Skoda Kodiaq vs BYD Shark 6

What's the difference?

The new Skoda Kodiaq Select 140TSI is a quiet achiever. It may not be as flashy as some of its rivals, and the engine won’t knock your socks off, but it delivers where it counts. This is a well-rounded seven-seater that’s comfortable, practical and cleverly equipped with more standard features than you’d typically expect from a base grade. If you’re after a family SUV that flies under the radar but ticks all the right boxes, the Kodiaq deserves a close look.

BYD’s Shark 6 continues to break new ground with its work-focused Dynamic PHEV cab-chassis, which impresses with its quiet operation, spirited acceleration, excellent handling, single-digit fuel economy and generous standard equipment at a competitive price. However, its tow rating is one tonne less than PHEV ute rivals which could be a deal breaker for some.

From the outside, the new Kodiaq looks more athletic than bulky, with a long and low stance that gives it a sleeker profile than many of its taller, boxier rivals.

The new restyled grille, 19-inch alloy wheels, and distinctive C-shaped LED tail lights give it an understated but handsome roadside presence. This is an SUV that favours quiet confidence with a European flair.

Step inside, and the cabin continues that design language with a stylish, angular dashboard and a well-considered layout that’s both practical and premium in feel. The black leather upholstery, crisp technology displays are complemented by Skoda’s clever new multi-function rotary dials.

Even in the base Select grade, the interior punches above its price point.

The Shark 6 projects a bold grille and headlight treatment that appears to draw inspiration from full-size US pick-ups, but with an LED-enhanced ‘technical’ look consistent with its hybrid drivetrain.

Like its stablemates, the cab-chassis version rides on a 3260mm wheelbase with generous length/width/height dimensions similar to a Ford Ranger.

The interior with its synthetic leather seating has a high-quality look and feel, with brightly contrasting red air-vent/cupholder surrounds and exposed red stitching along numerous seams throughout the cabin adding to its visual appeal.

The Kodiaq does a solid job of blending family friendly space with clever design. Up front, there’s plenty of room to stretch out, and the wide door apertures combined with a 187mm ground clearance make getting in and out a breeze.

The front seats are genuinely comfortable, with thick padding, supportive side bolsters, extendable under-thigh supports and heating for both front occupants, which is a nice inclusion at this price point. The driver’s seat is also electrically adjustable with memory, which adds a layer of convenience.

Skoda has a reputation for smart storage and the new Kodiaq continues that trend. There’s a sunglasses holder, an umbrella nook inside the drivers door, removable rubbish bins in each front door pocket and a handy dual glove box set-up. The centre console offers a mix of deep storage, two cupholders and lots of charging options, including two USB-C ports and dual wireless charging pads, plus a third USB-C near the rearview mirror.

That said, the tech experience hasn’t been completely seamless. The 13.0-inch multimedia display looks sharp, but the touchscreen can be laggy at times. The three multi-function dials, while clever in theory, aren’t always intuitive in practice. Changing functions on the go can be fiddly, and I found the climate control system occasionally unresponsive — the ‘sync’ function worked inconsistently and for some reason, we couldn’t always unlock or adjust the rear climate control.

On the plus side, the system includes built-in sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. CarPlay connected easily and stayed stable throughout the week.

In the second row, my eight-year-old had no trouble hopping in and out, and while the seats are on the firmer side, they’re still comfortable enough for long drives. Amenities are strong with two USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket, map pockets with device holders, and retractable sunblinds. There’s also a removable centre shelf between the seats that works as a clever storage solution, and the bench is wide enough to take advantage of all three top-tether anchor points.

And I have to call out one of my favourite Skoda features, the pop-out door edge protectors! This is the first time I’ve seen them in action and they’re brilliant. They automatically deploy as you open the door, helping prevent bumps and dings, which is a lifesaver for parents with energetic kids (like mine) who fling doors open with zero hesitation.

As with most three-row SUVs in this segment, the Kodiaq’s third row is best suited to kids. Adults can technically squeeze in but space is limited, with legroom and headroom both tight. It’s worth noting there are no directional air vents, USB charging ports or top-tether anchor points in the third row either, which might be a downside for some families.

