2017 Skoda Kodiaq 1.4 TSI 125 SE review

Sure, you won’t fall off your chair to learn that this motor is no firebrand, nor that if you overstep the mark it becomes noisy and presumably thirsty pretty quickly. But, with the car modestly laden, there is enough grunt to keep up reasonably with the flow of everyday traffic. If you cherish smooth throttle inputs, well timed gearshifts and careful lines, it can even be quite fun.

However, potential buyers should also be cautious, because even the unambitious, predominantly city-based  driver will find that there will always be occasions when you wish you had more, be it when the seven seats are full, the boot packed to the roofline or there’s a looming lorry that you want to pass. The 0-62mph dash is measured at 10.9sec and that will always demand compromises.

The base suspension set-up is good - certainly good enough to make us question the value of the DCC adaptive suspension option - if slightly unsettled on bumpier roads. The flip side to that is that the Kodiaq has decent body control and steering feel, especially for a large SUV. For keen drivers that may be a bonus, although the suspicion must be that most buyers would trade off some of the stiffness for more a slightly more comfortable ride.

Elsewhere, the hallmarks highlighted by our drives of the 2.0-litre diesel models remain true. The Kodiaq has a cabin that would be the envy of cars costing half as much again and is as spacious as it is well finished. The only quibbles are over the width on offer in the middle row, which would challenge three large adults, and the fact the rearmost seats are set low, impeding vision - but these shouldn’t detract too much from an interior that must be considered a huge triumph at this price point.