SIZE MATTERS?
The Skoda Karoq has finally made its way to India. Was it worth the long wait?
IT WAS A DAMP, CHILLY MORNING WHEN I CLIMBED into the driver’s seat of the Skoda Karoq. Up here in the hills outside Pune, the temperature is a few degrees lower than in the city and with Cyclone Nisarga brewing off the western coast of India not too far away, the wind whipping at us wasn’t making the outdoors any more welcoming. Come to think of it, the weather wasn’t too different from the last time I drove the Skoda Karoq — a year ago, almost to the day — in the Czech Republic. Gloomy. Rainy. Cold. The kind of weather where you leave the photography to the pros, and sit tight inside the climate-controlled cabin. The ‘Gram can wait.
A year ago seems like a lifetime, to be honest. Back then we were travelling halfway across the world to drive a new car, and now I need permission to take my scooter to the corner store. The world is different place. We don’t step out of the house without face-condoms, have discovered a (healthy) fascination for alcohol we can’t drink, and coughing will get you ostracised more than telling people you fondle goats. The car industry is vastly different too. Who knew the VW Group would give up on diesels entirely in India and make this huge push with TSI engines. When presented with a fleet of Karoqs in Prague, I dived for the keys of the diesel, feeling half bad for the journalists who drove the petrol and had to tell their editors they got a story that was only semi-relevant. I was convinced that just like the Kodiaq, only the TDI would make it to our shores. Looking back now, what a fool was I.
WHO KNEW THE VW GROUP WOULD GIVE UP ON DIESELS IN INDIA AND MAKE A PUSH WITH TSI ENGINES
That oversight of mine had built up a lot of anticipation for today. I was excited to experience the 1.5-litre TSI Evo engine — not only because it shares a name with this magazine, but also because this is an engine that is going to become the mainstay for Skoda-VW’s bigger cars in India, one step above the 1-litre TSI for the mass-market vehicles. It’s already here in the T-Roc and now the Karoq, and will also make an appearance on the more powerful variants of the Taigun and Vision IN, as well as other cars from the India 2.0 Project. But I was also excited to experience the Karoq on familiar roads. Skoda just launched three new cars and while enthusiasts have been clamouring for a review of the Rapid Rider, the Karoq deserves as much attention too. It is an all-new SUV, and will keep people walking in to Skoda dealers until the Vision IN, or whatever that midsize SUV will be called, arrives.
Before setting off, I recalled what my verdict of the Karoq was from the last time I drove it. “The Karoq screams like a shrunken Kodiaq, and that can only be a good thing,” I wrote. The dash layout draws heavily from the Kodiaq — it gets the same layout on the centre console, same gear selector, Virtual Cockpit and steering wheel. The Kodiaq feels a little more regal with the large wood (or piano black, depending on the variant) inlays in the dash, while the Karoq does away with that for a cleaner, simpler, and dare I say it, more youthful design. But, like the Kodiaq, it feels solidly put together and infused with really high quality. The Virtual Cockpit is a breeze to use, as is the infotainment screen and the rest of the controls around the dash.
The Karoq bears resemblance to the Kodiaq on the outside as well. Unless you’re really clued in to cars, you’d be hard pressed to tell the face apart at first glance. We were at the Garve Skoda dealership three days earlier shooting a walkaround of the Karoq, and even Rohit, who literally looks at cars for a living, says it looked exactly like the Kodiaq. There are subtle differences — the headlamps, fog lamps and the DRL elements are of a slightly different shape. The SUV doesn’t look as imposing because it isn’t as big, obviously, and the rear looks sharper. That rear end is actually my favourite angle of the Karoq — Skoda has replaced the badge with lettering stretched across the width of the tailgate and the taillamps look sharp, and purposeful.