Boot space, on the other hand, is a strong point. Even with all seven seats in use, there’s still a very usable 340L of cargo capacity which, is enough for a few school bags or a compact pram. There’s also an underfloor compartment for storing the cargo cover and space-saver spare tyre, which keeps things tidy. Fold the third row down and the capacity jumps to a generous 910L, giving you loads of room for family gear, groceries, or weekend luggage. The powered tailgate is another welcome convenience, especially when your hands are full.

With its hefty 2600kg kerb weight (without tray) and 3500kg GVM, the Shark 6 Dynamic has a 900kg payload rating which, after deducting the weight of the aluminium tray (150kg) and towbar assembly (50kg) as fitted to our test vehicle, lowers the remaining payload to 700kg.

It’s also rated to tow up to 2500kg of braked trailer which is 1000kg or one tonne less than the category benchmark and all PHEV ute rivals. And with its 5750kg GCM rating (or how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time), towing its maximum trailer weight would leave 650kg of vehicle payload capacity which drops to 450kg after deducting the combined weight of the tray/towbar.

And that 450kg of payload could easily be used up by the weight of four large tradies before you could think about loading their gear, so it’s important to be aware of these weight ratings if you’re planning to tow heavy trailers.

The optional aluminium tray is designed in partnership and manufactured by Aussie aftermarket off-road equipment specialist, Ironman. According to our tape measure, its internal dimensions are 1680mm length and 1810mm width with 260mm-deep drop-sides.

It has a sturdy tubular aluminium front bulkhead topped by vertical load retainers on each side plus external rope rails and eight internal load anchorage points.

The driver's side lockable storage box tucked up behind the rear wheel is integral with the cab-chassis structure and therefore separate from the tray, which allows any tray or service body to be mounted above it without compromising the propulsion battery's charge port and trio of V2L three-pin sockets mounted inside. The matching passenger-side storage box differs only in being part of the tray structure and therefore removable.

Seating is spacious and comfortable for the driver and front passenger while the rear bench seat is equally accommodating, given I’m 186cm and when seated behind the driver’s seat set in my position I still have ample knee and headroom.

Head clearance is also sufficient when seated in the central position, which is enhanced with a flat floor to avoid having to straddle a transmission tunnel. However, shoulder room for a trio of adults is tight, so travelling with three in the rear seat is best limited to short drives.

Cabin storage for front seat occupants includes a bottle holder and bin in each front door, an overhead glasses holder plus a glove box and dash storage shelf on the passenger side. The centre console has wireless phone charging and two USB ports up front, a pair of cupholders in the centre and a lidded box at the back containing a 12V accessory socket.

Rear passengers also get a bottle holder and bin in each door, plus pockets on the rear of both front seat backrests and a fold-down centre armrest with two cupholders. The rear of the centre console offers adjustable air-vents, two more USB ports and another 230V V2L three-pin plug socket to power numerous domestic appliances inside the cabin.

The bench seat’s base cushion can be raised and stored vertically if more internal luggage space is required but there’s no under-floor storage.

Our test vehicle, finished in optional Outback Orange, is available only in ‘Dynamic’ model grade which combines an internal combustion engine with two electric motors, a plug-in rechargeable lithium-ion propulsion battery, single-speed transmission and permanent all-wheel drive for a list price of $55,900, before on-road costs.

It represents the entry level in the three-model Shark 6 range which now includes the original ‘Premium’ pick-up ($57,900 + ORCs) and new ‘Performance’ pick-up ($62,000 +ORCs).

The Dynamic’s pricing also occupies the middle ground when compared with base model plug-in hybrid ute rivals including the Ford Ranger XL PHEV ($61,000), GWM Cannon Alpha Lux Hi4-T PHEV ($57,490) and JAC Hunter Pro PHEV ($49,998).

Our example is fitted with BYD's optional heavy-duty aluminium tray which adds another $5000 (for the tray) plus $1155 for factory fitment.

The work-focused Dynamic’s standard equipment list misses out on several luxuries shared by its higher priced ute siblings like a head-up display, rain-sensing wipers, rear privacy glass, front seat heating/cooling and 15.6-inch multimedia touchscreen.

