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Got my beastie yesterday. Great handover. Handed back my Citroen C4 Grand Picasso (C4GP) with a few bad marks for scraped rims and a few school carpark/supermarket scrapes and dings. Right after I'd handed back the C4GP, I bumped into the guy with the keys for Skodiaq who gave me a quick tour of the car and capabilities.
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One thing you have to understand about Citroen's C4 series is that they're 'alive with technology' (remember the iceskating transformer adverts a few years back?) so making the transition from the C4GP Exclusive+ to the Skodiaq Edition wasn't much of a culture shock in terms of gadgets and toys however... there is a very noticeable diffence in finish and quality, including components on the Skodiaq.
Important stuff:
I got the satnav figured out - oh my goodness its a tremendous relief to to have an integrated satnav that understands POSTCODES again. I can't tell you what a pain in the arse its been navigating the C4GP satnav, having to carefully type out country, town and street - never a fast or accurate experience on a touchscreen! The screen itself is lovely, clear, glossy, gorgeous.
I got my phone connected, set up as a hotspot for use by the satnav which successfully used it to re-route me around massive logjams of traffic on the M6 on the way home. And got access to my tunes - I carry a couple of days worth of back-to-back music on my phone. The sound system - which I believe is the stock 8-speaker system that comes with the Edition - is a massive improvement on the C4GP, much better range, far less distortion although it doesn't quite go as loud as I'd like it to. Nothing like blasting up the M6, through the empty section north of Preston with windows down and system up
To drive: again, a massive improvement on the C4GP. Naturally, the 2.0 TDI was more responsive than the 1.6 TDI on the C4GP but the star of the show is the DSG gearbox which makes effortless transitions through the ratios as opposed to the 'old man' dithering and delays between gear changes on the C4GP ESG auto gearbox. I quickly stopped missing the flappy paddles on the C4GP, after the kickdown on the DSG showed itself to be completely superior for overtaking acceleration. Bonkers responsiveness and acceleration in comparison.
Got a few looks on the 320 miles trip back, mostly from Skoda drivers. By and large, I found that people gave me more room than if I were driving the C4GP. I feel that this was helped by the all-round bright LED lights. Speaking of which, I am now driving a car with what I always used to call 'nobhead lights' i.e. those freaking bright LED jobbies that always dazzle oncoming traffic. This car is boasting automatically adjusting beams so... we'll see how that works out...
The A702 between the M6 and Edinburgh is a bit of a 'Colin McCrae' road - nice and windy and fast - and the car performed beautifully. Far less roll than the C4GP and a better, more solid handling overall. Again acceleration and responsiveness shines.
I like the remotely CLOSING as well as opening powered tailgate. That's nice. The 19" Triglav alloys are also properly monster rims.
Kids enjoyed it this morning on the school run. No-one dented it in the school carpark. Yet. It is BIG and stands head and shoulders above the saloons and sits comfortably amongst the Discos, Q7s and X5s in appearance and size. The Edition provides a return to chrome window trim and roofbars for me (God knows what Citroen were thinking, releasing the C4GP Exclusive+ with zero chrome) and that's just nice from a poser perspective
Oh! and the engine. I've never driven a diesel that provides such a petrol-soft and pleasing growl while accelerating. The C4GP had the stereotypical tractor-rattle diesel sound. Well done Skoda!
Gripes:
It's not clear from the config builder that the Edition does NOT come with FRONT parking sensors, as standard. I always reverse park anyway but it's something I miss, especially while familiarising myself with the dimensions of the new shape car.
Otherwise, I can'timagine being prouder to be a Skoda driver. Screw the haters: the Kodiaq is a properly excellent vehicle.
EDIT: This car is just so much fun to drive in comparison to the old MPV. Seriously, my jaw aches from grinning like bloody idiot all the way home.
EDIT: Delivery guy came the door just now and spent 5 minutes coo'ing over it
One thing you have to understand about Citroen's C4 series is that they're 'alive with technology' (remember the iceskating transformer adverts a few years back?) so making the transition from the C4GP Exclusive+ to the Skodiaq Edition wasn't much of a culture shock in terms of gadgets and toys however... there is a very noticeable diffence in finish and quality, including components on the Skodiaq.
Important stuff:
I got the satnav figured out - oh my goodness its a tremendous relief to to have an integrated satnav that understands POSTCODES again. I can't tell you what a pain in the arse its been navigating the C4GP satnav, having to carefully type out country, town and street - never a fast or accurate experience on a touchscreen! The screen itself is lovely, clear, glossy, gorgeous.
I got my phone connected, set up as a hotspot for use by the satnav which successfully used it to re-route me around massive logjams of traffic on the M6 on the way home. And got access to my tunes - I carry a couple of days worth of back-to-back music on my phone. The sound system - which I believe is the stock 8-speaker system that comes with the Edition - is a massive improvement on the C4GP, much better range, far less distortion although it doesn't quite go as loud as I'd like it to. Nothing like blasting up the M6, through the empty section north of Preston with windows down and system up
To drive: again, a massive improvement on the C4GP. Naturally, the 2.0 TDI was more responsive than the 1.6 TDI on the C4GP but the star of the show is the DSG gearbox which makes effortless transitions through the ratios as opposed to the 'old man' dithering and delays between gear changes on the C4GP ESG auto gearbox. I quickly stopped missing the flappy paddles on the C4GP, after the kickdown on the DSG showed itself to be completely superior for overtaking acceleration. Bonkers responsiveness and acceleration in comparison.
Got a few looks on the 320 miles trip back, mostly from Skoda drivers. By and large, I found that people gave me more room than if I were driving the C4GP. I feel that this was helped by the all-round bright LED lights. Speaking of which, I am now driving a car with what I always used to call 'nobhead lights' i.e. those freaking bright LED jobbies that always dazzle oncoming traffic. This car is boasting automatically adjusting beams so... we'll see how that works out...
The A702 between the M6 and Edinburgh is a bit of a 'Colin McCrae' road - nice and windy and fast - and the car performed beautifully. Far less roll than the C4GP and a better, more solid handling overall. Again acceleration and responsiveness shines.
I like the remotely CLOSING as well as opening powered tailgate. That's nice. The 19" Triglav alloys are also properly monster rims.
Kids enjoyed it this morning on the school run. No-one dented it in the school carpark. Yet. It is BIG and stands head and shoulders above the saloons and sits comfortably amongst the Discos, Q7s and X5s in appearance and size. The Edition provides a return to chrome window trim and roofbars for me (God knows what Citroen were thinking, releasing the C4GP Exclusive+ with zero chrome) and that's just nice from a poser perspective
Oh! and the engine. I've never driven a diesel that provides such a petrol-soft and pleasing growl while accelerating. The C4GP had the stereotypical tractor-rattle diesel sound. Well done Skoda!
Gripes:
It's not clear from the config builder that the Edition does NOT come with FRONT parking sensors, as standard. I always reverse park anyway but it's something I miss, especially while familiarising myself with the dimensions of the new shape car.
Otherwise, I can'timagine being prouder to be a Skoda driver. Screw the haters: the Kodiaq is a properly excellent vehicle.
EDIT: This car is just so much fun to drive in comparison to the old MPV. Seriously, my jaw aches from grinning like bloody idiot all the way home.
EDIT: Delivery guy came the door just now and spent 5 minutes coo'ing over it
