Skoda’s new Kodiaq RS performance SUV has concluded the last part of its journey to the Arctic Circle and beyond. The car has covered 1,417 kilometers (880 miles) from the city of Rovaniemi, Finland to the northern extremes of Europe, on to the North Cape of Norway, and back again. Low air temperatures and strong winds (up to 70 km/h, or 43 mph) made the route especially challenging.
The Skoda test drive team left Rovaniemi at 11:00 p.m. local time and reached the state border of Norway by 4:00 a.m. It reached its destination on the cape five hours later. The team then turned around for an equally long way back. The only stops they made were at state borders and gas stations. In the end, the vehicle showed an average speed of 67 km/h (42 mph).
The Skoda Kodiaq RS comes equipped with a two-liter, bi-turbo diesel engine manufacturer-rated at 240 hp (179 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lbft) of torque. Partnered with a seven-speed DCT and 4WD system, it accelerates the car to 100 km/h (62 mph) in seven seconds flat before hitting the limit at 220 km/h (137 mph).
Photo: Skoda