'Does this SUV really live up to country life? Here's my honest verdict.'

Thanks to our brand partner, Škoda

Here's something that isn't front and centre in the "tree change" brochure: If you make a regional move, you will spend a LOT of time in your car.

Yes, life outside a major city is more peaceful. There is more space. There's more green. You'll be closer to nature and nature will be closer to you.

But you will also clock up a LOT of kilometres, because everything is a drive away. And it will quickly become apparent that you need a good, comfy, reliable, smart car which will morph into your second home.

The search for the right one has been on in our house for a while, which is why I was very happy to put my hand up to trial the Škoda Kodiaq SUV.

In my past city life, our one family car spent most of the week parked outside my house. Or battling for a park outside our house. But almost four years ago now, we moved two hours south of the city to a small town on the coast, with a river beside us and rolling green hills behind. We love it.

But we now need two cars, and one of them has to do commuting duty up to the city at least once a week. Pass the Kodiaq, I say.

First of all, she's a lot of good-looking car. I chose Race Blue because I've had my colours done and I know what's what. The extra razzle-dazzle of a projected Škoda sign onto the floor beside my car when I turn her on from dusk is a lil' treat, as is the horizontal light strip and the sleek automatic headlights.

Basically, she looks a bit fancy, which is not that important down at home where she's mostly driving dusty roads, but makes you feel a bit flash when you hit the city limits.

As you may have already guessed, I am not a car expert with all the right jargon, but what I am is a woman with kids and a job and a lot of driving to do, all the time. And here's a quick list of the things on the Kodiaq that I didn't actually know I needed, until I did.

The tailgate.

That's the boot in my language, and it opens with your foot. I walk up to her with my arms full of plants (I'm a gardener, sssshhh) or bags for my work trips to the city or sports gear for the kids, and I do a little kick under the boot. Woosh, it opens, completely hands-free.

I had no idea how much I missed this feature that I didn't even know existed until now. It's an extra, of course, and apparently, it's called a virtual pedal. I am virtually obsessed, and it's gone on my list of wants.

Image: Supplied.

Seven seats, friends, seven seats.

The Kodiaq isn't a giant tank of a car. She is no bigger than the standard SUV our family drove for years, but she has so much space. The boot is generous and has a net thing that you can easily clip down to stop everything rolling around back there.

And there are two fold-down seats in the back that pop up to create the extra seats. That made me extremely popular when I had to drive a whole mob of girls to football practice.

She is SMART.

The Kodiaq has all this clever kit to make my kind of driving safer and simpler.

For a start, there's a heads-up display, which projects not just the speed I'm going on the very windscreen in front of me, but also the changing speed limit. This is very useful when it's changing all the time, as it is between my house and my office.

Cruise control, as you probably know, sets your speed at a steady pace. But there's this thing called adaptive cruise control that senses the speed of the car ahead of you and adjusts to keep you at a safe distance. Again, life-changing for the highway driver. Also, it makes her more fuel efficient.

Image: Supplied.

She can drive herself (a little bit).

Lining up a tricky parking space? Can do with the park assist feature. Clearly, I'm an excellent parker (puffs hair, blows on nails) so I scoffed at the idea of needing this, but it WORKS. I can parallel park or reverse into a spot in a row of parked cars. Yes, the robots are here and they have their uses.

Little touches of joy.

There's a clip on the dash for your parking ticket (only needed on city days, thankfully). A panoramic sunroof. An extra-big display screen up front. Rubbish bins in both the driver's and passenger doors. An umbrella hiding in the driver-side door. Colour-changing interior lights. Loads of chargers and a whole variety of cup-holder sizes (don't at me — cup holders are everything). There are even phone holders in the back seat for the kids on road trips.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Škoda Australia (@skodaaustralia)

Basically, she's a spirit-lifting, reliable, clever SUV that I have loved living in — sorry, I mean driving — for the last few weeks. I feel safe and comfortable clocking up the kilometres.

So, is the Škoda Kodiaq going on the list of possible permanent fixtures in our tree-change life? ABSOLUTELY.

Visit Škoda's website to book a test drive or find out more about their SUV range.

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.