Well, Skoda took their sweet time with the new 2018 Skoda Karoq. After a very long and heavy teasing campaign they finally revealed the all-new Karoq compact crossover that will replace the Yeti which has some years behind its belt. The Czech carmaker decided to change some things on the new model, besides the name itself of course, and that means an entirely new design heavily influenced by the larger Kodiaq.
The “bad” side is that it actually seems like downsized version of the company’s first true SUV when you look at it, but it actually has its own identity once you examine it better. The thing that catches your eye is the design of the headlights and taillights which are now differently shaped, plus the LED light signature is also new. The new 2018 Karoq is 4.382 millimeters (172.5 inches) long, 1.841 mm (72.4 inches) wide, 1.605 mm (63.2 inches) tall, with a very generous wheelbase that stretches to 2.638 mm (104 inches).
As you are probably used to by now, Skoda offers the biggest trunk capacity which thankfully hasn’t changed when Karoq is considered. It offers 521 liters (18.4 cubic feet) of cargo space, and it can be increased with rear seats down up to 1.630 liters (57.5 cu. ft.) which are just remarkable figures. But it doesn’t stop there. If you need more space, Karoq offers a possibility of totally removing the rear seats after which you will have at your disposal monster 1.810 liters (64 cu. ft.).
The fact that the Czech company is going forward when the tech is considered is backed up by the notion that you can optionally equip Karoq with an all-digital instrument cluster which replaces the analog dials and provides the driver with multiple customization options. If you want more, you can always add some extra cash and in return get necessities like full-LED headlights, wireless smartphone charging, electric tailgate, ten colors LED ambient lighting, Wi-Fi hotspot, and even an LTE module for the top-notch infotainment system.
The under-the-hood business is same old. The engines and gearboxes are already familiar meaning you will get them from Tiguan and Ateca, but there is a twist to this. What you will get is the group’s new 150 HP 1.5 L TSI Evo unit that made its debut in the facelifted Golf, and yes its the same one that has cylinder deactivation tech. Another offering is the smaller 115 HP 1.0 L petrol unit, while the diesel side will be backed up by the popular 1.6 and 2.0 L TDI units.
The transmission will depend on your engine choice and with that said you will be given the option of either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DSG. This is probably normal to assume, but we will say it anyway if you chose some of the more expensive trims you will be graced with and AWD system while those basic trims will have FWD only.
2018 Skoda Karoq Release Date
According to Skoda, the new 2018 Skoda Karoq sales will start in the second half of 2017, and besides this, they also made a promise to increase the portfolio in the coming years. The unsurprising thing is that they will focus more on the crossover segment, so do not get caught up if you see a Fabia-related baby brother in not so distant future.
