2025 Skoda Karoq evaluate | CarExpert

The Skoda Karoq is getting on in years now. It’s one the Czech model’s oldest fashions nonetheless on sale domestically and it’s additionally presently the slowest-selling Skoda SUV.

This small-to-mid-sized SUV was first revealed in 2017 and obtained a facelift in 2021. An all-electric successor, referred to as the Elroq, was revealed final month and is because of substitute it in mid-2025.

Within the meantime, nonetheless, Skoda has given the Karoq an replace for the 2025 mannequin 12 months. Highlights embrace a revised lineup with new nameplates and extra normal gear, in addition to greater asking costs.

On take a look at here’s a flagship Skoda Karoq Sportline 4×4 variant, although it’s technically a 2024 mannequin 12 months instance (MY24). Delicate variations from MY25 examples embrace a barely totally different alloy wheel design, and normal gear that was beforehand solely out there as a part of choice packages.

WATCH: Paul’s video evaluate of the 2024 Skoda Karoq

Regardless of the introduction of the similar-looking Sportline 4×2, this flagship variant is the one one which comes with a torquier 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and all-wheel drive.

How does this maintain up towards ever-improving competitors? Learn alongside to seek out out.

How does the Skoda Karoq examine?

View an in depth breakdown of the Skoda Karoq towards equally sized automobiles.

Skoda

Karoq

How a lot does the Skoda Karoq price?

On take a look at right here is the flagship Karoq Sportline 4×4 fitted with non-compulsory extras.

When you add all of the non-compulsory extras on our tester, together with the Phoenix orange metallic paint, the asking worth involves $62,760 drive-away. Ouch!

To see how the Skoda Karoq stacks up agains the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.

What’s the Skoda Karoq like on the within?

Hopping into the Skoda Karoq Sportline, it’s very simple to see why this sort of automobile sells in droves in Australia. You step throughout into the automobile quite than having to step up or down, which is useful for these with poor mobility.

When you’re in, it feels such as you’re sitting on a seat that’s on stilts. There’s loads of visibility from the driving force’s seat and so that you’re simply capable of place every nook of the automobile. That is one thing that SUV consumers search.

Our tester is fitted with the non-compulsory Signature Pack that provides a spread of options like leather-appointed upholstery, power-adjustable entrance seats with reminiscence, and aspect mirror reminiscence. It’s a $4000 bundle and except you actually love leather-based I don’t know if I’d personally go for it.

Whereas the entrance seats are squishy and cozy for longer journeys, I discovered them to be somewhat on the flatter aspect regardless of being a sport-oriented mannequin. The seats within the Cupra Formentor provide extra aspect bolstering to safe you higher in bends.

The entrance seat’s electrical adjustment permits me to get snug behind the wheel simply. There’s additionally seat place reminiscence, which is helpful if a number of individuals drive the automobile.

There at the moment are heated entrance and rear outboard seats as normal. Up entrance, the seats get actually sizzling – a lot in order that I may solely tolerate the weakest stage.

Like a couple of different Volkswagen Group SUVs, together with the Tiguan, the Karoq’s accelerator and brake pedals are positioned very excessive. You virtually need to take your heel off the ground to press the brake pedal. This isn’t world-ending and is definitely one thing you acclimatise to, however it’s one thing I observed right away.

Forward of the driving force is a leather-wrapped steering wheel with loads of perforations, which can set off you in case you have trypophobia. It’s a pleasant unit to carry however, in contrast to the seats, its heating is somewhat on the weaker aspect.

The buttons and scroll wheels on the steering wheel mightn’t be to everybody’s tastes, however I personally like them. It’s satisfying with the ability to scroll the amount up and down, quite than having to push a button.

As normal on the Karoq Sportline 4×4, there’s a ten.25-inch digital instrument cluster, or Digital Cockpit in Skoda-speak, which is evident to learn and high-resolution.

Volkswagen Group digital instrument clusters are among the many finest on the market proper now when it comes to adjustment and configurability. There are numerous informative pages, widgets and layouts to select from. It’s additionally good to have the ability to have the satellite tv for pc navigation information up on the digital instrument cluster in entrance of you, when you like.

Transferring throughout to the left, the Karoq Sportline 4×4 now comes normal with a bigger 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It fills the area significantly higher than the smaller 8.0-inch unit and in addition doesn’t have that awkward energy icon on the amount knob, which spins with use (if you realize, you realize).

Whereas it’s good to have the bigger touchscreen, the interface and icons are beginning to look fairly dated in 2024. For almost all of people that use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, nonetheless, this isn’t a difficulty.

