Whenever Skoda is working on a facelift, we’re worried something might go horribly wrong and we’d have another case of split headlights like the previous-generation Octavia. That won’t happen with the mid-cycle refresh the Kodiaq is about to undergo as the prototype spotted recently on a highway in the Czech Republic only had mild design tweaks.
Using as a foundation the spy video, Kolesa has attempted to envision what the three-row SUV was hiding underneath its mascara. We were able to spot new headlights (possibly with matrix LED tech) and an Octavia-like grille on the prototype. Both have now been digitally imagined for this 2021 Kodiaq speculative rendering.
The rear end has also been subjected to a few changes, inspired by Skoda’s flagship car. Those taillights and the wide metallic bar have been adapted from the Superb, but it remains to be seen whether the actual Kodiaq will inherit these cues from the Czech Passat. For what it’s worth, the prototype did seem to have slightly different graphics for the taillights, but the camo blocked our view.
While the styling will be more of the same, we are expecting some important changes in terms of powertrain. Logic tells us the Kodiaq will be offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain in the same vein as other VAG products that combine a 1.4 turbocharged gasoline engine with an electric motor. In addition, there’s a rumor about how the Kodiaq RS could switch to gasoline power, but it’s unclear whether the twin-turbodiesel engine is indeed on its way out.
The wraps will come off in 2021 when Skoda will also unveil the next-generation Fabia supermini, complete with a more practical wagon sibling. Spy shots indicate the company’s lineup will grow with the addition of an Enyaq GT representing a coupe-inspired derivative of the brand’s first fully electric SUV.