The event was in Mallorca, the Balearic island which is actually far from being solely a tourist-blighted holiday destination, even if that’s where most of its income comes from.
We landed in the capital Palma to be met by the Skoda reception squad. As is traditional with such affairs, the cars were at the airport and we were paired off before being designated the vehicles we would drive over an exacting test route to our overnight accommodation. As it happened, I was paired with the doughty Skoda Ireland marketing supremo Ray Leddy.
He was anxious that I get the full benefit of the testing experience and insisted on my driving the full route — which I seem to recall was around the 140km mark — around some of the island’s more exacting roads and I remember giving the car a pretty thorough going over.
When we arrived at the hotel, Ray politely inquired if I thought the Kodiaq had passed muster and I confirmed that it had impressed me greatly, not least because the big car had handled itself impeccably over a tough course.
“I know,” he responded phlegmatically, “the sweat’s running down the crack of my ass.”
That was one memorable element of the jaunt, and the second came later in the evening when we met with some of the senior Skoda personnel, including Werner Eichhorn, who was then a member of Skoda board of management responsible for sales and marketing.
Having worked within the Volkswagen Group since 1982, largely for the Audi brand, he joined Skoda at a time when it was hot on expansion with a range of SUVs about to be unleashed.
It was also a time when the parent company was enmeshed in the “dieselgate” scandal in America, which would cost it billions of dollars in penalties and ultimately end in the jailing of various executives for their part in it.
During a vigorous chat, I expressed the view that one of the best ways for the VW group to sidestep its American problems was to pitch Skoda into the US market, with the Kodiaq to the fore in its plans. This was a car ideal for the job of spearheading such an ambitious strategy.
Werner, who would ironically be transferred to VW’s US arm the following year before taking charge of Audi’s Chinese operation, pooh-poohed the idea.
“Declan,” he said, “This car has been a four-year journey for me and the team behind it. It’s like having a baby. The baby has arrived.
“I appreciate your comments about it. We are very proud of it. But, as far as America is concerned, that’s another matter. There is no presence for us there. We have no history.”
That was that, then. Colley’s grand plan was doomed.
As it happened, and beyond our ken at the time, the decision had already been made for a third VW group (Audi and VW being the other two) company to take on the American market, but from an unexpected source.
It would come from Cupra, the sub-brand created out of SEAT, whose existence we did not even know about back then.
That the Kodiaq has been successful beyond even Werner Eichhorn’s wildest dreams is another matter, but I am still firmly of the belief that had it been given a chance to work its obvious magic on the Yanks, it would have done spectacularly well.
After all, it has done spectacularly well across Europe, selling some 850,000 units since its original launch.
Although it was never pretty, it was cost-effective, immensely practical, roomy to a fault, offered five or seven seats, a range of diesel, petrol, and hybrid engines, and is good to drive.
Although based heavily on technology and kit from the VW parts bin, the Kodiaq has long been regarded as the best of the in-house mid-sized SUVs and those who’ve bought one swear by it.
Usually with car companies, the MO when it comes to press testing is to ensure the hacks drive the best model, irrespective of whether or not it will be the best selling one.
The success of the Kodiaq has obviated the need for Skoda to do that, and thus — thanks to the ever-prescient Mr Leddy — a recent test in one found me driving the entry level model.
That meant I was in the 1.5 TSI PHEV version with a six-speed auto DSG gearbox with only the front wheels driven. It was in Sportline specification, but came only with five seats, as against the seven offered in other variants. So, this was far from being the full-monty Kodiaq, but almost certainly the one of most interest to the buying public.
As has been the case since its inception, the new Kodiaq — it got a facelift last year — is hugely practical, with a vast amount of interior space on offer and a raft of standard kit.
We have often lauded Skoda as the “more for less” brand, and this car emphasises the point. But the new car is wider and longer than previously and a lot of the new interior elements now focus strongly on sustainability.
The exterior also has many new elements: new grille, new lights, a new rear wing, new alloys, and new colours. You will not find it difficult to differentiate one from the other.
It’s as good as it always was to drive and the PHEV system has now boosted power output to 204 bhp, which translates to an 8.4 second 0-100 km/h time, which is not bad considering the size of the vehicle, and a top speed of 210 km/h.
Fuel consumption works out on average at 6.0 l/100 km (46.6 mpg) — again not bad for something this big — and it will give you 100km of electric-only motoring, which is useful enough.
On the road, it is comfortable and stable, although trending towards understeer when you get stuck in, but the dynamic capabilities of the Kodiaq are such that this is not something that will overly concern most drivers.
Sportline specification sees the car fitted with details such as a panoramic roof, 19” alloys, Matrix LED headlights, an exterior styling pack, front sports seats with “suedia” leatherette upholstery, and a raft of tech based around a 13” touch screen, which is easily navigated.
It is a comprehensive package that includes the ubiquitous umbrella stored in the driver’s armrest.
Outside of the premium brands in this segment, the Kodiaq is possibly best in class, or damn close to it. Refinement is top class and — that word again — practicality is paramount.
It might not be the most exciting car ever to hit the streets, but it is really a family car and, as such, it fulfils this role in exemplary fashion.
It is better than it was when I first saw it nearly 10 years ago — as you would expect — but I still believe that if they had the courage to make the leap of faith, it would have been a huge hit in the US. But never mind, that’s their loss.