If you get your Ks and Qs a bit mixed up in the world of Skoda SUVs, we don’t blame you. We do too sometimes. To recap, Kamiq is the baby one and Kodiaq is the full-size seven-seater.
Oh, and it’s easy to overlook the one we have here, the Karoq (the name is a portmanteau of “car” and “arrow”). It fits in the middle, in the same segment as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Seat Ateca (all three sharing a platform, some powertrains and a whole lot more).
This is the facelift version, with a toothy grille and upgraded equipment. It also happens to be the flagship Sportline, the only model with AWD and the only one powered by the 140kW/320Nm turbo-four with DSG (FWD Karoqs are conventional automatics).
It looks the part actually, with that new front, Sportline-specific bumpers and aero-look 19-inch alloys. The smooth wheels are probably one reason why a couple of people asked if this was a new EV; it’s not, of course. No electrification for the Karoq just yet, although it’s clean enough to avoid Government fines even in this most powerful specification.
READ MORE
It is a rather fantastic medium SUV, with an eager engine, quick-shifting DSG (if a little dithery on part-throttle, as DSG often is) and a confident on-road stance. It doesn’t claim to be RS-sporty, but it’s certainly interesting.
The stubby gearlever’s chunky “4x4” inscription is a neat throwback to previous Skoda models like Yeti and the single-touch drive-mode button (yes it is an actual button) allows you scroll through Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual settings. In Sport, a sound generator adds a growly engine note into the cabin which sounds a little silly, but it’s a matter of taste – and not as intrusive as similar tech in the Octavia RS.
It certainly has a classy feel. The Sportline seats are curvaceous and beautifully trimmed, while this top-spec also picks up ambient lighting for the cabin and a fully configurable digital dashboard. The age of the Karoq does show a bit in the infotainment screen, which is colourful/crisp but rather small (a mere 8in) and embedded in the dash rather than standing proud tablet-style. So 2017.
Ditto for the Qi wireless charger that comes standard with the Sportline: it’s too short to fit my Samsung mobile, leaving one end sitting slightly proud of the tray and resulting in staccato charging and lots of binging from the device as it goes on and off the power. Deploy cable.
Overall though, this is a thoughtful update of a rather good family SUV, which is practical, fun-to-drive and quite classy. But it’s not going to do much to reinforce Skoda’s reputation as the value brand of the VW Group.
We’ve heard a bit about Skoda becoming more premium with the Enyaq battery electric vehicle (BEV), but the $63,990 price for this rather familiar model from the Czech brand is still somewhat arresting. It’s the same price as Volkswagen’s Tiguan Style with the same powertrain, and admittedly a little better specified (stuff like matrix LED lights), but it’s hard to swallow $10k extra over the Seat Ateca FR 4Drive with exactly the same powertrain. Especially when the two are so closely related (they even share rear doors).
Okay, the Ateca has just been discontinued in NZ, as Seat transitions to Cupra, but it was worth a mention for context because another $3k over the Karoq Sportline gets you into a 211kW Cupra Ateca, which seems like a lot of extra SUV for not much more money. Guess it depends on how sporty you want to be… or what your brand preference is.
SKODA KAROQ SPORTLINE
ENGINE: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four
POWER: 140kW/320Nm
GEARBOX: 7-speed automated dual-clutch, AWD
0-100KM/H: 7.0 seconds
CONSUMPTION: 7.3l/100km, CO2 169g/km (3P-WLTP)
PRICE: $63,990 (Clean Car neutral)