However, for a cab-chassis workhorse model, it still offers a generous serving of standard features that combine luxury with practicality including:

• 18-inch alloys with 265/65 R18 Giti tyres and full-size spare
• Roof rails
• Side steps
• Heated door mirrors
• LED lighting
• 360-degree camera view
• Front/rear parking sensors
• Fog lights
• Keyless entry/start
• Synthetic leather-appointed seating
• Eight-way power adjustable front seats
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.8-inch multimedia touchscreen (Apple/Android/DAB)
• 11-speaker premium audio
• Dual-zone climate control
• Wireless phone-charging
• 230V V2L (Vehicle to Load) with 6.6kW output
• USB-A/USB-C ports and more

The Select is all-wheel drive and powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, producing 140kW and 320Nm. On paper, that’s a solid output for a family SUV, but in practice the power delivery can feel a little underwhelming at times.

The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is quick to shift but isn’t always smooth. It tends to upshift early, especially when you’re accelerating, which can dull performance and make the engine feel less responsive than it should. It's not sluggish, but it doesn’t feel particularly eager either — especially when loaded up with passengers or gear.

The hybrid drivetrain provides permanent all-wheel drive courtesy of its two electric motors, with the front motor producing up to 170kW/310Nm driving the front wheels and the rear motor providing up to 150kW/340Nm driving the rears.

These motors are teamed with a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing up to 135kW/260Nm, which serves dual roles as a generator to maintain charge in the 29.58kWh ‘Blade’ lithium-ion battery and to assist with driving the front wheels as required. It can also perform both roles simultaneously.

Charging of the propulsion battery is assisted by regenerative braking served in a choice of standard or high strength, along with three energy management settings from pure EV mode to full Hybrid (HEV) mode.

The combined official output is up to 321kW/650Nm. There are also three drive modes comprising Eco/Normal/Sport plus different all-terrain settings to optimise performance in Mud/Sand/Snow/Mountain.

The plug-in propulsion battery can be charged using either the AC Type 2 (7.0kW) port or DC CCS/2 (55kW) port.

Our test vehicle features a traditional body-on-frame chassis design, combined with double-wishbone front and rear suspension which enhances ride and handling. There’s also rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel disc brakes.

The turning circle is a compact 11 metres, combined with off-road credentials including 230mm of unladen ground clearance with 31 degrees approach/17 degrees ramp-over/19.3 degrees departure angles.

Its standard wading depth is capped at 530mm (compared to the ute's 700mm) to allow for the lower height of the electrical components located in the driver's side storage box.

The Kodiaq has an official combined fuel consumption figure of 9.2L/100km, and paired with a 58-litre fuel tank it has a theoretical driving range of about 630km. It's not as long-reaching as some seven-seat SUVs (especially diesel-powered rivals), but it's not terrible.

After my usual mix of urban errands and a couple of longer highway trips, my real-world fuel use averaged 8.7L/100km. Not too shabby.

BYD claims combined average fuel consumption for the petrol engine as low as 2.0L/100km with 25-100 per cent SoC (State of Charge) which spikes to 7.9L/100km when SoC drops below 25 per cent.

It also claims a battery-only driving range of up to 100km and up to 800km when the dual motors and battery are assisting the petrol engine in hybrid mode. However, these figures are based on NEDC certification, which is renowned for its optimism compared to more realistic WLTP ratings.

We covered 352km during our test comprising a mix of city, suburban and regional roads plus some highway driving, of which about one third was hauling a near-maximum payload.

This included an initial 67km in pure EV mode, which depleted the battery’s charge from 92 per cent (when we collected the vehicle) to 34 per cent. It then automatically switched to HEV (hybrid) mode for the remainder of the test during which the engine charged the battery to its 70 per cent limit (for engine charging) set by BYD.

At the completion of testing the onboard computer claimed average petrol consumption of 8.1L/100km and a remaining hybrid range of 282km, suggesting a real-world driving range (including some heavy load hauling) of around 650km from the 60-litre petrol tank.

