This Is What the Skoda Kodiaq's Underside Looks Like

We've always thought that there aren't enough photos of what cars look like underneath. Critical components like the exhaust or the suspension arms can only be seen this way.

The launch event of the Skoda SUV is scheduled to take in Berlin only moments from now. And the company has released a short video of the preparations involved in unloading the expensive pre-production cars and crane-lifting them into place.

So what's so special about a photo taken from underneath? Well, the exhaust, for starters. Even though the final tips cannot be seen, being covered up by the bumper, there's two of them, one for each side of the muffler. The Kodiaq also features more protective underbody pieces than regular Skodas.

The drive shaft coming from the front to the rear Haldex case goes under the exhaust pipe, which could result in a bigger transmission hump, especially in the third row of seats. Spare wheel or tire repair kit? Probably the latter.

We also notice that the independent rear suspension system has a completely different design to what's under the Octavia. The arms are longer for more articulation, and they appear to be cast, not stamped, as it is with most compact MQB cars.

In typical pre-reveal fashion, the video also provides glimpses of the wheels, badges, headlights and taillights. Of course, we're not interested, since pictures of the complete car have been leaked repeatedly. However, you SUV fans might want to check out the interior video that's also been published.

We still think it's underwhelming as heck, but the Kodiaq is going to be one of the most profitable models Skoda has ever made. Standing at 4.70 meters (185 inches) long, this SUV will offer seating for up to 7 people and technology that's previously only been available on Volkswagen models.