[dugw]

Hi all, this is a little rant of my though process when I had to make the tough decisions of choosing between the Skoda kodiaq and Seat Tarraco .

This is my list of pros of the things that I like for each vehicle and why I ultimately chose the Tarraco over the Kodiaq, this is all my personal opinion,

Pro - Tarraco

1. Exterior Styling - This is subjective obviously and I think both cars looks great, most car reviewers agree that the Seat looks the best out of the Tiguan / Kodiaq / Tarraco segment.

Kodiaq brings a very rugged outdoor styling and looks better off-road than the Tarraco, while the Tarraco looks better on the tarmac.

What I like about the Kodiaq is that it doesn't look like a 7 seater, the shape gives the illusion that it is a smaller car while the Tarraco looks more like a 7 seater / wagon. However Tarraco front end styling with the new lights are really cool.

What I didn't like about the Kodiaq is the Square shape wheel arc which provides too much "thigh gap" on the rear wheel and I don't like being able to see the mud under the wheel arc. The normal rounded wheel arc in the Tarraco suits my taste more as it makes the car looks a bit lower.

2. Interior Styling - Cockpit dash, vents - I much prefer the Tarraco interior styling, the Kodiaq Vertical air vents, and positions are a turn off to me I don't know why the dash felt bulkier and I think it sits slightly higher giving less frontal visibility (could just be my perception)

3. Driving profile knob, volume knob - A couple of little things that I love are the rotational knobs, a volume knob is a must-have for my wife and we hate press & hold on a screen to turn the volume up / down, it's just faster with the knob. I think you can still get volume knob in the kodiaq but in lower trim level.

The Kodiaq doesn't have a driving profile knob, it has a "mode" button instead

4. Digital Dash - Seat Digital Dash design and colour scheme are much better, I like how the screen is tailored to the curved shape of the dash while the Kodiaq dash is pretty much a rectangle shape. And I think the screen itself is a bit better, seems to have deeper black than the Kodiaq version

5. Gear shifter - Prefer the Tarraco / Tiguan style shifter than the Kodiaq, just feels and look more modern, the kodiaq shifter is quite ugly imo.

6. 140KW TSI Engine - Tarraco has the new gen 140KW TSI engine which is slightly better than the 132KW that the kodiaq, more power and better fuel econ somehow this is a big plus.

7. Quieter Cabin - Tarraco cabin is noticeably quieter than the Kodiaq, the Kodiaq really sounds and feels like I'm driving a truck or something.

8. Softer headrest / 4 way adjustable - Didn't notice this at first but the Tarraco headrest also adjustable forward and backward like the Tiguan, and feels softer than the Kodiaq which is only 2 way adjustable.

9. Dark roof lining - This is a pro and con in a way, Dark roof lining feels more premium than the standard beige, however, if you don't have the sunroof it can feel too dark and claustrophobic. I have a sunroof so it feels amazing

10. The Drive - Pretty sure I'm not imagining it but the Tarraco feels sportier to drive, I think because of the newer TSI engine and the DCC might be tuned better. I didn't really notice the difference as much in the Kodiaq DCC switching to sports mode.

Pro - Kodiaq

1. Price - In NZ Kodiaq of the same spec is better priced by about $3-$4K NZD and it is also more popular than the seat and likely have better resale value. I really had to battle with the Seat dealer to get them to match Kodiaq prices, I almost bought the Kodiaq because of this.

2. (Sleep pack) Second row Blinds + Sleep Headrest - I love this option in the Kodiaq I wish Tarraco have one, but in the end, it wasn't available to me unless I want to do factory order and pay full price.

3. Perforated Leather seat / Ventilated seat - The leather seat in the Kodiaq is much better than the Tarraco. The Perforation gives it a more premium look and feels a lot softer and added bonus it is also ventilated which is amazing, shame Tarraco doesn't have this option

4. Heated Steering - WHY is Tarraco missing this option ?! once you get Heated Steering you don't want to go back, this is a big sacrifice to me.

5. Umbrella in-door - Love it but I'm concerned that this makes the door thicker than necessary making it harder to get out in tight spaces.

6. Door protector - Also love it, but I'm concerned with jamming the Kids finger, it almost got me when I was demoing the car.