As I mentioned earlier, the powertrain is adequate but not impressive. The engine can over-rev at times, and it feels like there’s limited reserve when you really push it, though it’s far from gutless. It’s an odd one as you do have enough grunt to overtake safely on the open road, and it’s generally fine for a vehicle of this size, but it’s not particularly eager or lively.

The suspension strikes a good balance. It’s soft enough to smooth out bigger bumps and rough patches without feeling too floaty. At the same time, you still get decent feedback through the steering, and the Kodiaq corners reasonably well with minimal body roll.

Speaking of steering, it’s on the softer side and not as sharp as I’d prefer, but it’s responsive enough to make city driving and tight car park manoeuvres easy. Visibility is good all-around from the driver’s seat, which is good.

Noise levels are typical for a large SUV. Road and wind noise are noticeable, especially at higher speeds, but the cabin remains quiet enough to have a conversation in the middle row without raising your voice. If you’re sitting in the third row, though, you might have to ask people to repeat themselves from time to time. Still, it’s a comfortable space to spend time in.

The Select grade comes with a reversing camera, but the image quality isn’t great. The camera view seems skewed to the left, which caught me off guard occasionally. I found myself relying more on the mirrors and good old-fashioned looking around when parking.

Large handles on the A- (and B-) pillars assist climbing aboard, where most drivers will find a comfortable and supportive seating position enhanced by a large left footrest and thick-rimmed leather-wrapped steering wheel.

It’s not only quiet to drive but feels refined and solidly built. It also has excellent ride quality and agile handling thanks to the disciplined tuning of its double-wishbone suspension and nicely weighted steering which belie the fact you’re riding high in a 2.7-tonne all-terrain ute.

Near-instant torque from the dual electric motors also helps to mask its bulk which combined with permanent all-wheel drive allows triple-digit speeds to be reached in less than six seconds.

We did most of our test in the ‘Normal’ (default) drive mode, as it provides a happy medium between the heightened response of ‘Sport’ and the slightly subdued ‘Eco’ modes.

To test its GVM rating, we loaded 650kg into the load tub which with driver and about half a tank of petrol was lineball with its payload limit. The rear suspension compressed almost 60mm with the upper rear suspension arms close to nudging their rubber bump-stops, but there was no hard bottoming-out detected on our test route.

As displayed live on the energy management screen, the petrol engine maintained the minimum battery charge needed to feed the electric motors while also providing drive to the front wheels as required. At times the 1.5-litre engine sounded like it was working very hard doing this, but it did prove effective in performing these dual roles.

The heavily-loaded test vehicle also made light work of our 13 per cent gradient, 2.0km set-climb, which was no surprise given we had up to 650Nm of torque to work with.

However, the hybrid system with its single-speed transmission produces minimal engine-braking (even with the maximum regenerative brake setting) which is an important consideration if you regularly carry and/or tow heavy loads, particularly in hilly terrain.

The BYD Shark 6 boasts a maximum five-star ANCAP rating (awarded in 2025) and comes standard with a suite of passive and active safety features including:

• Multiple airbags including front/rear side-curtains
• AEB including cyclist/pedestrian detection
• Lane-keeping
• Adaptive cruise control
• Front/rear parking sensors
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Blind-spot monitoring
• 360-degree camera view
• Two top-tether/ISOFIX child-seat anchorages and more

The Kodiaq is backed by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty that is better than the five-year cover you’ll find on some of its rivals.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first, and Skoda offers pre-paid service packs for up to seven years. These average out to around $393 per service, which is competitive for this segment and helps take the guesswork out of maintenance budgeting.

The Kodiaq runs on 95 RON premium unleaded, which is worth factoring into ongoing costs.

Comes standard with a six-year/150,000km vehicle warranty (Ford has recently topped this with seven years/unlimited km if Ford dealer serviced) and separate eight-year/160,000km propulsion battery warranty. There’s also 12 months of complimentary roadside assistance from the date of purchase.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/20,000km, whichever occurs first. Capped pricing for the first six scheduled services totals $2945 or an average of $491.00 annually. BYD has an evolving national network of around 120-150 dealerships spanning all states and territories, including many regional areas.