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The SEAT Tarraco is the flagship of SUV line up from the brand and has been available since 2018 after its debut at the Paris Motor Show that year. It was launched in the city of Tarragona and became the only SEAT model to offer seven seats after the discontinuation of the SEAT Alhambra in 2020 and among it's accolades is it's three time win of the Auto Express Best Large SUV of the Year.
The Skoda Kodiaq was launched two years prior, in 2016, with its name coming from the large Kodiak bear. It sits at the top of the SUV range for Skoda, above the Kamiq and the Karoq, and is based on the same platform that is closely shared with the VW Tiguan Allspace and the Tarraco.
Our guide will compare the SEAT Tarraco vs Skoda Kodiaq and highlight their similarities and differences to help you to decide which will suit your needs best.
Built on the VW Group's MQB A2 platform, the SEAT Tarraco differs from other SUVs and crossover vehicles available from the brand in that it is the only model that offers seven seats with a third row of seats in the boot space. It shares its build platform with other recognisable names such as the Audi Q3 and the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Whilst it's the largest SUV offering from SEAT it actually does well to hide just how big it actually is thanks to a prominent front grille and sloping LED headlights. There's also no additional cost for any of the paint options, something that's quite unique to SEAT.
The Skoda Kodiaq was given a facelift in 2021 to update a few of the exterior details. There's now a taller bonnet and more upright radiator grille for a stronger look from the front of the car. This was paired with slimmer headlights and a new front bumper design too. At the back, the rear bumper was redesigned and now includes a diffuser element as well as a redesigned spoiler.
Inside both models you'll find a sleek interior, including a digital dash behind the steering wheel for the driver and a console that isn't cluttered with too much equipment or controls. Instead, you'll find a simple set of physical climate controls on both to make it easy to use as either a driver or a passengers.
Tall passengers will be comfortable in either model thanks to copious amounts of headroom. The Kodiaq beats the Tarraco ever so slightly in every row with 1059mm in the front row, 1015mm in the second row and 905mm in the third row. For comparison, the Tarraco offers 1054mm, 1002mm, and 859mm respectively.
The Kodiaq utilises its boot space better too with 270 litres with all three rows of seats in use in comparison to 230 litres in the Tarraco. Folding the third row down opens the space to 830 litres in the Kodiaq and 700 litres in the Tarraco and with the rear seats folded will give you 2005 litres or 1775 litres respectively.
Both the SEAT Tarraco and the Skoda Kodiaq are well equipped cars. Standard equipment on the two cars includes a digital dash, LED headlights, smartphone integration, rear parking sensors, and keyless start/stop.
Aside from this, they do both offer different equipment as standard too. On the Tarraco, for example, you'll find 17 inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, a hidden exhaust pipe, and three zone climate control.
The Kodiaq, in comparison, offers 18 inch alloy wheels, an extended rear spoiler, an off road style lower front bumper, integrated sat nav, front parking sensors, and a rear view camera.
The Kodiaq became the first car in the Skoda line up to offer area view, tow assist, manoeuvre assist, and predictive pedestrian protection. It was also the first car in that used the VW Group's MQB platform to use capacitive shortcut buttons instead of physical ones for the infotainment system.
Choosing either of the models means that you will have the same engine line up on both models, although the Kodiaq does not offer a manual gearbox on any of their options whilst the Tarraco does. There are a choice of front wheel drive and four wheel drive engines across both models too.
The most powerful engine on both models is one of the petrol engines, the 2.0 litre capable of 245PS. It's performance is slightly better in the SEAT Tarraco with a combined mpg of 34.9 compared to 32.4 for the Skoda Kodiaq. It has lower emissions on the Tarraco too at 184 g/km compared to 198 g/km for the Kodiaq.
The most efficient engine, however, is the 2.0 litre diesel with 150PS. On the Tarraco this has a combined mpg of 52.3 and it's only marginally lower on the Kodiaq at 52.0 mpg.
Overall you'll be getting a great car whether you choose the Skoda Kodiaq or the SEAT Tarraco thanks to their great range of equipment and engines available on both models and they are both seven seater options. As they share many design aspects it really comes down to personal preference and price difference as there is a considerable difference between the two models as you climb the trim levels.
If you're ready to take the next step why not reach out to our friendly teams at our John Clark SEAT sites in Aberdeen and Dundee, and our John Clark Skoda sites in Aberdeen, Dundee, and Perth. They're always on hand to answer any further questions that you may have and to show you each model in person.
