
Locally, Skoda sales are up 14.4 per cent year-to-date, with 4550 total new registrations climbing over the 3976 recorded to the same point last year.
The Kodiaq has recorded 1100 sales in its first full year on sale, placing it second for the brand behind the Octavia medium sedan and wagon range with 1503 sales.
