Skoda unveils its Yeti-replacing Karoq
Wraps are off bigger, better SUV replacement Choice of five engines, and VRS is coming
SKODA was ahead of the curve when it launched the Yeti, one of the original small family SUVS. But now the market is dominated by the likes of the plusher, larger Nissan Qashqai and the Renault Kadjar, so the Czech manufacturer has gone for a more mature approach (and a change of name) for its new offering, the Karoq.
Seen here in official images for the first time, the Karoq is a larger vehicle than the one it replaces. It’s 4,382mm long and 1,841mm wide – figures that are 160mm and almost 50mm up on the Yeti’s dimensions respectively.
The Karoq’s wheelbase is 60mm longer, too, at 2,638mm if you choose a front-wheel-drive edition and 2,630mm for four-wheel-drive models.
The new Skoda’s wheelbase figures are identical to those of front and four-wheeldrive versions of the SEAT Ateca – but that’s no surprise, given that both cars are produced on the VW Group’s MQB chassis architecture. Indeed, there are plenty of family traits visible in the Karoq’s side profile, because its strong, sharp shoulder line looks very similar to the Ateca’s.
A Skoda family grille and more complex tail-lights do help to separate the VW Group stablemates at the front and rear, but the overall look is more restrained than the funky Yeti’s original styling.
The Karoq is being launched with a line-up of five engines. There are two petrols – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit with 114bhp and 175Nm that emits 117g/km of CO2, plus a 1.5 four-cylinder producing 148bhp and 250Nm; thanks in part to cylinder deactivation technology, this more potent engine almost matches the triple’s CO2 emissions, at 119g/km.
The entry-level diesel is a 1.6-litre motor, producing 114bhp and 250Nm of torque, and emitting 118g/km of CO2. Then there’s a 2.0 with 148bhp and 340Nm – enough
for a 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds, despite the lowest CO2 emissions of the entire Karoq range, at 115g/km.
The range-topping motor is a 2.0-litre diesel with 228bhp and 400Nm. It’s offered only with four-wheel drive and a sevenspeed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Its CO2 emissions of 138g/km mean it’s likely to be one of the niche choices in the new Karoq range, though.
Inside, the Karoq showcases the latest version of Skoda’s interior design, with four vertical air vents punctuating the facia, and the central infotainment screen mounted high up and in the centre of the dash.
The car is a five-seater, and its longer wheelbase delivers considerably more passenger space than in a Yeti, especially for occupants sitting in the rear seats.
The boot capacity grows, too, up to 521 litres if the rear seats are fixed, and 1,630 litres if they’re folded down. But Skoda is offering an optional system called Varioflex, which allows you to move all three of the
“There are four vertical air vents, and central infotainment screen is high up and in the centre of the dash”
rear seats individually – or to remove them altogether. Capacities with this configuration range from 421 litres if you prioritise legroom for all three rear passengers and 588 litres if you elect to maximise boot space, to 1,810 litres with the second row removed entirely.
There are four infotainment options, ranging from entry-level Swing, with a 6.5-inch display and DAB radio, through to Columbus, which brings a 9.2-inch screen, gesture control and the option of a Wifi hotspot. The Karoq is also the first Skoda to get the VW Group’s digital instrument panel, as seen on various Audis and the latest Volkswagen Golf.
Other features (optional on some versions) include LED ambient lighting with a choice of 10 colours, puddle lights that illuminate the area around the door during entry and exit, full-led headlamps and foglights, and an electric tailgate that can be operated by waving your foot below the rear bumper.
The line-up of safety kit includes blind spot detection, rear-traffic alert, lane-keep assist and traffic sign recognition – although some of these feature on the options list, along with the different designs of 17, 18 and 19-inch wheels to choose instead of the standard 16 and 17-inch alloys.
The Karoq is due on sale at the end of this year, with first deliveries expected in March 2018. We’d expect it to cost more than the Yeti, with a starting price of around £17,500.
Skoda will add a motorsport-themed Sportline edition of the car next summer, along with a more rugged Scout edition. And the firm’s CEO Bernhard Maier has admitted that a high-performance VRS version is “under discussion”. He added: “We have from our customer base very clear feedback that there is demand for having an SUV with our VRS logo on it, and all of the ingredients which make a Skoda a VRS.”
A plug-in hybrid edition is also being considered by Skoda, but it won’t arrive until 2020 at the earliest.