15501699kg Skoda Karoq 2.0 TDI Evo 150 SE L 4x4 DSG*

THE KAROQ IS one of those cars that ticks all the right boxes; it’s a superb all-rounder with no glaring weaknesses.

With a kerb weight of 1614kg, it’s heavy enough to make a sensible match for a broad range of caravans, and the combination of four-wheel drive, a punchy diesel engine and an automatic gearbox makes for easy hill starts. Our drivers had no trouble in dry conditions, and because it’s a 4x4, you’d expect the Karoq to cope in the wet too.

With 266lb ft of pulling power, it easily pulled its Adria caravan up to speed. Getting from 30-60mph, as you might when joining a motorway slip road, took a respectable 13.1sec.

Solid straight-line performance is matched with excellent stability. None of our drivers had any qualms about towing at up to 70mph on the test track. Even the lane-change test left the Karoq unfazed. On the fastest of three runs, the caravan began to slide, but the car pulled it straight again very quickly.

In daily driving, it’s quiet and comfortable. True, it’s not as much fun as the closely related Seat Ateca, but it compensates by being comfier over badly surfaced roads.

Inside, the Karoq is well made and roomy. Adults can travel comfortably in the back seats, which are divided into three sections that slide back and forth independently of one another for maximum flexibility. But there’s a good chance you won’t need to fold or slide the seats to have enough luggage space, because our practicality testers found room for all but one item from our typical load of camping gear.