First Drive: Skoda’s Kodiaq vRS aims to add extra punch to this practical seven-seater

But what if you’d like a little extra punch from your Kodiaq? That’s where the new vRS model comes into play. Hotter than ever, it has been designed for drivers who want all the practicality but a decent level of performance, too. We’ve been testing out.

But naturally, with that vRS badge on the nose, you’ll be aware that things are completely the same. We’ve got a tweaked chassis, an enhanced braking system and more power than ever before – but more on that shortly.

Efficiency-wise, the Kodiaq vRS doesn’t score all that well. Skoda claims up to 33.8mpg, but drive in a keener fashion and that’ll fall south sharpish.

The four-cylinder engine isn’t happy being thrashed, mind you, and is far better at maintaining a pleasant cruise. It exhaust note is largely piped-in and enhanced during this process, but at least it’s relatively exciting to listen to.

There’s a decent spread of colours to choose from with the vRS, too, including exclusive ‘Velvet Red Metallic’ which, at £410, seems like pretty reasonable value.

The good news is that you still get the same great practicality in the vRS as you do in the regular Kodiaq. The vRS is only available in seven-seater form – the standard can be had with five chairs instead – but lower the rearmost seats down and you’ve got an impressive 845 litres of space to play with. Even with all seven seats in place, there’s 340 litres of room.

All versions get a 13-inch central infotainment setup, paired with a 10.25-inch virtual cockpit display ahead of the driver. Both are cohesively laid out and easy to navigate, too, with simple tasks such as phone pairing or radio station-switching being pleasantly intuitive.

The Kodiaq vRS adds a little extra drama to this practical SUV. It’s got enough punch to feel like something different, while the level of standard equipment is impressive. The good news is that you don’t lose out on any of the practicality that the regular Kodiaq has to offer.

Is it the pick of the range? Probably not. For most occasions, a ‘regular’ Kodiaq brings everything you could want, but if you like having that performance edge – but still want to bring a big family along for the ride – then the vRS could be a good fit.