I WAS SHOVED IN TO THE BACK OF MY SEAT WITH A PINT-SIZED FEROCITY SO UNIQUE TO THESE SMALL TURBOPETROL ENGINES
Fire her up though, and the Karoq idles in near-silence. Before I even went near the accelerator pedal, the refinement of the engine made itself apparent. Ten seconds later, I was rolling down the road with nothing but the noise of the tyres filtering in to the cabin. Another 10 seconds later, I was shoved into the back of my seat with a pint-sized ferocity so unique to these small turbo-petrol engines. And that sort of encapsulates everything you need to know about this engine — it is refined, but it packs a proper punch. 148bhp and 250Nm are reasonable figures and they are deployed through the 7-speed DSG rather effectively. The engine revs freely and doesn’t feel throttled by the strict BS6 emission norms it complies with. The mid-range is punchy, but there is very apparent lag before it gets on to boost. The DSG, for the most part, ensures that you’re not left hanging. It has tiny plasticky paddleshifters behind the steering wheel too, and while I wish they were more prominent and a little more expensive-feeling, I’m honestly just happy they exist.
What really drew me in to the Karoq, was how the chassis compliments this engine. Yes, we’re constantly singing praises of these MQB-underpinned SUVs, but the Karoq manages to push the bar even higher. The shorter wheelbase and more compact dimensions lend it agility that the larger SUVs simply cannot manage. It feels quick to turn, reacts very predictably to inputs and has very good body control for a car so tall. The ride quality is impressive in the sense that it feels tied down while you’re at speed, absorbing smaller humps and bumps in a manner that you barely notice in the cabin. And at lower speeds, it will take on bad roads with ease. It isn’t what I would call plush, but it is well set up for someone who enjoys spirited
driving, the compliance actually soaking in mid-corner bumps to deliver even better handling with very little body roll. One grouse I do have is the steering is far too light. This will be great for pottering around town but it feels a bit disconnected and vague at speed. The Karoq, unlike the Kodiaq, doesn’t get drive modes that help weigh it up a little more so you’re stuck with it in one default setting. The combination of the zingy engine and enthu chassis makes the Karoq proper fun in the corners. I was nowhere close to its limits with how wet the roads were, but even the editor commented that the grip in the wet, despite lacking four-wheel drive that would have made a difference in this weather, was super-impressive and that can only bode well for the dry-weather handling.
We need to talk about the space and practicality of this SUV too — it is a genuine concern, so allow me to give you some sensible advice. Space inside the cabin is adequate, but not great. The Karoq isn’t too wide and it gets apparent with how close your passenger sits to you. This means three abreast in the back is a squeeze. As for the rear bench, you get just about enough knee room though thigh support is a bit lacking. But the light interiors and the massive panoramic sunroof do give you a sense of space. The cabin is sensibly designed — bottle holders, cup holders, cubby holes are all within reach. There’s a large boot as well, but there’s no electrical opening and closing. I must point out though, that if space is of concern, an SUV like the Hyundai Tucson provides far more room inside the cabin.
The question I saw myself asking as the day went on was this — do I stick to my original verdict about the Karoq being a mini Kodiaq? Yes, and no. The Karoq borrows parts of the Kodiaq that we love — its build quality, styling, sophisticated ride quality. But the Karoq also carves out its own identity, and separates itself from the pre-conceived notions you may have built of it from the Kodiaq. The simplified interior design, it gives you the sense that the Karoq takes itself less seriously. The compact dimension make it fun to chuck around. And the engine is what really transforms its character. The Kodiaq felt slightly ponderous — the diesel engine felt a bit underwhelming when you wanted to hustle it. The new TSI engine, coupled with the lighter, more nimble chassis of the Karoq, gives it a sprightliness that the Kodiaq cannot come near.
The elephant in the room though is the pricing. `25 lakh isn’t particularly affordable. You need to remember that this is a CBU, which explains why it costs so much. Does it justify the price? Well you do get a fantastic driving experience, an excellent ambience and a terrific sense of build quality and in those respects it is highly recommended. But, you will also find SUVs that give you nearly everything you get here at a more affordable price and you will also find SUVs that give you a lot more at this price point.
Belting up and down that cold, wet mountain, the Karoq managed to put a smile on my face. And that’s more than can be said for most SUVs in this range. ⌧
Left, from top to bottom: The back seat has just about enough knee room and adequate headroom; panoramic sunroof enhances the sense of space; the 1.5-litre TSI engine is good fun to wring