Overview
 
Have you noticed how some manufacturers are naming their individual models with the same first and last letters, in order to group them into a family? That’s why we’ve got the Skoda Karoq, which sits in between the smaller Kamiq and larger Kodiaq in the Czech brand’s SUV line up. The Karoq is, in essence, Skoda’s answer to the Nissan Qashqai, Peugeot 3008, Seat Ateca and Volkswagen Tiguan.
On the outside, it looks every inch the modern Skoda, but under its skin it shares an awful lot of its mechanicals with the Ateca and Tiguan – both of which are made by brands that, like Skoda, part of the VW Group.
 
Technical Overview
 
The Skoda Karoq's entry-level turbocharged 1.0 TSI 110 petrol engine is surprisingly sprightly and has decent low-rev shove, so it's fine if you spend most of your time in town. 
 
However, we prefer the 1.5 TSI 150 petrol, which is our pick of the range. It deals with heavier loads and faster, open roads more ably, thanks to a very useful 148bhp. Acceleration is punchy throughout the rev range; 0-62mph takes around 8.9sec (9.0 with the optional automatic gearbox), and you don’t have to work it as hard as the 1.0 TSI 110 to keep up with quick-moving traffic.
There’s also a pair of 2.0-litre diesels, which come with 114bhp (2.0 TDI 116) and 148bhp (2.0 TDI 150). Both are really gutsy from low revs, while the higher-powered version is available with four-wheel drive; the added traction this provides could come in handy when towing a caravan, boat or anything else reasonably hefty.
 
They’re pretty pricey, as is the most powerful engine in the range, the 2.0 TSI 190 petrol, which gets four-wheel drive as standard. All in all, the Karoq’s engine lineup fits broadly in line with the performance a Seat Ateca offers, and both are faster than equivalent versions of the Peugeot 3008. There isn’t a hybrid engine option in the Karoq yet, though.