SUV as it should be
Smaller sibling of the classy Kodiaq is just as much fun to drive
SKODA is on a roll. The brand gained a market share of 10.4% in June, and 7.2% for the year to date, its highest ranking ever, edging it closer to the Top Five brands on the market here. With 6,296 cars sold, it bucked the overall downward sales trend by seeing a sales increase of 4.3%, and turnover up by 15% to €115million.
Despite new offerings in the shape of the Kodiaq and Karoq SUVs, the biggest seller remains the Octavia, with over 2,500 driving off the forecourts, while the Superb, which I reviewed here a few weeks back, increased its share of the large saloon market at the expense of some premium rivals.
It’s easy to see how that momentum will continue. My personal car of the year in 2017 was the Kodiaq, the large SUV available with five or seven seats, and an absolute beauty to drive. That said, it is probably too big for many to contemplate, so the arrival of the smaller Karoq will give Skoda a strong foothold in the market for compact SUVs.
Like its bigger sibling, it is a beautiful car visually, sharing many styling cues with the Kodiaq and managing to somehow mirror that car’s exceptional road presence. From the shared grille and wide headlights through a high shoulder line and a roof that tapers gently downward to the rear, to a tidily arranged rear light cluster and wideopening tailgate, it looks every inch a proper SUV, rather than the halfway-house soft crossover styles favoured by some rivals. My test car was the standard front-wheel-drive model, and you have to go up to the 2.0litre diesel version to get full 4x4 capability, with pricing starting at €35,765. To be honest, few would need it, though if we have another winter like the one just gone a few more minds might well be focused on that option.
If you opt for petrol, you might choose the 1.0-litre version, though the 1.5-litre 148hp powertrain is a better option, delivering power seamlessly when matched to a smooth six-speed manual transmission.
On the open road during cruising, two of the four cylinders automatically shut down to save on fuel consumption and quickly fire back into life when needed for acceleration. The high driving position offers an excellent view of the road ahead, and never feels choppy even during sharp cornering.
The cabin itself is very comfortable, with two USB chargers up front and an attractive infotainment system on the 9.2-inch colour touchscreen.
The standard rear seats drop in a 60:40 configuration to enlarge the cargo capacity from a best-in-class 521 litres to a whopping 1,630 litres, though my car came with the optional three Varioflex rear seats, in all-leather upholstery, that can be dropped individually for more flexible load management (with a rubbish bin in the driver door and a reversible boot mat, this Comfort Pack costs €1,495). Other options on the test car were adaptive cruise control (€324); lane assist, light assist and traffic sign recognition (€1,188); Style Plus Pack, comprising electric tailgate, rear-seat tablet holders and panoramic sunroof (€1,395); wireless phone charging for compatible smartphones (€332); and Business Grey metallic paint (€605).
Standard equipment on the Style trim includes 18-inch alloy wheels, Columbus satnav system with touchscreen, DAB radio, SIM card slot, WLAN connectivity, infotainment online and Bluetooth, exterior chrome package, park distance control with rearview camera, dual-zone aircon, light and rain assist, keyless entry, start and exit, LED headlights, hill-hold control, tinted rear windows, and fog lights.
Skoda has been a classy brand for many years now, but everything about the Karoq says it is moving even further upmarket.
It may not be as cheap as it once was, but having established its foothold in the market, it makes sense to not only chase the herd, but also lead it.
In the Karoq, you get an impressive package that also returns decent fuel economy for a petrol car, at 5.4 litres in the combined urban/extra-urban cycle, and emissions of 123g/km, for annual motor tax of €270.
Above all, the Karoq injects a little fun into the SUV segment. It’s fast, responsive and nippy, compact enough to feel comfortable in the city, yet spacious enough to make a long road trip comfortable too.
We have a long way to go before I choose my car of the year 2018 but, for now, I can see no reason why this excellent car wouldn’t be in the shakedown.