2025 Skoda Kodiaq and Octavia spearhead refreshed Aussie showroom
The Czech brand, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, was selling upwards of 500 units a month back in 2020, but sales have declined in recent years and the Octavia and Kodiaq, two of its best-received models, will begin the process of turning around Skoda’s fortunes here.
It has certainly improved its standing in its native Europe, moving from seventh to fourth place on the sales charts in 2024 and trailing only Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW.
The second half of 2025 will also see the arrival of a new Skoda Superb and two electric vehicles, the Elroq small SUV and the coupé-shaped Enya medium SUV.
The updated Octavia and Kodiaq reflect Skoda’s more robust design language, which the brand is calling ‘modern solid’.
Skoda Octavia
Skoda has simplified its model lineup for Australia, with three Octavia grades offered – Select, Sportline and RS – and it is available in sedan and wagon body shapes.While prices across the facelifted range are up slightly, the standard features lists are more generous.
The Octavia Select starts at $39,590 for the sedan (the wagon is $1500 more) and comes equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 13-inch infotainment screen, fabric upholstery with leatherette trim, faster wireless phone charging, and active safety technology including intelligent parking assistance and ‘turn assistance’, which monitors traffic approaching from either side as the driver is making a right-hand turn.
Moving up to Sportline for $41,490 adds 19-inch alloy wheels, full leather upholstery and heated front seats, stainless steel pedals, Sportline badging and trim, and an electric tailgate. Both the Select and Sportline run the familiar VW 110kW/250Nm 2.0-litre turbo engine with an eight-speed gearbox. Longtime Octavia fans will be pleased to know the model still comes with an umbrella.
The halo Octavia RS makes a big jump to $58,490 for the sedan, but it’s an altogether different car, with the 2.0-litre engine tuned to produce 195kW/370Nm and mated to a quick-shifting seven-speed gearbox. Adaptive chassis control manages that extra power, and other goodies include unique 19-inch alloys, an RS bumper, suede trim, electric seats, three-zone climate control, a heated sports steering wheel, and a premium sound system. The sedan has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.4 seconds.
Skoda Kodiaq
The first-generation Skoda Kodiaq debuted to great acclaim eight years ago, pundits praising its spacious interior, comfortable seats and competent driving dynamics. The second generation, arriving in March, has even more space, with a 794-litre cargo area putting it near the head of the pack in the medium SUV class.
The Kodiaq will initially come in Select and Sportline trims, with the RS model due later in 2025. The Select starts at $54,990 before on-road costs, which is $1700 more expensive than the previous Kodiaq, but Skoda claims it comes with an additional $5700 worth of equipment on board.
This makes the base-model Kodiaq slightly more expensive than the equivalent Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe, but cheaper than the Toyota Kluger.
Standard features on the Select include 19-inch alloy wheels, a perforated black leather interior with grey stitching (‘Cognac’ brown leather is a no-cost option), power adjustable driver’s seat with memory function, three-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, a 13-inch infotainment system with sat nav, digital radio, a nine-speaker sound system, twin wireless smartphone charging pads, and five USB-C outlets dotted around the cabin. The Select also comes with more active safety kit as standard, including traffic sign recognition.
For an additional $4000 the Sportline upgrades to 20-inch alloy wheels, matrix LED headlights with an illuminated grille strip and other fancy light functions, Sportline trim including gloss black grille and roof rails, aluminium pedals, sports seats with integrated headrests, leatherette-appointed dashboard, driver profile options, a heated steering wheel and a premium audio system.
An Ultimate package is a $4000 option on the Sportline and includes dynamic chassis control, a Canton sound system, head-up display, heated rear seats, intelligent parking assistance with a surround view camera, hands-free tailgate operation, hill descent control and a power-adjustable passenger’s seat.
For a limited time, Skoda is offering a Launch Edition ($63,490), which combines elements of both Select and Sportline with the Ultimate package, plus a front seat massage program and panoramic sunroof.
The sunroof is normally a $1500 option, while 20-inch alloy wheels are a $700 option for the Select.
The Select and Sportline come with a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder good for 140kW/320Nm. Skoda has not yet released figures for the RS spec.
The new Kodiaq’s most interesting innovation is its ‘smart dials’, which operate like traditional dials but can be programmed to include preferred functions (air conditioning, sound system volume, map zoom etc.), combining the convenience and safety of analogue dial use with the flexibility of digital options.
