- Seems to be based on the hotter RS version

- Expected to arrive late next year

After unveiling the mid-life update for the Kodiaq in April 2021, Skoda is out testing another prototype of their flagship SUV on the public roads. Spied for the first time since its last update, the prototype could be for a newer version or an early test mule for the next-gen Kodiaq due to arrive in 2024.

Since the concealing is only on the front and back, the prototype looks like it's carrying another mild cosmetic update. But it is also testing larger wheels from the RS and has slammed the rear-axle owing to the towing equipment it is carrying around. So this could be the return of the discontinued Scout version or a whole new version that Skoda might want to introduce in its SUV line-up soon.

There might also be a new powertrain under test in the form of this prototype. With the electrification push and Skoda’s experimentation with CNG-powered engines for certain markets, this Kodiaq prototype might as well be testing a new powertrain for the next generation of models. Or it could most likely be Volkswagen Group’s plug-in hybrid powertrain testing here under the Kodiaq’s skin.

But the Kodiaq’s sibling under the VAG umbrella, the Volkswagen Tiguan, is already getting ready for a generation change; a prototype of which has already been seen wearing a production-ready body. So could Kodiaq be following suit with its next-generation model? It is too early to tell since the next major update for Skoda’s SUV is a couple of years away.