To commemorate the anniversary of the Second World War, which began on September 1 86 years ago, I completed an epic road test of more than 2,500 miles – probably my longest ever – across Europe to Poland and Czechia, in a Skoda Kodiaq SUV.
With my eldest son in tow, I was following in the footsteps of my late father David, who, as a 22-year-old in the Tyneside Scottish Black Watch regiment, fought against the invading Germans in the north of France in May 1940.
This created a vital window for the ‘miracle’ evacuation of nearly 340,000 Allied troops from the Dunkirk beaches. But cut off and surrounded, Dad was captured and transported as a prisoner of war to POW camps in Poland for five years before eventually being liberated near Nuremberg.
Unlike Dad, we enjoyed the luxury of a car to visit these places, and crossing the Channel with Le Shuttle train (leshuttle.com) proved far easier than in 1940.
Potent: The Skoda Kodiaq is powered by a potent 193hp, 2.0 litre TDI turbo-diesel engine, linked to a seven-speed automatic gear-box
Powered by a potent 193hp, 2.0 litre TDI turbo-diesel engine, linked to a seven-speed automatic gear-box, my all-wheel drive Kodiaq proved an absolute mile-muncher on German derestricted autobahns, with plenty of overtaking power.
From a standing start, it accelerates to 62mph in eight seconds, up to a top speed of 134mph.
With a full tank, the Kodiaq offered more than 500 miles of range, and every time I checked, the dial was clocking up around 46 miles to the gallon – more than the official figure of 44.6mpg. Let’s hear it for much-maligned diesel!
While there are seven driving modes, normal and sport were my default – though off-road was handy for climbing a woodland track to a lime quarry in Vapenna, Czechia, where dad worked.
Though usable as a seven-seater, I stowed away the extra two seats for more boot space.
The satnav proved faultless throughout, and it is packed with kit from blind-spot detection to cameras. Plus, despite its size, it’s a doddle to park. At the time of delivery, the base car cost £48,725 but extras including the panoramic sunroof (£1,725), exceptionally useful head up display (£530) and a convenience-plus package, pushed the price up from to £54,300.
Still a lot of car for the money.
Ray pictured with the Skoda Kodiaq SUV at the beginning of his epic journey
The Kodiaq cleverly uses three multi-purpose ‘smart’ dials on the dashboard to control a variety of functions
Powered by a potent 193hp, 2.0 litre TDI turbo-diesel engine, linked to a seven-speed automatic gear-box, the all-wheel drive Kodiaq proved a mile-muncher on German autobahns
With a full tank, the Kodiaq offered more than 500 miles of range, and the dial clocked up around 46 miles to the gallon
The Kodiaq offered lots of interior space, comfortable sporty seats front and back, with plenty of cubby holes and a power-lift rear hatch
Prices for the 5-seater Skoda Kodiaq range start from £38,140, and the 7-seater from £39,000 (both in base SE trim).
Skoda Kodiaq trim levels in ascending order are: SE, SE L, Sportline and vRS.
My big cuddly Kodiaq (aptly named after a bear) offered lots of interior space, comfortable sporty seats front and back, with plenty of cubby holes and a power-lift rear hatch. It has real dominating road presence and smart sharp looks, privacy glass, and retractable panoramic glass roof.
The Kodiaq cleverly uses three multi-purpose ‘smart’ dials on the dashboard to control a variety of functions including air-con and the seven drive modes: eco, comfort, normal, sport, off-road, snow and individual.
Frankly, I’d prefer drive modes to have their own dedicated dial. But along with a fiddly way of entering sat-nav afdrress, these are minor quibbles for an otherwise great car with which I’d spent so much time and distance.
VERDICT
This practical, flexible and reassuringly powerful and roomy Czech-built Skoda Kodiaq Sportline 4X4 in a fetching Velvet Red metallic proved the perfect choice for our road-trip.
It has masses of mid-range pulling power and really shifts on faster roads but still has good manners around town too.
I’d forgotten how good diesel can be.
Indeed the Metropolitan Police have been testing it out for themselves and are about to introduce this very model onto their fleet.
And in sharp contrast to dad’s five years as a POW, it was perfect for our great escape.
Will it fit in my garage? Skoda Kodiaq Sportline 2.0 litre TDI turbo diesel 4X4
Colour: Velvet Red metallic
Skoda Kodiaq Sportline 2.0 litre TDI turbo diesel 4X4 £54,300 (£48,725 plus extras)
Miles driven on trip: More than 2,500 miles
Seats: 7 (but driven in 5 seat mode to boost vast boot space)
Length: 4,758mm Width: 1,864mm (without mirrors) Height: 1,659mm Wheelbase: 2,791mm
Engine: 2.0 litre TDI turbo diesel Transmission: 7-speed automatic DSG / All-wheel drive 4X4
0 to 62mph: 8.0 seconds Top speed: 134mph Fuel economy: 44.6mpg
Driving modes: eco, comfort, normal, sport, off-road, snow and individual.
Extras on my car include
Head up display: £530 Panoramic sun-roof: £1,725 Convenience Plus package: £1,470 Velvet Red metallic paint: £410.00
Following in my father’s wartime footsteps: Ray’s 2,500 mile route over a fortnight in the Skoda Kodiaq
Selfless: Ray’s father David was captured in France and force-marched to Germany
Once across (or under) the Channel courtesy of LeShuttle tunnel, I followed with my eldest son in the footsteps of my late father David who, as a 22-year-old in the Tyneside Scottish Black Watch regiment, fought as part of the British Expeditionary Force in France in May 1940 (nine months after war was declared).
Armed with his Lee Enfield .303 rifle, he took part in the last British counter-attack in the village of Ficheux south of Arras against the invading Germans, facing Rommel’s tanks and the SS Totenkopf.
This last-ditch action created a vital window for the subsequent ‘miracle’ evacuation of nearly 340,000 Allied troops from the Dunkirk beaches.
But cut off and surrounded, dad and surviving troops were captured, force-marched starving and at bayonet-point over three weeks to Trier in Germany, crammed into cattle trucks and, amid widespread dysentery, transported by rail to Poland where he spent five years in captivity including at the infamous ‘hell camp’ Stalag VIIIB at Lamsdorf (now a Polish war memorial in Lambinowice near Opole – https://www.cmjw.pl/) and a lime quarry just over the Czech border in Vapenna (formely Setzdorf) where dad worked as forced labour.
Five years later in one of the coldest winters on record he and thousands more British POWs were force-marched on foot back to Germany (he saw and heard Dresden being bombed), ahead of advancing Soviet troops. Many did not survive what has been dubbed the ‘Death March’. He thankfully did – and lived to 91. But he was 27 (the same age as my eldest son) when after five years as a POW he was finally liberated near Nuremberg.
Taxi of mum and dad on road for ‘eight days’ per year
Parents in the UK spend the equivalent of eight days a year transporting their children to extracurricular activities, according to new research by Citroen UK.
The ‘taxi of mum and dad’ chauffeur their offspring for more than 1,600 miles – enough to get from London to Bucharest.
London to Bucharest: The ‘taxi of mum and dad’ chauffeur their offspring for more than 1,600 miles
The research, carried out in association with England Athletics to encourage young people to get active, reveals that nearly two thirds (64 per cent) of children rely on their parents to drive them to extracurricular activities.
But 93 per cent of parents said journeys helped them connect with their children, with nearly half saying their child discusses problems or emotions en route.
The study of 2,000 drivers revealed that 28 per cent spend up to four hours a week transporting their children, averaging 3.66 hours and 31.5 miles per week, while 27 per cent drive up to 50 miles a week.