Talking of smartphone mirroring, your entire Karoq vary comes with each wired and wi-fi types of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With my iPhone 15 Professional Max linked wirelessly, it was usually good however sometimes the connection would get somewhat patchy.

There’s a wi-fi cellphone charger however it’s tucked away on the entrance of the centre console and is simply too small to suit my plus-sized cellphone. As soon as I took my cellphone case off it did match within the area however refused to cost. Fortunately, there are USB-C ports if you must prime up your cellphone battery.

I really like how the Karoq has caught with a local weather management setup with bodily dials and buttons. It’s rather more intuitive than the touch-sensitive setup within the T-Roc, and lightyears higher than ones built-in into the touchscreen.

Certainly one of my favorite options within the Karoq is AirCare, which is a system that’s capable of vent out smells and replenish the cabin with contemporary air. It’s notably helpful when you had quick meals within the automobile, or somebody lets one rip.

Wanting across the cabin, there are a good few darkish finishes. It does look somewhat like a sea of black in our tester, however there’s nonetheless loads of mild let in by the huge home windows. Choosing the non-compulsory panoramic sunroof would make it even airier.

There are some soft-touch supplies in high-traffic areas just like the armrests and dashboard, however you don’t have to look far to seek out more durable surfaces. Don’t expect felt-lined door bins like in another Volkswagen Group automobiles.

One thing attention-grabbing in regards to the Karoq in comparison with different SUVs is that it seems like the whole lot is mounted low, particularly the gear selector. Some vehicles sometimes wish to have the switchgear near the driving force so that they really feel like they’re cocooned in a cockpit.

On the centre tunnel there’s a reversible cupholder and shelf setup that may be lined up by the armrest. This sounds helpful in idea, however in observe the cupholders are awkwardly small, and there’s no correct centre cubby.

One redeeming issue in regards to the centre console is that it comes with a ratcheting centre armrest you could set to your required place. Extra vehicles ought to have this characteristic.

For the reason that semiconductor chip scarcity again in 2020, the Karoq hasn’t actually been out there with a premium sound system, not at the same time as an choice, which is disappointing. There’s an unbranded eight-speaker setup that performs okay, however isn’t essentially a standout.

Hopping into the second row, the area on provide is ample for the phase. You’ll be able to simply get two adults again there in consolation, however three is perhaps a little bit of a pinch given there’s a little bit of transmission hump protrusion.

At a leggy 182cm, I had sufficient leg, toe, head and shoulder area within the second row behind my very own driving place to get snug. And I’d have the ability to journey lengthy distances again there with no worries, because the home windows are giant sufficient to see out of.

By way of second-row amenity, there are console-mounted rear air vents and a 12V outlet, in addition to a fold-down armrest with cupholders.

Across the again there’s a powered tailgate that opens and closes shortly and silently. I’m grateful there are not any obnoxious bings and bongs when it begins opening or closing, as a result of that’s so embarrassing.

As soon as the tailgate is open you actually begin to see the place Skoda has put all its ‘Merely Intelligent’ touches within the Karoq. Some options to notice embrace the reversible boot mat, storage cubbies, moveable hooks and nets to safe gadgets.

There’s 521 litres of boot area with the rear seats up, which is a lot for the phase. Boot area additionally expands to 1630 litres with the rear seats folded.

Beneath the boot flooring there’s a space-saver spare wheel, which is nice to have however not as helpful as a correct full-size unit. That is one thing to notice when you continuously journey in rural or regional areas away from tyre restore retailers.

What’s beneath the bonnet?

The Skoda Karoq Sportline 4×4 is powered by a model of VW’s widespread 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces, you guessed it, 140kW of energy. This engine and tune is shared with the Audi Q2 40 TFSI, Cupra Formentor V, Cupra Ateca V, and Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line.

To see how the Skoda Karoq stacks up agains the competitors, take a look at our comparability instrument.

How does the Skoda Karoq drive?

When beginning up the Skoda Karoq Sportline 4×4, there’s a candy engine rev that’s very acquainted when you’ve pushed a Volkswagen automobile earlier than. For me it seems like house.

The engine idles excessive for only a bit when it’s chilly, however doesn’t take very lengthy to quiet down as a result of it warms up shortly. You’ll be able to inform this automobile is provided for chilly climates.

When you get transferring, energy from the two.0-litre turbo-petrol 4 is adequate and smile-inducing. With 140kW of energy and 320Nm of torque, it’s virtually heat leaning. Don’t go anticipating the Karoq Sportline to be as sizzling because the T-Roc R, nonetheless.

