'This one small change has completely changed how I connect with my teens.'

Thanks to our brand partner, Škoda

There's one rigid rule in my loosey-goosey family.

Well, there's more than one, but this one's the most fun. At least for me.

Whatever we're doing, no matter how wild the schedule gets, once a week there's an all-in outing.

It might just be to the nearest dumpling house. It might be to do a walk in the national park. It might be the markets, the movies, the beach or the garden centre, where I'll inevitably pick up far too many things. Whatever. Once a week, we have to do something or go somewhere together as a family.

It doesn't sound like much, but if you have teenagers, jobs and a never-ending list of things that need doing, you get it.

My family includes my elderly boyfriend Brent, our two teenage kids and our dog (Tuna doesn't make the movie or dumpling dates, so she much prefers the other kinds). And we live in a small town on New South Wales' south coast, so almost everywhere we need to go outside our very narrow town limits involves a car trip.

And usually some moaning. The thing is, friends, as your kids get older, you go from desperately trying to detach them from your legs for a bit of 'me time' to coaxing them into sticking around. You're still obsessed with them — trying to sniff them as they walk by — and they're a bit, well… bored by you. You need a strategy, because they have plenty of other options.

Unless you have the kind of car they're falling over each other to get into.

That's us at the moment. For the second time this year, I'm testing out a Škoda. This time, it's the Škoda Kodiaq RS. She's a sporty yet powerful 4WD, a delicious sparkly blue, and instantly one of our favourite family members.

Image: Supplied.

Mostly because, unlike the teens who need nagging to empty the dishwasher or pick up a towel, the Škoda is unflinching in her commitment to being a helpful, smart car who's thought of everything.

And yes, I know I'm undermining my newly-minted car reviewer credentials by immediately personifying a car. But seriously, she's someone you want to adopt.

I don't know if the Škoda designer is a woman (call me, friend, if so), but I wouldn't be surprised. Because this car has a distinctly capable, eldest-daughter vibe.

No nonsense, intuitive, always prepared. That's her. And that's why she has an invisible pedal — the genius feature I've been pining for since my last Kodiaq encounter. Honestly, I could cry thinking about it. You walk up to her with your arms full of… everything: shopping, travel bags, kids' sports gear, a garden centre haul. You just wave your foot under the back fender and pop — the boot opens.

The driver's door will also open if you walk towards her with the key on you. I can't explain how life-changing it is to not be rummaging around for your keys in the bottomless abyss of your handbag.

Then there's the space. Why is it that when you have teenagers, you either have an empty house or an overflowing one? My daughter is rarely sighted alone, and what is often required of me is that I shut up and drive.

The Kodiaq RS gets it. There's an adjustable headrest in the centre back seat, so if you're in the dreaded "middle", you have your comfort and dignity intact. Screen holders on the back of the front seats for passengers, four drink holders in the back and two phone chargers (of course).

The boot seems to go on forever and comes with a net, hooks and a movable grippy divider thingy to stop all your stuff from rolling around in the back. Tuna's pretty comfy in it.

Image: Supplied.

And of course, she's SEVEN seats, and they're not squidgy, little knees-up-to-your chin seats, but proper people-sized seats. So sport drop-off and party transfer is comfy and simple.

All of this means that family outings are easy, comfy and provide the perfect setting for what we call a "trip-trap". This involves tempting your kids into the car with you so you have a captive audience, and can grill them with the questions about their days and their lives that really, they don't want to answer.

I drive up and down to Sydney a lot, and I need a car that can handle the highway and the hills. But my favourite kind of driving, and my favourite part of my week, is on the weekend trips I get to do with all of us, together. And the Kodiaq RS handles both beautifully.

She's got Travel Assist, including Adaptive Cruise Control, and a Heads-up display that projects your speed, the speed limit and even navigation directions, hologram-style, onto the driver's side of the windscreen. She can park herself if that's your thing — or help you do it with ease, thanks to a massive 33 centimetre-wide screen for the rear camera, navigation, Apple CarPlay^® and everything else.

And another "big" thing is the sunroof. It's… enormous. If you pull the whole thing back you get convertible vibes, and if you just open the shade you're flooded with natural light.

She's got snappy red stitching, and the ability to change the colour of the lighting around the car, which, let's face it, the kids LOVE, even my cool teenagers.

With all that going on, my expanding experience in writing about cars leads me to tell you that the Škoda Kodak RS is the powerful family car for people who like special little extras.

But I saved the best until last. And I know you're thinking it.

YES, she also still has an umbrella tucked away in the driver's door.

Which is handy because this week's family outing is definitely going to be a dash between spring showers.

See, she's thought of everything.

Book to test drive the Škoda Kodiaq RS.

Feature Image: Supplied.

Built for families, the Škoda Kodiaq is a spacious 7-seater SUV designed for everyday adventures. From school runs to road trips, it's packed with smart features that make life easier. A roomy boot with cargo fasteners keeps everything secure, while thoughtful details like door edge protectors, keyless entry, integrated sunblinds, and door waste bins enhance convenience. With a 7-year standard warranty, the Kodiaq is ready for wherever life takes you — combining practicality, comfort, and innovation in one stylish package.