7. Multi-color ambient lighting - Cool standard feature, Tarraco only have a single color, just nice to have.

 

[stellamaris5]

Agree with most points, but for me in the UK the Tarraco had better value/price ratio than the Kodiaq at the time I bought it. Had I specced all the options on the Kodiaq that are standard on the Tarraco it would have come out approx £1.5k more expensive at least and they had a 0% promotion on where Skoda was 6.4%.

Otherwise I would have been happy with either car to be honest.

Sleep pack is great in the Kodaiq but there are other aftermarket options you can add so not a big one for me.

Umbrella in door - meh
Door protector, seem to break a lot according to Briskoda forum and they don't really protect the lower part of the door so more of a 'Simply Clever' gimmick from Skoda
Multi-colored ambient lighting - great for a while but more of a gimmick as well

Heated steering wheel - not needed in the UK and we park in garage so the car is never cold. Pnbviously personal preference but for me not required.

NOt keen on leather to be honest so ventilated seats are a no anyway in that case.

The Pros I agree all with but most stick out is the drive, Tarraco 's suspension is 2cms lower and it definetely drives better. Steering is better as well, Only one turn of the wheel for full lock is amazing

 

[dugw]

Nt keen on leather to be honest so ventilated seats are a no anyway in that case.

I agree, I'm not that keen on leather seats, but ventilated is nice and would have tip me into opting for leather, but saving money not getting the leather on the tarraco is also good.

Tarraco 's suspension is 2cms lower and it definetely drives better.

can you provide source for this, always get conflicting information when I search, thanks

 

[stellamaris5]

can you provide source for this, always get conflicting information when I search, thanks

Not really. Heard it mentioned on various reviews.

Also forgot to mention, the Tarraco is fully covered underneath the body. On the Kodiaq you have to pay extra for the rough road package. At least in the UK

 

[Uggzy2014]

Hi all, this is a little rant of my though process when I had to make the tough decisions of choosing between the Skoda kodiaq and Seat Tarraco .

This is my list of pros of the things that I like for each vehicle and why I ultimately chose the Tarraco over the Kodiaq, this is all my personal opinion,

Pro - Tarraco

1. Exterior Styling - This is subjective obviously and I think both cars looks great, most car reviewers agree that the Seat looks the best out of the Tiguan / Kodiaq / Tarraco segment.

Kodiaq brings a very rugged outdoor styling and looks better off-road than the Tarraco, while the Tarraco looks better on the tarmac.

What I like about the Kodiaq is that it doesn't look like a 7 seater, the shape gives the illusion that it is a smaller car while the Tarraco looks more like a 7 seater / wagon. However Tarraco front end styling with the new lights are really cool.

What I didn't like about the Kodiaq is the Square shape wheel arc which provides too much "thigh gap" on the rear wheel and I don't like being able to see the mud under the wheel arc. The normal rounded wheel arc in the Tarraco suits my taste more as it makes the car looks a bit lower.

2. Interior Styling - Cockpit dash, vents - I much prefer the Tarraco interior styling, the Kodiaq Vertical air vents, and positions are a turn off to me I don't know why the dash felt bulkier and I think it sits slightly higher giving less frontal visibility (could just be my perception)

3. Driving profile knob, volume knob - A couple of little things that I love are the rotational knobs, a volume knob is a must-have for my wife and we hate press & hold on a screen to turn the volume up / down, it's just faster with the knob. I think you can still get volume knob in the kodiaq but in lower trim level.

The Kodiaq doesn't have a driving profile knob, it has a "mode" button instead

4. Digital Dash - Seat Digital Dash design and colour scheme are much better, I like how the screen is tailored to the curved shape of the dash while the Kodiaq dash is pretty much a rectangle shape. And I think the screen itself is a bit better, seems to have deeper black than the Kodiaq version

5. Gear shifter - Prefer the Tarraco / Tiguan style shifter than the Kodiaq, just feels and look more modern, the kodiaq shifter is quite ugly imo.

6. 140KW TSI Engine - Tarraco has the new gen 140KW TSI engine which is slightly better than the 132KW that the kodiaq, more power and better fuel econ somehow this is a big plus.

7. Quieter Cabin - Tarraco cabin is noticeably quieter than the Kodiaq, the Kodiaq really sounds and feels like I'm driving a truck or something.

