Skoda’s new compact SUV Karoq premiered at the Artipelag museum near Stockholm in Sweden, with the presence of over 500 international guests. The media sees Karoq as the Yeti’s successor, and the market launch is planned for the second half of 2017.
We’ve already spoken a few things about Karoq in the previous articles. In case you missed it, the Karoq is a combination of the terms “KAA’RAQ” (car) and “RUQ” (arrow), derived from the language of Alaska’s indigenous people. Arrow in the name and an arrow in the logo – “Simply Clever”, isn’t it?
Built on the MQB platform, the Karoq’s design language pretty much follows its bigger brother Kodiaq. There are full-LED headlamps and LED taillamps, inspired by the Bohemian glass art.
Powertrains
Internationally, there are five turbocharged engines on offer. Two petrol and three diesel engines with displacements including 1.0, 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0-litre capacities. Power output ranges from 85 kW (115 hp) to 140 kW (190 hp). All powertrains feature start-stop technology and brake energy recovery and comply with EU 6 regulations. Excluding the most powerful diesel, all drivetrains can be ordered with a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG. The 2.0 TDI with 140 kW (190 hp) comes as standard with 4WD and 7-speed DSG. The new 1.5 TSI features cylinder deactivation. As for the 1.0, it’s a new 3-cylinder TSI, produced at the Mladá Boleslav engine plant.
There’s an optional Driving Mode Select with five modes – Normal, Sport, Eco, Individual and Snow (4×4).
Features
The feature list includes the ‘Skoda Connect’ infotainment system with capacitive touch screen in glass design, similar to the one we saw in the 2017 Octavia. The top-end Columbus and Amundsen systems will have a Wi-Fi hotspot.
An optional LTE module is available for the Columbus system. In addition, Skoda Connect is divided into two categories: Infotainment online services, used for information and navigation; CareConnect services for assistance in case of breakdowns and emergencies. The SmartLink+ platform, compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink, is available as an option for the basic infotainment system Swing.
Programmable digital instrument cluster and ambient lighting with 10 colors are some of the other features.
There’s a host of driver assistance features too. These include Park Assist, Lane Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, Blind Spot Detect, Front Assist with predictive pedestrian protection and Emergency Assist.
Dimensions
The Karoq measures 4,382 mm in length, 1,841 mm in width, and 1,605 mm in height. Wheelbase measures 2,638 mm (4WD version – 2,630 mm). The luggage compartment has a capacity of 521 litres, which is expandable up to 1,810 litres.
The Karoq looks like a fun little SUV. Pretty sure that Skoda has another winner in its hands. Check out more pictures here.
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