The VRS badge is one worn by most young lads in the UK. Cheap to insure, cheap to run, pokey and tuneable, the Skoda Fabia VRS MK1 is a car you see everywhere. Often producing thick black clouds of smoke, they can be heard coming due to their often straight through exhausts. So how as a manufacture do you attach that VRS badge and make it a bit more… mature? Well of course you apply it to the range topping SUV. Starting from an eye watering £42,870, the sport orientated Skoda Kodiaq is more expensive than any other Skoda has ever been.
A fully spec’d up model is going to set you back the best part of £53,000. To put this into perspective the Land Rover Discovery Sport can be had in HSE spec, which contains pretty much all the options you’d need for £45,000, whilst still sporting a 240bhp 2.0 litre diesel. Albeit slightly larger than the Disco Sport, it’s hard to see what sets the VRS apart from its rivals. The angular design makes the usually very ordinary SUV look extremely sharp, something modern day car buyers seem to love.
So, what does that VRS badge bring in terms of performance? Well the Four-Wheel-Drive system is paired with the utterly brilliant VAG DSG gearbox. The box makes changing gear rapid yet seamless, something that is very important in a large SUV. The Kodiaq can propel itself to 60mph in just 6.9 seconds so for a car of its size its no slouch.
What are our thoughts?!
We like the Kodiaq VRS. It’s a bold move from Skoda albeit an expensive one. The more ‘performance’ badged model lines attached to cars that don’t need it is all good by us! One final thought? After the recent release of the Cupra Ateca, we can’t help but think the EA888 2.0 litre turbocharged petrol would be perfect in the Kodiaq VRS.