Skoda Karoq review: Updated SUV has clever family touches

This softroader isn’t a household name in Australia but it’s slowly building a following thanks to some genius features in the cabin.

Skoda’s Karoq is hardly a household name in Australia.

That makes it tough to compete with high-profile rivals such as Toyota’s RAV4 and Subaru’s Forester, which have been on sale for decades.

But Skoda has established itself as a brand that has become shorthand for impressive driving manners, strong value and clever touches. The larger Kodiaq and smaller Kamiq have both won News Corp Car of the Year awards.

Updated for 2022, the mid-sized Karoq has fresh features along with revised front-end looks anchored by its signature angular treatment for the grille and bumper.

The Skoda’s familiar angular grille remains but there are some changes beneath the metal. Picture: Supplied.

Priced from $42,990 drive-away (a $3000 increase over last year’s model) in entry-level Karoq Style trim, the new car adds 18-inch alloys, front parking sensors, a digital radio and other tech to justify its increased cost.

The car’s 10.25-inch digital dashboard has a new look, and the standard 8-inch infotainment screen adds wireless smartphone charging to accompany wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Dual-zone climate control is standard, as are three clever back seats that slide back and forth to prioritise passenger legroom or cargo space. The chairs tumble forward to turn the medium SUV into a cargo van of sorts and they can be removed independently to suit customer requirements.

The Karoq’s seats can be removed to turn it into a cargo van of sorts. Picture: Supplied.

Smart seats build on Skoda’s usual array of clever touches, including a cargo net, shopping bag hooks and a rechargeable torch in the boot, as well as waterproof umbrella holders under the front seats and a rubbish bin in the driver’s door.

A short list of standard safety gear includes auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and driver fatigue detection.

Folks who want more need to invest in optional extras that bundle lane keeping with stop-and-go traffic jam assistance, multi-colour ambient lighting, self-parking and a bigger touchscreen with satnav and a 360-degree camera in a $5900 tech pack.

The cabin is a mix of hi-tech screens and quality materials. Picture: Supplied.

A $10,900 premium pack delivers all of the above, plus heated leather seats for front and rear occupants and a heated steering wheel with gearshift paddles.

But blind-spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert are off-limits unless you upgrade to the all-wheel-drive Karoq Sportline for $49,990 drive-away (also $3000 more than the outgoing version). Even on the Sportline they add a further $1250 to the bill.

The Sportline rides on 19-inch wheels and has a sportier interior than the Karoq Style but misses out on the cheaper car’s clever rear seats.

The $7000 upgrade from Style to Sportline includes an engine and transmission upgrade.

Upgrading to the Sportline model brings a more powerful engine. Picture: Supplied.

Standard models use 6.5L/100km of premium fuel to feed a turbocharged 1.4-litre engine sending 110kW and 250Nm to the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

That’s the same hardware you’ll find in entry-level versions of the latest VW Golf.

The Karoq Sportline swaps that for a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission linked to a larger 2.0-litre turbo motor with 140kW, 320Nm and all-wheel-drive.

The snappy gearbox in the Sportline helps keep fuel use to 6.6L/100km – a fraction more than the cheaper car – while reducing its 0-100km/h sprint time from 9.2 to 7.0 seconds.

The Karoq has a distinctive front end. Picture: Supplied.

Effortlessly brisk, the Sportline has extra muscle that makes it the pick for enthusiasts. It returns crisper responses to steering input combined with a slightly firmer ride than the standard car.

Most folks will be well served by the regular Karoq, though.

Sweet to drive, with light yet direct steering and a more comfortable ride, the Karoq feels polished on the road.

The standard Karoq has adequate performance and a conventional auto that feels more natural in everyday driving – particularly at low speed.

Factor in a sharper price and more flexible cabin and it shapes up as the clever choice.

VERDICT

Three and a half stars

Handsome to look at and full of clever features, the Karoq is let down by a lack of standard driver assistance equipment.

SKODA KAROQ STYLE

PRICE From $42,990 drive-away

ENGINE 1.4-litre 4-cyl turbo, 110kW and 250Nm

WARRANTY/SERVICE 5-yr/u’ltd km, $1550 for five years

SAFETY 7 airbags, auto emergency braking, active cruise control

THIRST 6.5L/100km

CARGO 588 litres

SPARE Space Saver