The seven-speed dual-clutch automated is usually good, however you do need to discover ways to drive with it, which is a typical trait of automobiles with this sort of transmission in contrast ones outfitted with a torque converter or CVT auto.

The automobile can sometimes be somewhat hesitant when taking off, however when you permit it time to type itself out, say by pre-empting the inexperienced mild, you’ll be effective. With this in thoughts, different vehicles might beat you off the mark from the site visitors lights except you gun it, so you must drive assertively if that issues to you.

When you’re transferring, the Karoq’s fantastic thing about an engine and transmission combo comes into its personal. In on a regular basis eventualities, the dual-clutch gearbox likes to change as much as second gear as quickly as doable. The automobile can typically even begin in second gear when you’ve virtually come to a cease and set off once more.

A part of the explanation for that is that there’s oodles of torque from the turbo-petrol engine. It makes for a simple driving expertise in which you’ll be able to lean into the sturdy torque supply from low down within the rev vary. Peak torque comes on faucet from 1500rpm.

The twin-clutch auto will change up gears as shortly as doable to maintain the revs down and minimise gas consumption. Thanks once more to the meaty quantity of torque, the transmission will maintain gears for so long as doable earlier than downshifting, solely deciding on a decrease gear when you flooring it or meet a steeper hill.

Round city, the Karoq’s steering is on the lighter aspect, which makes manoeuvring in tight laneways and carparks a breeze. Parking can also be easy-peasy.

As normal, the Karoq Sportline comes with entrance and rear parking sensors, in addition to a surround-view digicam. The latter has a disappointingly poor high quality show.

There’s additionally a Park Help characteristic, however it’s not very helpful as it will probably’t park the automobile between marked traces and as a substitute requires two vehicles to work correctly. It’s a lot simpler to park it your self.

Even at decrease speeds there’s pronounced tyre roar contained in the cabin. This isn’t unusual for European automobiles on tough and coarse-chip Australian street surfaces. The roar will get louder when you get out on the open street.

Not like the remainder of the Karoq vary, the Sportline 4×4 receives a extra refined impartial multi-link rear suspension setup as a substitute of a stay torsion beam association. This helps make the journey extra compliant, although sometimes it nonetheless errs on the sportier aspect of snug.

The automobile additionally will get Dynamic Chassis Management (DCC), which is basically Skoda-speak for adaptive dampers. There are a number of various drive modes that regulate how the shock absorbers react to bumps.

Consolation mode softens issues out to the purpose the place you virtually really feel such as you’re floating on a cloud, whereas Sport mode companies issues up and transmits extra street imperfections by to the cabin. For just about all my on a regular basis driving, I caught with the Regular driving mode as a result of I discovered it struck a pleasant steadiness between total consolation and dynamics.

Whatever the drive mode, nonetheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless really feel a way of sportiness by the suspension. There are additionally some street jitters at greater speeds, even in Consolation mode.

Build up velocity within the Karoq Sportline is straightforward and stress-free. You too can slot the automobile into Sport mode when you like and it turns into somewhat pocket rocket, feeling correctly heat. Typically, there’s sufficient oomph within the tank to simply carry out overtakes if vital.

The Sportline is the one Karoq variant to supply all-wheel drive, which supplies you an added sense of safety in slippery conditions. However for almost all of driving on sealed surfaces, and even gravel tracks, you probably received’t actually really feel any tangible distinction when it comes to grip in comparison with its front-drive siblings.

There may be an off-road mode when you’re eager on taking your heat European SUV with 19-inch alloy wheels off the crushed monitor, however I doubt the typical proprietor would actually use it.

On the security entrance, the adaptive cruise management system is incredible and really pure when it comes to its operation. Not like a whole lot of vehicles that now have these capabilities built-in on the steering wheel, you set and regulate the cruise management parameters on a stalk.

This isn’t essentially a great or dangerous factor, it’s simply one thing that took a short time for me to regulate again to. My household’s 1998 Mitsubishi Magna has cruise management on a stalk, for instance.

One thing I didn’t get used to, nonetheless, was the annoying characteristic that doesn’t allow you to undertake a automobile with adaptive cruise management set. It is a widespread characteristic in Volkswagen Group automobiles and is irritating in Australia the place lane etiquette isn’t the sharpest.

The lane-keep help is sweet to have however, like some programs, I discovered it to be somewhat overactive and wanting to tear the steering wheel out of my fingers if I drifted somewhat too intently to the lane markings.

However, the Journey Help system, which is as soon as once more a part of the Premium Pack, works fantastically with the adaptive cruise management system to make lengthy drives on highways and freeways much less tiring.

