2024 Skoda Karoq review

JUMP AHEAD

• Pricing and features
• Safety
• Interior
• On the road
• Key rivals
• Should I put it on my shortlist?

Pricing and features

The Skoda range has crept up in price over recent years but the brand’s Australian boss says it hasn’t forgotten its roots. And that’s where cars like this new Karoq come in.

At $39,990 drive-away, it’s more than just a sharp starting price – there’s also a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty plus the possibility to prepay (or bundle into your finance) the servicing costs – which are low for a Euro at $2750 for a seven-year plan – and that means if you move it on after five years, there’s like to be some resale benefit.

Skoda also offers a guaranteed future value, so if you want to take up finance for your purchase, you’ll know what the car is worth at the end (depending on your repayments and loan period).

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And when it comes to standard kit? It’s pretty well equipped if you’re okay with cloth seat trim and manual seat adjustment, or don’t mind missing out on the Skoda VarioFlex removable seats because they’re gone from this base model.

You still get nice interior features like an 8.0-inch touchscreen media system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate control air-con, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, keyless entry and push-button start.

There are also auto lights and wipers, LED daytime running lights, headlights and tail-lights with dynamic rear indicators, and 18-inch alloy wheels with a full-size steel spare.

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Safety

There was an ANCAP rating for the Karoq, but it expired at the end of 2023.

Standard safety tech includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and seven airbags. Impressive.

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Interior

To understand how good the interior space is, you first must pay attention to the dimensions: A Karoq is only 4390mm long (on a 2638mm wheelbase), but its boxy body (1841mm wide, 1603mm tall) means it’s far more spacious inside than swoopy rivals.

As a result, it has an airy feel to the cabin, with ample headroom in the first and second rows, and a tall glasshouse making it a good choice for those with carsick-prone kids.

The cockpit isn’t exactly special by today’s standards – this car launched in Europe in 2017 – but while it lacks a bit of pizzazz, it has pragmatism and ergonomics at its core. There is ample storage in the doors and dash, a cup holder section between the seats that can flip into a shelf, and yes, there’s an umbrella hidden in the driver’s door.

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Neither the media system nor simple driver info display set any benchmarks, but they do the job admirably.

Backseat space is fine, but legroom is tight. The fact this variant has a fixed bench rather than the clever sliding/removable seats of higher-spec Karoqs could be a dealbreaker for some, but Skoda claims there’s a bit more on-road noise suppression in this spec.

There are rear vents and a 12-volt outlet, as well as bottle holders, map pockets, a flip-down armrest and even a ski port, but no rear USB ports.

Boot space is excellent, with 521 litres of cargo capacity when the seats are up, and 1810L with the backrest folded down. Unlike some other Skodas, there’s no flippable cargo mat, and no nets either.

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On the road

The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine in the Karoq is a familiar one, having been employed here and in VW products, too. It’s a good engine, with a refined character and easily enough punch for a small family SUV.

Skoda pairs it with an eight-speed auto – yes, it’s a standard torque converter transmission rather than a dual-clutch (DSG) unit – that isn’t quite as snappy as it could be. It does a decent job, and certainly removes the low-speed hesitation that blights some DSG Skodas, but it also flares a bit at times and can be busy jumping between gears in different situations, too.

I also noted a moment or two where the front tyres were somewhat overwhelmed by the torque while taking off from a standstill.

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Whether you’re pushing through hairpins or negotiating parking spaces, it is very easy to judge what’s going to happen next

The Karoq generally drives nicely, being based on the MQB A1 platform, with a supple suspension tune that allows more comfort than some rival SUVs do, yet still with some deft handling to it in twisty situations that inspires confidence, even with the torsion-beam rear suspension of this front-wheel-drive model.

Likewise, the steering is accurate and enjoyable, and whether you’re pushing through hairpins or negotiating parking spaces, it is very easy to judge what’s going to happen next.

As with many products from the VW Group, there is a bit of road noise intrusion on rougher surfaces.

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Key rivals

Spending $40K on a decent-sized SUV is more difficult than you’d think. But you should consider the Honda ZR-V (from $40,200 drive-away), because it’s a bit smaller outside, but still spacious.

Not sure if you’re sold on the whole SUV thing? Check out the Skoda Scala. It’s brilliant and starts at just $33,990 drive-away.

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Should I put it on my shortlist?

For those prioritising practicality and a pinpoint price, the Skoda Karoq makes a very strong argument. Go drive one!

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