Skoda Karoq
Czech SUV is our current favourite in this class. We weigh it up against MG’s newcomer
MATCHING the top-spec MG on price is an entry-level Karoq SE (our pictures show a higher-spec Edition model), which comes in at £23,880 with the 1.5-litre TSI engine and six-speed manual gearbox. But there’s more to this test than a simple analysis of the figures, as we’ll see.
Design & engineering
FOR a start, while the Skoda might
£880 more expensive than the MG, there isn’t too much difference in the level of core kit. The Skoda gets an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, for example, providing owners with sat-nav through their device. Parking sensors are included, as are cruise control and some key safety tech, while you get DAB radio, too.
However, it is true that the Karoq in SE trim does without some of the MG’s more premium features, such as LED lights, a reversing camera, heated leather seats and keyless operation, but you can add all these features as options on the Skoda if you want them, even if it will push the price up.
LED headlights are £1, 225, a reversing camera is £310 (and not bad value), heated seats are £205 (again, not bad value, but £1,400 if you want them in leather), while keyless operation costs £435.
Despite the Skoda lacking these features the cabin matches up, with even better build and material quality than the MG. The ergonomics are also fundamentally better, with more – and more better-placed – storage and a nicer driving position.
The Karoq also gives away power to the MG. The Skoda’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo engine produces 148bhp but the same 250Nm peak torque at the same 2,500rpm. There’s a six-speed manual driving the front wheels, too, with a dual-clutch automatic available, as with the MG. Neither is offered with four-wheel drive in these engine and trim combos.
There’s also a good level of efficiency-boosting tech; the Skoda’s engine has cylinder-deactivation that can shut down two of the four chambers on the move under light load to help cut fuel consumption. It does it more often than you might expect – the little ‘eco’ display on the dash is the only real way to tell, because the changeover is almost imperceptible.
Driving
IT ’S no slight on the MG, but in pretty much every way the Karoq outscores it. While it might have been slower from 0-60mph and lagged behind over some of our in-gear acceleration tests (it was a few tenths slower between 30 and 50mph in third and fourth, but actually quicker by more than a second between 50 and 70mph in top) the engine’s flexibility is more than adequate. It’s also smoother and more refined, particularly at high revs, where the MG sounds coarse.
The gearshift is lighter and more precise than the MG’s six-speeder, but it’s not an obvious weak point in the HS anyway, while the Skoda’s steering is lighter and more precise, and there’s more grip on offer from the chassis, too.
That’s because the Karoq’s body control is more resolute, whereas the HS doesn’t keep its composure for quite as long. The Skoda feels a little firmer over washboard surfaces, but there’s still a nice, silky
motion to the way the suspension soaks up bumps, which, even on bigger wheels, makes the Karoq the more comfortable car and the better machine to drive out of this pair of family SUVs.
Practicality
THE Karoq is also more practical. Room inside the rear is roughly equal, but the Skoda’s larger boot means it’s easier to load and can swallow more kit. This could be important if you’re part of a growing family and have to ferry around all the paraphernalia that comes with it.
You can add Skoda’s clever VarioFlex seating that brings a sliding bench to prioritise either passenger space or luggage room depending on your needs, but it’s part of the pack that brings leather upholstery, too, so costs £1,440 and isn’t all that necessary.
Ownership
SKODA’S results in our Driver Power ownership satisfaction survey were the inverse of MG’s, because the Czech brand was a hit with buyers, taking fifth place in the table out of 30 brands in the 2019 edition.
However, Skoda’s franchises finished 10th in the dealers’ chart, while MG performed more strongly, coming in seventh out of 31 manufacturers. Overall, Skoda just edges it, even if its three-year warranty package isn’t quite as attractive as MG’s; this might matter less if you’re buying on finance though.
The Karoq’s safety technology is nowhere near as extensive as the HS’s. Autonomous emergency braking is standard, but if you want blind-spot warning and lane-assist they’re part of a £930 pack that could be worth paying for. At least the Karoq gets seven airbags as standard and a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating to match the HS.
Running costs
SKODA is a brilliant example of how a brand’s image has changed over decades.
Our experts reckon the Karoq will hold on to 10 per cent more when it comes to used values, at 51.3 per cent over three years or 36,000 miles, compared with 41.3 per cent on the MG. This equates to depreciation of £11,630 and £13,496 for the Karoq and HS respectively, which means used values of £12,250 for the Skoda and £9,499 for the MG over the same period and mileage.
Vehicle Excise Duty costs £145 on both models and insurance will cost our sample driver £499 a year on the Karoq and £541 on the HS. The Skoda was more economical on test and is cheaper to tax for company car drivers, so it costs less to run overall.