Škoda Karoq review: what the car critics say
The Karoq balances comfort with sportiness and is as comfortable and fun as ever
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
In its new incarnation, the Škoda Karoq is as comfortable and fun as ever. Outside, the family car has been given subtle aerodynamic tweaks which reduce drag by 9%, saving a mile or two per gallon, said The Daily Telegraph. Inside, there are more changes, including new materials: you can opt for an eco version made from recycled plastic bottles. As before, there are three petrol engines and two diesels, but no hybrids.
The Karoq comes in three trim levels with lots of practical features as standard, said Autocar. It has an airy cabin with room for three adults in the back, loads of useful storage, and 500 litres of boot space, extending to 1,810 if you remove the VarioFlex back seats. The 8in infotainment touchscreen is easy to use, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and there are still physical buttons for the air con, thankfully.
With light steering but plenty of grip, the Karoq balances comfort with sportiness; it’s a pleasure to drive, with good visibility, said What Car?. Suspension is good over ruts and bumps around town, and the ride is even better on motorways. The manual gearbox is light and easy to use, and if you opt for the dual-clutch automatic, the gear changes are smooth – but it can be jerky when setting off from a standstill.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In pictures: Škoda Karoq
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 cinematic cartoons about Bezos betting big on 'Melania'Cartoons Artists take on a girlboss, a fetching newspaper, and more
-
The fall of the generals: China’s military purgeIn the Spotlight Xi Jinping’s extraordinary removal of senior general proves that no-one is safe from anti-corruption drive that has investigated millions
-
Why the Gorton and Denton by-election is a ‘Frankenstein’s monster’Talking Point Reform and the Greens have the Labour seat in their sights, but the constituency’s complex demographics make messaging tricky
-
Nan Goldin: The Ballad of Sexual Dependency – an ‘engrossing’ exhibitionThe Week Recommends All 126 images from the American photographer’s ‘influential’ photobook have come to the UK for the first time
-
American Psycho: a ‘hypnotic’ adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis classicThe Week Recommends Rupert Goold’s musical has ‘demonic razzle dazzle’ in spades
-
Properties of the week: houses near spectacular coastal walksThe Week Recommends Featuring homes in Cornwall, Devon and Northumberland
-
Melania: an ‘ice-cold’ documentaryTalking Point The film has played to largely empty cinemas, but it does have one fan
-
Nouvelle Vague: ‘a film of great passion’The Week Recommends Richard Linklater’s homage to the French New Wave
-
Wonder Man: a ‘rare morsel of actual substance’ in the Marvel UniverseThe Week Recommends A Marvel series that hasn’t much to do with superheroes
-
Is This Thing On? – Bradley Cooper’s ‘likeable and spirited’ romcomThe Week Recommends ‘Refreshingly informal’ film based on the life of British comedian John Bishop
-
A Shellshocked Nation: Britain Between the Wars – history at its most ‘human’The Week Recommends Alwyn Turner’s ‘witty and wide-ranging’ account of the interwar years