Lastly, the Karoq Sportline comes normal with matrix LED headlights. These are nice when you continuously drive within the nation as you’ll be able to maintain your excessive beams on for so long as doable and the automobile will routinely dip sure components of the headlight when it detects a automobile’s headlights or tail-lights.

What do you get?

On take a look at right here is the flagship Karoq Sportline 4×4 fitted with just about each non-compulsory further, aside from the panoramic glass sunroof and aspect steps.

Karoq Choose highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Silver roof rails and window body {surround}
• LED headlights and tail-lights
• Automated high-beam
• Dynamic indicators
• Energy-folding and heated mirrors
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Leather-based-trimmed steering wheel
• Manually height-adjustable entrance seats
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Twin-zone local weather management
• 8.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 2x USB-C ports
• Voice management
• Keyless begin

Karoq Sportline 4×2 provides:

• Arms-free energy tailgate
• Privateness glass
• 19-inch anthracite alloy wheels
• Anthracite entrance spoiler and rear diffuser
• Black window body surrounds
• Matrix LED headlights with adaptive high-beam
• LED inside lighting
• Ambient lighting
• LED puddle lamps
• Heated entrance and rear seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Paddle shifters
• Sports activities consolation entrance seats
• Aluminium end pedals
• Black headliner
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• DAB+ digital radio
• Wi-fi smartphone charging
• USB-C port in rearview mirror
• Keyless entry
• Rear privateness glass 
• Warmth insulating windscreen
• Arms-free energy tailgate

Karoq Sportline 4×4 provides:

• Dynamic Chassis Management (DCC) adaptive suspension
• Progressive steering
• Heated windscreen washer nozzle
• 9.2-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• 10-speaker Canton sound system
• Semi-autonomous parking help

Elective Extras

Skoda has made plenty of options normal throughout the vary now, however there are nonetheless some choices.

Signature Pack ($4000) provides:

• Leather-based-appointed upholstery
• Energy-adjustable entrance seats
• Entrance seat place reminiscence
• Facet mirror memroy

There’s additionally a panoramic glass sunroof as a standalone choice for $1900, in addition to aspect steps for $1500, however neither have been fitted to our tester.

Is the Skoda Karoq secure?

The Skoda Karoq was awarded a five-star ANCAP security ranking based mostly on Euro NCAP checks performed in 2017, however that’s now expired so it’s formally ‘unrated’ by the impartial automobile security physique.

Beforehand, nonetheless, all Karoq variants have been lined by this ranking, which was based mostly on class scores of 93 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 79 per cent for youngster occupant safety, 73 per cent for pedestrian safety, and 58 per cent for security help.

Customary security gear consists of:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Pedestrian detection
  • Bicycle owner detection
• Adaptive cruise management
• Lane-keep help
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Entrance and rear parking sensors
• Reversing digicam
• Manoeuvre braking help
• Multi-collision brake
• Tyre strain monitoring
• Superior driver fatigue detection

Stepping as much as the Sportline 4×2 provides site visitors jam help, lane centring and emergency help, whereas the Sportline 4×4 now features a surround-view digicam and hill-descent management.

How a lot does the Skoda Karoq price to run?

The Karoq is roofed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Skoda Karoq

The Skoda Karoq is a automobile that deserves to promote higher than it does as a result of it’s in a very talked-about market phase in Australia.

It has loads of cupboard space for a small-to-medium SUV and there are heaps of ‘Merely Intelligent’ touches Skoda has added to make the Karoq really feel distinctive and particular.

A sticking level, nonetheless, is that there are too many direct rivals from the Volkswagen Group with the identical powertrain mixture at the same worth level.

Certain, Skoda has drive-away pricing for the Karoq, which on the floor makes it appear extra reasonably priced, and there may be now extra normal gear, however there are nonetheless sure issues restricted to choice packages.

With all the choice containers ticked, this automobile is prices effectively over $60,000 drive-away, which is pushing it into the territory of hotter however much less sensible crossovers.

For the same worth you will get right into a Cupra Formentor VZ, which admittedly doesn’t have all-wheel drive, however does provide extra energy and extra innately sporty dynamics.

The complete-fat Volkswagen T-Roc R additionally prices solely a bit greater than our absolutely optioned tester right here.

Pricing apart, the Karoq Sportline is basically an amazing and dynamic bundle. The additional normal gear is effectively obtained, although when you require all-wheel drive, the candy spot is decrease down within the vary.

Enthusiastic about shopping for a Skoda Karoq? Get in contact with considered one of CarExpert’s trusted sellers right here

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