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New Karoq SUV to take Skoda centre stage

Skoda has revealed its new Karoq SUV, which will indirectly replace the Yeti, providing a more mainstream C-SUV.

Due on sale from the second half of the year, the Karoq will compete directly against cars such as the Renault Kadjar and Nissan Qashqai, as well as with the SEAT Ateca, with which it shares a platform, and will major on space, practicality and new technology.

Around 200mm longer than the Yeti, the Karog brings a boot space of 521 litres, rising to a a maximum of 1,630 litres with the rear seats down. The optional VarioFlex system, which consists of three separate rear seats, increases maximum load capacity to 1,810 litres with the seats removed. Practical features include a virtual pedal for hands-free opening of the boot and a folding front passenger seat to enable longer items to be transported.

Engine line-up will cover five variants – two petrol and three diesel engines – of which four are new.

Diesels comprise the 148bhp 2.0 TDI seen in models such as the Octavia as well as new 187bhp 2.0 and 113bhp 1.6 TDI units. Both petrols are new and cover 113bhp 1.0 and 148bhp TSI units, with the latter featuring cylinder deactivation.

With the exception of the most powerful diesel, all drivetrains can be ordered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or 7-speed DSG while the higher powered diesel comes as standard with 4×4 drive and 7-speed DSG. The economy champion is the 148bhp TDI, which brings official CO2 figures of 115g/km and 64.2mpg with front-wheel drive and 6-speed manual transmission.

Higher trim levels can also be equipped with the Driving Mode Select feature, with Normal, Sport, Eco, Individual and Snow (4×4), while an Off-Road mode is available on all-wheel drive versions.

Equipment includes full LED headlights as an option on certain trims and a digital instrument panel – a first for the brand.

A choice of four connectivity solutions is offered, with the basic version offering the SmartLink+ platform as an option while top-range systems bring a Wi-Fi hotspot. Also on offer are the Skoda Connect mobile online services, which feature infotainment online services for information and navigation and CareConnect services for assistance in case of breakdowns and emergencies.

Driver assistance systems include Park Assist, Lane Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, Blind Spot Detect, Front Assist with predictive pedestrian protection and Emergency Assist.

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Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.