Å KODA makes it cheaper to drive a European car
Skoda's new offers includes complimentary upgrades, new models and financing options – but what's the catch?
Amidst rising living expenses and a seemingly insatiable appetite for new cars, Skoda decided to double down on a value centric approach.
Skoda's strategic play in the Australian automotive market is both timely and shrewd, with the brand offering up new, cheaper variants, added extras and clear financing options.
ŠKODA Choice program
High interest rates are making car loans more expensive, but Skoda's Guaranteed Future Value (GFV) program could help you get a good-value loan.
Available across the ŠKODA range, the program aims at offering lower monthly repayments through more predictable financial planning, with an interest rate fixed at 6.99% over a five-year term, assuming 15,000 km of driving per year.
The GFV allows you to lock in the vehicle's trade-in value at the end of the finance period. This means you know exactly how much the car will be worth at the end of the contract, instead of having to scour Car Sales listings to determine a price.
When the term concludes, customers have several options: they can upgrade to a new Skoda, trade in their current model possibly utilising any excess value if the trade-in surpasses the GFV, or purchase their vehicle at the pre-agreed value, akin to a balloon payment in traditional car loans.
Save $5,000 on the ŠKODA Kodiaq Sportline
If you have been on the fence about a Kodiaq, now may be the time to pull the trigger.
Starting April, ŠKODA Kodiaq buyers will receive a free upgrade to the Sportline specification, a run-out special offering before the arrival of the new generation.
This offer essentially adds $5,000 worth of features for the price of the Style model, making the Kodiaq Sportline at $56,590 drive-away.
Enhancements include:
- 20-inch Vega alloy wheels
- Matrix LED headlights
- Alcantara sports seats
- Electric driver's seat with memory
- Drive mode selection, including Eco mode
- Sportline exterior styling
With the ŠKODA Choice financing this works out to be $140 per week over 60 months with a $11,298 deposit.
I will leave a comparison table down the bottom of this page so you can compare this amount against traditional lenders, however on face value, this looks like decent value.
Taking into account the $11,300 deposit, Loans.com.au could be as much as $90 per week more expensive.
Competitor pricing:
- Mazda CX-9: Starting at $52,426 driveaway for an entry level Sport. Using Mazdas online finance calculator, this comes out to around $166 per week assuming the same deposit, but over 4 years. This will vary based on your risk profile though.
- Toyota Kluger: Starts at approximately $59,366 for an entry level GX. Toyota's website won't give you repayment estimates, however looking at our comparison table, repayments with a traditional lender would be around $239 per week, assuming the same deposit and loan term.
Cheaper Skoda Fabia inbound
ŠKODA has introduced a more affordable Fabia variant, which would be considered a mid-spec in other markets, however will represent the entry-level here.
There is no word on pricing as yet, however it would be reasonable to expect similar pricing to the Volkswagen Polo which starts at $33,196 driveaway.
Currently the only way to get into a Fabia is the Monte Carlo Edition 150 variant, which is currently $38,990 driveaway.
Competitors in the segment:
- Toyota Yaris: $32,187 driveaway for an entry level Ascent Sport.
- Volkswagen Polo: $ 33,196 driveaway
Going electric
ŠKODA have announced that the new Enyaq is set for an October debut in Australia.
The 2025 ŠKODA Enyaq, Skoda's first electric vehicle (EV) in Australia, will launch as a Coupe, including the performance-oriented Enyaq RS Coupe.
The base Enyaq 85 will feature a 210kW rear-wheel-drive setup powered by an 82kWh battery, promising a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.7 seconds and up to 570km of WLTP range.
The Enyaq RS will up the ante with a 250kW/545Nm dual-motor system, achieving a 0-100km/h time of 5.5 seconds and a range of 520-542km.
Final verdict
2024 is set to be a big year for the Czech brand. In a time where people are looking to save, the brands approach to offering more value to consumers along with their 7-year warranty and capped price servicing can seemingly only go down well with savvy consumers.