New Skoda Kodiaq vRS gets a Golf GTI engine and seven seats

• Hot version of the Kodiaq SUV
• 261bhp and 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds
• Expected to cost from around £50,000

If you’ve ever felt the urge to take your seven-seater SUV for a track day, the new Skoda Kodiaq vRS could be just what you’re looking for. Skoda has given its largest SUV a host of performance upgrades, designed to make it as fun to drive as it is practical.

With a punchy petrol engine under the bonnet, sharper styling and some interior upgrades, the Kodiaq vRS is the new flagship of the Kodiaq range. We’ve already been impressed by the regular Kodiaq, awarding it our Best Large Family Car Award for 2025, but the vRS will provide a new performance edge that’s currently missing from the lineup. Buyers have their fair share of performance SUVs to pick from today, but few offer the space of the Kodiaq at its expected £50,000 price point.

What upgrades does the Skoda Kodiaq vRS get?

Open the bonnet of the Kodiaq vRS and you’ll find the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine as the Volkswagen Golf GTI – our Best Hot Hatchback 2025 award winner. It delivers an identical 261bhp, but here, power is sent to all four wheels through a dual-clutch automatic gearbox, rather than just the front pair. That results in a 0-62mph time of just 6.4 seconds, and it’ll keep accelerating up to 144mph.

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Bringing a car as large as the Kodiaq to a stop needs some hefty brakes, and Skoda has helpfully fitted uprated discs and calipers to the new vRS model. It also gets Skoda’s Dynamic Chassis Control Plus (DCC Plus) system, which brings adaptive suspension with 15 different settings. The Dynamic Sound Boost system uses a speaker under the car to provide a rortier soundtrack, too.

From the outside, you’ll spot a Kodiaq vRS model by its sportier front bumper and gloss black grille, plus the body-coloured side sills and rear bumper. The latter gets a pair of stainless steel exhaust tips, while you get 20-inch alloy wheels as standard. Inside, there’s microsuede upholstery, or optional perforated leather for the seats. A sports steering wheel and stainless steel pedal covers complete the sporty upgrades.

How much does the Skoda Kodiaq vRS cost and when can I buy one?

Pricing for the Skoda Kodiaq vRS won’t be confirmed until closer to its release date, which isn’t expected until early 2025. Given that the outgoing Kodiaq vRS cost from around £46,000, we wouldn’t be surprised if the new model costs around £50,000.

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