Why do people choose Kodiak Mini?

Now that we compare: the Karoq is 31.5cm shorter, 4.1cm narrower, and 5.2cm lower than the Kodiaq. The Karoq has also been shortened by 15.3cm on its wheelbase compared to its bigger brother. This downsizing was not limited to the bodywork, as the entry-level engine also became noticeably smaller. With the Kodiaq, you always get at least a 1.5 TSI with a four-cylinder (in the early years of construction a 1.4 TSI), while a 1.0-litre three-cylinder comes as standard at the front of the Karoq. Last week, Skoda introduced the new Kodiaq with electric motors, which we will undoubtedly see in the next Karoq.

Practical ease of use

Despite its small size, the Karoq still feels very suitable as a family car. “We were looking for a car that was large enough to accommodate the baby, the stroller and all the accessories around it. “A car that you can customize by increasing or decreasing the boot space,” wrote the Karoq 1.5 TSI driver, who also describes the car’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV)-like capabilities. “The rear seats can be moved and removed. The front passenger seat is equipped with Isofix. It is also foldable, making it easy to transport long items. So ease of use is definitely a plus.

The Karoq diesel driver also mentions the flexible rear seats, which are not standard on every version. “Fans of the Volkswagen Group’s compact SUVs will likely compare the Karoq with its cousin Seat Ateca. In addition to the different appearance, the Karoq could feature Varioflex seats, which are not available with its Spanish cousin. If you remove the middle seat, you can put The two outer seats are more in the middle.” What about the next space? “Combined with the high front seats, which you as a passenger can easily put your feet under, they also make it fun to stay in the back.”

It also looks like a great place to stay at the front. “It’s easy to adjust the seating position in the front, whether it’s the height or slope of the backrest (with a dial).” The lumbar brace can be operated with a rotating handle. Now, at 1.92 metres, I sit very close to the handlebars. With the chair in this position, I can comfortably sit “back” (with enough knee room). There’s not as much space as in the Octavia, but it’s more than 30cm longer. Given the relatively high seat in the back and the fact that you can easily fit your feet under the front seats, you can also sit comfortably in the back. He concludes with a comment about headroom: “There’s a lot of it in the front and back.”

Infotainment and ease of use

Most drivers are happy with the ease of use. “The multimedia system is largely familiar from the Octavia. The buttons are all logical and the touchscreen works quickly and clearly. Another driver is also satisfied with most of the controls and his choice of a more expensive audio system. “The sound is great to listen to. There is no doubt that this will be the contribution of the Canton System. I’m still investigating using the apps. I have already used the navigation apps Waze and Maps and they work flawlessly. However, all that glitters is not gold. “Unfortunately, the built-in navigation leaves a lot to be desired. Besides being very buggy, the built-in sound is annoying. Hearing ‘please’ after every notification is getting really annoying.

Karoq is also available with digital tools. “The virtual cockpit looks nice and gives you plenty of setup options. Apple CarPlay also works well, although I have two immediate negatives about it,” a third Karoq driver wrote. “Sometimes, you can’t connect CarPlay. The next time you drive, everything works again. This happens about 1 in 30 times, so it’s not really annoying.

How to drive a Skoda Karoq?

“This car is not intended to travel on a winding road or provide ‘fun’ while driving,” says the owner of the Karoq 1.5 TSI Greentech Sportline Business. “No, this car takes you from point A to point B in complete comfort. Of course it is not an S-class, but emotionally the Skoda exceeds all my expectations in this area. Maybe I am a little biased because I come from a “premium” product. But in fact The car looks very luxurious in every respect. The Skoda also looks very mature. It has a long suspension travel and therefore has excellent driving comfort (despite the flat tyres).

Skoda Karoq with previous generation Hyundai Tucson on its heels.

It’s an experience widely shared among drivers, including the following 1.0 TSI driver: “The focus is on comfort. Small but also large imperfections are smoothed out well. The vehicle leans a bit when cornering and the steering is not very precise, but it is light. The Karoq is not the place for a sporty turn. On the highway – especially now at the top speed of 100 km/h – you can cruise comfortably for a long time and the car makes very little noise.

Short and sweet are the positive words of Driver 1.5: “The car steers and drives excellently. I drove it to Italy again and with the adaptive cruise control it drives very smoothly and very comfortably. Truly a car for long distance driving!”

Drivers are also enthusiastic about the engines, both the 1.5 and the smaller 1.0 TSI. The aforementioned 1.0 driver also wrote: “I already knew the engine from my Octavia and it certainly does not disappoint.” “I’m still amazed that the 1.0 three-cylinder engine runs so smoothly and accelerates a 1,260-kilogram car so smoothly. This engine is suitable for the Netherlands and for us too. It’s not a line-breaker, but it’s not necessary for us.” I don’t like the DSG automatic transmission very much, he notes. Riders find that it upshifts too early and downshifts too late, making the ride less smooth. “Unless you put it in Sport mode, because then your DSG switches to Normal,” advises this 1.5 TSI driver.

Assistance and safety systems

The adaptive cruise control therefore works properly, as confirmed by another 1.5 TSI driver. “The adaptive cruise control works without any problems and is very advanced. This obviously works more precisely than with the Kia Niro I had before. In the Skoda, the system also responds to the previous system when you are in a turn, such as entering Or out on the highway.This was not the case with the Niro.

This driver is also excited about the lane assist. “Lane Keep Assist works well and does not cause excessive pull on the steering wheel. Sometimes you have to be careful if an unexpected line appears, such as exiting when the emergency lane is in use as a lane in rush hour.

Another user satisfied with these systems offers some constructive feedback: “Options like the Convenience package, including lane keeping assist and traffic jam support, work perfectly. I think the only downside is that if you hold your handlebars a little loosely, you’ll quickly This will give the message that you should hold your handlebars when you actually feel like you are doing so. It also has advantages for the traffic image: “On the other hand, I started to drive more precisely. Indicating direction is also essential when changing lanes using Lane Assistant.

Disturbances and irritations

Judging from the reviews, the Skoda Karoq seems to be a very good car, although this does not mean that every copy is perfect. For example, one user previously wrote about a sometimes uncooperative phone call, which other users did not mention. This also applies to a malfunction of the memory function of the seats and mirrors, which can be linked to a key. “There are two switches with a memory function for the seats and mirrors, but this does not work very often. Either the seat is not positioned correctly or the mirrors are not. Fortunately, the driver’s seat itself also has memory buttons, and they work,” he said. One owner wrote that he was not completely satisfied with the way it worked.

There is also a slight struggle for the 1.5 TSI driver. “There are some minor annoyances. For example, the doors squeak when opening and closing. Everything has been done, but nothing helps. I have accepted that now. The sunroof regularly stops working after a couple of seconds. I have rubbed the bars very lightly with some Vaseline And it has been running fine for a year now. Private 1.5 TSI owners note: “The second service was very expensive, partly because replacing the much more expensive long-life (iridium) spark plugs,” one such driver wrote in His brief review.

The Skoda Karoq may be smaller than the Kodiaq, but at least it knows how to please its drivers, too. Here also the ample space and comfortable driving characteristics are praised. The most important improvements relate to the integrated navigation system and the very fanatical DSG automatic transmission.