Mumbai: Škoda Auto India is expanding its performance-focused RS portfolio with the announcement of the all-new Kodiaq RS SUV, bringing the brand’s celebrated Rally Sport badge to a seven-seat SUV in India for the first time.
Bookings for the Škoda Kodiaq RS will open on June 22, 2026, marking a major step in the Czech brand’s performance journey in the Indian market. The SUV combines RS-badged driving excitement with seven-seat practicality, 4×4 capability and the kind of road presence that suggests the school run may now come with a lap timer.
The Kodiaq RS builds on Škoda’s more than 50 years of RS legacy and over 125 years of motorsport heritage. Positioned as a high-performance luxury SUV, it brings together dynamic handling, all-terrain ability and everyday usability in one package.
Commenting on the announcement, Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India, said, “The RS badge carries over 50 years of global performance legacy and a fiercely loyal following in India since the Octavia RS arrived more than two decades ago. The latest Octavia RS, launched last year, sold out in just 20 minutes, highlighting its cult status among enthusiasts. Now, we’re taking that legacy forward with the Kodiaq RS, our first-ever seven-seater in India to wear the iconic RS badge and the quickest Škoda yet in the country. It blends performance, space, and 4×4 capability into a bold, unmistakable expression of our racing DNA.”
The RS badge, short for Rally Sport, has long represented Škoda’s performance engineering and motorsport-inspired driving character. Globally, RS models are known for sharper dynamics, enhanced performance and a more engaging driving experience. With the Kodiaq RS, Škoda is now taking that formula into the premium SUV space in India.
For Indian buyers, this means the Kodiaq RS is not just about speed. It is also about space, versatility and the ability to carry seven people while still reminding everyone that “family SUV” does not necessarily have to mean “slow and sensible forever.”
Škoda has also been highlighting its racing DNA in India through its recent record-setting track activity. The brand’s line-up, including the Kylaq, Kushaq, Slavia, Kodiaq and limited-volume Octavia RS, set an India and Asia Book of Record for ‘The Fastest Multi-Car Relay of a Single Manufacturer on a Circuit’ at the CoASTT track in Coimbatore. The five-car relay recorded a total lap time of 12:30.97, including driver change-over times.
The campaign, titled ‘Greatest On A Track is a Škoda On A Track’, was aimed at showcasing the brand’s engineering strength and dynamic capabilities across its India portfolio. The Kodiaq RS now arrives as the performance flagship of Škoda’s SUV line-up, combining motorsport spirit with premium comfort and all-terrain confidence.
With bookings opening later this month, the Kodiaq RS is expected to attract performance enthusiasts who want the thrill of an RS badge without giving up on luxury, practicality or the ability to carry the entire family along for the ride.
In short, Škoda is putting its racing helmet on a seven-seater SUV — and India’s enthusiast crowd will be watching closely.
