New 2025 Skoda Kodiaq vRS gets a £52,595 price tag, more power and seven seats

The new Skoda Kodiaq vRS is ready to set a new lap record for your school run, as the hot version of our reigning Large SUV of the Year will be available to order from 16 January, with prices starting from £52,595 and seven seats fitted as standard.

The new Kodiaq vRS is fitted with a potent 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine – the same unit used by the Volkswagen Golf GTI – which delivers 261bhp and 400Nm of torque. These figures are 20bhp and 30Nm greater than on its predecessor.

Power is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, allowing the family hauler to hit 62mph in 6.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 143mph. It can also return up to 33.8 mpg, Skoda claims. 

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If you don’t need that much oomph, the regular Kodiaq in SE L and SportLine specifications will be available with a detuned version of the 2.0-litre petrol engine, producing 201bhp and 320Nm of torque. This version is also equipped with a DSG gearbox and all-wheel drive. 

As you would expect, the Kodiak vRS benefits from an uprated braking system that uses ventilated discs all round and two-piston calipers up front. Progressive steering features as standard, along with ‘Dynamic Sound Boost’ which is meant to deliver a more intense soundtrack by using a speaker underneath the car.

Meanwhile Skoda’s latest Dynamic Chassis Control Plus (DCC Plus) suspension set-up uses two-valve adaptive dampers to offer control over rebound and compression. There are 15 suspension settings that drivers can either adjust themselves via the touchscreen, or stick with the changes provided by the Eco, Comfort, Normal, Sport, Individual and Snow drive modes. 

To create the sportier look of the Kodiaq vRS, Skoda has added extra gloss black detailing, such as a front grille that now has a horizontal light strip. 20-inch rims feature as standard too, with a polished black finish exclusive to the vRS. Meanwhile the side sills are painted in body colour, as is the new rear bumper, which incorporates a full-width reflector and polished stainless steel exhaust tips. 

Inside, the Kodiaq vRS features black microsuede covering the dashboard, door panels and armrest, a three-spoke sports steering wheel and a set of stainless steel pedal covers. As standard, the sports seats are covered in black microsuede and artificial leather upholstery, but buyers will be able to upgrade to perforated black leather if they wish. 

This being the range-topping model, tech onboard includes a 10-inch ‘Virtual Cockpit’ driver’s display and 13-inch central touchscreen – which display a welcome vRS logo when the driver gets in. There’s also a Canton sound system, keyless entry, matrix LED headlights and a hands-free tailgate.

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