IT may come as a surprise to hear that Skoda is the most cost-effective brand within the giant VW-Audi empire.

That means it's more profitable than Porsche, Audi, SEAT and even Volkswagen itself. The Czech firm is also credited as being the best for reliability.

So it's hard, these days, to believe Skoda was once regarded as a bit of a joke in Britainâ¦frequently the butt of music hall jibes.

Fast forward to today's Skoda range, and one of its stars - the Kodiaq, which was the firm's first foray into the SUV market.

The latest version couples electric with ICE power to provide roomy family transport combined with frugal running, banishing concerns about range anxiety on the way.

Five and seven seat versions are available and there's the choice between two and four wheel drive. We opted for the front drive 1.5-litre TSI e-TEC five seater which pumps out 201bhp, allowing punchy acceleration alongside 45mpg-plus economy.

Slightly larger than the earlier Kodiaq but with the same wheelbase, you can't help be impressed by the cabin space. Head and legroom both front and rear are abundant and the boot at 745litres is the size of a small house!

Fold down the split rear seats and there's almost 2,000 litres of cargo capacity. You sit with a commanding view of the road and, thanks to relatively slim pillars, all-round vision is excellent.

No problem finding a comfy driving position - the driver's front seat is electrically adjustable while the steering column has a manual lever to set the correct position. Controls are mainly via the large touchscreen, but there are a few old-school knobs and buttons for heating.

The facia is attractively styled with a terraced approach that gives it a classy look. The materials chosen are generally of good quality though not everyone will like the large stitching that adorns the dash.

The six-speed auto gearbox is controlled by a lever on the right of the steering wheel. This takes a bit of getting used to, but works well enough.

The transmission occasionally briefly hunts for the right ratio which can be somewhat disconcerting but generally provides smooth well-judged changes.

The battery allows an immediate power response but even when joined by the combustion engine noise levels remain pleasantly muted.

Skoda engineers have majored on comfort and ease of driving rather than dynamic performance, which is probably the right direction to go for a family SUV. So there's marginally more cornering roll than sportier rivals, the upside being that poor roads - and there are many of these - are smoothed out better, making for a more relaxed journey.

The steering is reasonably high geared with a positivity that's absent in many rival high-riders, though there's not a huge amount of road feel passed back to the driver.

As indicated, the electric aided 1.5-litre engine is admirably miserly and our average of 46mpg should be within reach of the majority of owners.

Although Skoda no longer plugs its ‘simply clever' slogan there are still some nice, thoughtful touches - an umbrella secreted in the driver's door and a clip on the windscreen to attach parking tickets.

£44,745

1.5-litre, 4 cyl mild petrol hybrid, 201bhp engine driving front wheels via automatic gearbox

130mph

8.4sec

173.0

25

11g/km

6%

3yrs/60,000 miles

4.5