Czech-mate: Photos Leak of Skoda SUV That Could Come to the U.S.
Published: September 1st, 2016
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A Czech SUV that borrows its name from an Alaskan town, island and bear has been revealed ahead of its launch later today.The Škoda Kodiaq has been teased by the surging automaker throughout its lengthy development, but here it is in the flesh. The low-resolution images leaked on the Serbian enthusiast forum Skodaforum.rs earlier today. Will it show up in America, or is a corporate cousin too close?
Škoda wants the Kodiaq to carry the brand’s flag to new markets, where it hopes to boost already rising sales. The Volkswagen-owned brand posted its best sales figures in history last year, but the automaker is wary of entering the U.S. market. Recently, the brand’s CEO said he felt the Kodiaq would be a “home run” with utility-hungry American buyers.The automaker has already trademarked all of the necessary badging in the U.S., but we’ll have to wait until next year to find out if there’ll be a Czech invasion.The Kodiaq is said to be closely related to the upcoming 2017 Volkswagen Teramont, another SUV with high hopes for the U.S. Both are three-row models, and while the Škoda adds diesel power to the mix (we don’t know the Teramont’s powertrain), hybrid variants are expected for both.Volkswagen plans to slash sticker prices on its vehicles in a bid to reverse sinking sales, and it’s reasonable to expect value pricing (or what passes for it) on the Teramont. The automaker has a big SUV and crossover push planned, and a model like the Kodiaq could erode the Teramont’s sales. That alone is a big rationale for not bringing the Škoda brand stateside.[Images: Skodaforum.rs]
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Looks like a Chinese mashup of a Kia and a Grand Cherokee. A VAG product under a different nameplate is still a VAG product. And owning a VAG product is a mistake I won't be making again. Pass.
I don't see how VW would gain much by adding another nameplate (Skoda) to the U.S. market. OTOH, if they wanted to rebadge some Skodas as VWs in the U.S. to help keep the prices down, that makes sense.