8. Softer headrest / 4 way adjustable - Didn't notice this at first but the Tarraco headrest also adjustable forward and backward like the Tiguan, and feels softer than the Kodiaq which is only 2 way adjustable.

9. Dark roof lining - This is a pro and con in a way, Dark roof lining feels more premium than the standard beige, however, if you don't have the sunroof it can feel too dark and claustrophobic. I have a sunroof so it feels amazing

10. The Drive - Pretty sure I'm not imagining it but the Tarraco feels sportier to drive, I think because of the newer TSI engine and the DCC might be tuned better. I didn't really notice the difference as much in the Kodiaq DCC switching to sports mode.

Pro - Kodiaq

1. Price - In NZ Kodiaq of the same spec is better priced by about $3-$4K NZD and it is also more popular than the seat and likely have better resale value. I really had to battle with the Seat dealer to get them to match Kodiaq prices, I almost bought the Kodiaq because of this.

2. (Sleep pack) Second row Blinds + Sleep Headrest - I love this option in the Kodiaq I wish Tarraco have one, but in the end, it wasn't available to me unless I want to do factory order and pay full price.

3. Perforated Leather seat / Ventilated seat - The leather seat in the Kodiaq is much better than the Tarraco. The Perforation gives it a more premium look and feels a lot softer and added bonus it is also ventilated which is amazing, shame Tarraco doesn't have this option

4. Heated Steering - WHY is Tarraco missing this option ?! once you get Heated Steering you don't want to go back, this is a big sacrifice to me.

5. Umbrella in-door - Love it but I'm concerned that this makes the door thicker than necessary making it harder to get out in tight spaces.

6. Door protector - Also love it, but I'm concerned with jamming the Kids finger, it almost got me when I was demoing the car.

7. Multi-color ambient lighting - Cool standard feature, Tarraco only have a single color, just nice to have.

Kodiaq is way overpriced by comparison, you can't get anywhere near tarraco once you start adding extras to the kodiaq, so in my case it was well outside my price range anyway.

In terms of looks I honestly think in certain colours like red in particular the kodiaq sportline is a little better looking than the tarraco, especially at the rear end with it's sharp tail lights and chrome fake exhausts. In that respect I would be tempted to get it over the tarraco if it weren't for the price, which was unaffordable coming in at over £35k!

In all other trim levels the kodiaq is plain ugly and boring to look at and the Tarraco in all but SE trim wins on looks over them. The real champion in that regard however is the Tiguan Allspace R-Line, which would be my first choice 7 seat suv if I had the cash!

In the interior I think the tarraco is pretty good, but the Kodiaq has the edge, however a big put off for me in the kodiaq is the dials that again look a bit boring, I much prefer the italic font on the Seat dials and their use of colour to add that sporty feel.

Obviously handling & body lean is better with the Tarraco as well and since both cars use the same engine line up I think it's hard to argue the Tarraco is the clear winner from a value for money stand point.

Still that Kodiaq sportline does look nice and I have a feeling if you put a tarraco and kodiaq sportline side by side and removed the badges, you would be forgiven for guessing the tarraco was a skoda and the kodiaq sportline was a Seat, especially since kodiaq shares a lot of it's lines with the Ateca.

 

[dugw]

Also forgot to mention, the Tarraco is fully covered underneath the body. On the Kodiaq you have to pay extra for the rough road package. At least in the UK

Yes, I noticed this too! it was a nice surprise after I purchased it :mrgreen:

 

[SizzlingPotato]

Also forgot to mention, the Tarraco is fully covered underneath the body. On the Kodiaq you have to pay extra for the rough road package. At least in the UK

Yes, I noticed this too! it was a nice surprise after I purchased it :mrgreen:

Is that a good thing when it comes to repairs and inspections?

 

[dugw]

Is that a good thing when it comes to repairs and inspections?

well not really, but first 3 years service $1500 nzd value is included with my purchase and $500/year typically what I expect for a modern car and I will probably buy the 3 years service deal after it end so that the service cost is flat rate.

My previous dodge journey service was typically over $600

the covers also acts as car diffuser for better air flow, noise reduction at higher speed, pays for itself I think.