THE Kodiaq is the largest SUV in Skoda's line-up and is available with five or seven seats.

There is a choice of petrol and diesel engines and the Czech manufacturer also offers it with a choice of trims and two or four-wheel drive.

It arrived back in 2016 and earlier this year it was given a refresh to make it even more attractive.

It competes against its siblings in the VW group as well as offerings from the premium German brands, Jaguar and Volvo.

More efficient and featuring recycled materials, the new Kodiaq also offers more cabinspace and a bigger boot, as well as LED Matrix headlights and ergonomic seats.

Available with two diesel and two petrol engines delivering various outputs and for the first time, a plug-in hybrid powertrain, it is now larger inside and out.

As a result passengers in the third row of seats now have more room than in the previous model.

Its substantial size means it has lots of presence and in metallic paint - a£660 option - it looked really smart.

I tried the 1.5 TSI e-TEC SE L model which delivers 150ps and comes with the excellent 7-speed DSG automatic box. It boasts comprehensive equipment and all the latest tech.

It sits on silver polished 19-inch alloys and features exterior dark chrome styling

It is packed with standard kit including all the usual electric aids as well as a rear view parking camera, climate control and a full complement of safety equipment.

A 13-inch touchscreen operates the sat nav, infotainment and smartphone connectivity, and includes Skoda's Connect which provides live journey information and real-time navigation details plus remote access to assistance. The dash features a 10.25-inch virtual cockpit and there is also a head ip display if you pay another £530.

A smart multifunction sports steering wheel feels good as does the rest of the high quality cabin.

There is a huge amount of room inside and the luggage capacity has also increased by up to 75 litres to 910 litres and to 2,105 litres with all the rear seats folded.

The 150ps petrol engine is smooth and economical and combined with the seven-speed DSG auto box, it proves a comfortable drive, slipping through the gears without any fuss.

Acceleration to 62mph takes 9.9 seconds and the top speed is 127mph, while the combined economy figure is 44.5-42.8mpg.

Handling is also decent for this size of vehicle, with little body roll, and a supple ride.