Škoda Kodiaq gains 200 kW plug-in hybrid and Laurin & Klement range-topper
Škoda has expanded the Kodiaq line-up with a new range-topping Laurin & Klement trim and a 200 kW plug-in hybrid, 50 kW more than the current version, with DC fast charging at up to 50 kW.
- 200 kW
- 50 kW
- 25.7 kWh
- 1.2 million
What Happened
The new plug-in hybrid raises system output to 200 kW, up 50 kW from the current 150 kW version. Škoda says the extra power comes from improvements to the combustion engine and revised software for the powertrain control unit. A 1.5 TSI four-cylinder petrol engine producing 130 kW works alongside an 85 kW electric motor. Energy is drawn from a traction battery with a gross capacity of 25.7 kWh (19.7 kWh net), which supports DC fast charging at up to 50 kW.
- 200 kW
- 150 kW
- 50 kW
- Seats with a massage function
- Silver roof rails
- Body-coloured front and rear bumpers and side sills
- Alloy wheels designed specifically for this trim
- Laurin & Klement badges inside and out
- Available with a choice of powertrains
The first-generation Kodiaq was Škoda's first large SUV based on the Volkswagen Group's MQB platform, offered with five or seven seats, a wide range of petrol and diesel powertrains and optional all-wheel drive. It was produced from 2016 to 2024, with a total of 866,100 units manufactured; around 60% of customers chose all-wheel drive and the five-seater proved slightly more popular than the seven-seater. Its key markets in Europe were Germany, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. The sporty Kodiaq RS arrived in 2018 as the first Škoda SUV to bear the RS badge, powered by a 176 kW (239 hp) 2.0 BiTDI turbodiesel, and an update in April 2021 added Matrix LED headlights and a 180 kW (245 hp) 2.0 TSI petrol engine for the RS.
The Alaskan city of Kodiak was renamed Kodiaq for one day in honour of the new model; the name was inspired by Alaska's Kodiak Island, with the final 'q' from the language of the indigenous Alutiiq people.
The first-generation Kodiaq SUV was unveiled in Berlin, with customer deliveries beginning in spring 2017.
Racing driver Sabine Schmitz set a lap record of 9 minutes 29.84 seconds for seven-seater SUVs on the Nordschleife of Germany's Nürburgring in a production Kodiaq RS, a record that still stands.
The current, second-generation Kodiaq was unveiled.
Series production of the second-generation Kodiaq started in Kvasiny.
Across its two generations the Kodiaq has attracted 1.2 million customers across 70 markets worldwide, and the current model accounts for almost 330,000 units produced to date. The second generation was unveiled on 4 October 2023, with series production starting in Kvasiny in mid-January 2024. Compared with the first generation it offers more space, incorporates elements of the Modern Solid design language and features multifunctional rotary Škoda Smart Dials. This generation also introduced a plug-in hybrid to the range, the Kodiaq iV, with a maximum system output of 150 kW (204 hp) and an all-electric range of over 100 kilometres.
- More than 40 accolades for the first-generation Kodiaq
- Top Gear's 'Best Car for Big Families' award for the first generation
- 'Car of the Year' titles in the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria
- SUV import category win at the 2026 Auto Bild Allrad Awards, the third consecutive year
- Further honours from Auto Express and What Car? for the second generation
- The Kodiaq RS reached the final of the 2025 Golden Steering Wheel awards
Previously from Škoda
Škoda has been widening its electrified line-up in recent weeks. Earlier in October, the brand made the Octavia its first full hybrid, pairing a 1.5 TSI petrol engine with two electric motors that switch automatically between all-electric, series and parallel operation.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Škoda's official releases.
Why this matters
The Kodiaq is Škoda's large family SUV and has drawn 1.2 million buyers across 70 markets in ten years, so a more powerful plug-in hybrid and a comfort-focused range-topper widen what buyers can choose. The 200 kW output and DC fast charging at up to 50 kW make the electrified version more convenient to recharge during stops on longer journeys, according to Škoda.
Terms in This Story
- Plug-in hybrid
- A car with both a petrol engine and a battery-powered electric motor that can be recharged from an external power source and driven on electricity alone.
- DC fast charging
- Charging a battery with direct current at high power, allowing much quicker top-ups than a standard AC socket or wallbox.
- MQB platform
- The Volkswagen Group's shared engineering base for cars with transversely mounted engines, used across several of the group's brands and models.
- TSI
- Škoda and Volkswagen's designation for their turbocharged, direct-injection petrol engines.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.