Even with the car’s psychedelic disguise in place, it’s not difficult to spot that the successor to the Skoda Yeti is a completely different car to the one it’s about to replace. In fact, the crossover has under gone such a dramatic transformation – both visually and mechanically – that Skoda has taken it upon itself to give it a new name altogether. Welcome to the Skoda Karoq.
Now a more conventional rival for the likes of the SEAT Ateca and Nissan Qashqai, the Karoq slots into Skoda’s reshaped SUV line-up that’s spearheaded by the seven-seat Kodiaq. The new model will be officially unveiled towards the end of May, but ahead of the crossover arriving in showrooms at the end of the year, Auto Express has joined Skoda bosses in Estonia on the final leg of the car’s development process to see how it’s shaping up.
• New Skoda Karoq: everything you neeed to know
The outgoing Yeti was unique because it looked like nothing else on the market: a van-like body, chunky body cladding and some decent off-road pedigree. It was, and still is, a huge success; Skoda has sold over 630,000 examples of the car worldwide since its launch in 2009.
So why the big change? Well, a new platform and new technology have become available to Skoda, and China is playing an ever-increasing role in dictating the look and purpose of new models. In the Far East the Yeti has no real history or pedigree, so Skoda has decided to start from scratch.
Our exclusive image gives you an idea of how the finished model will look, but the heavily disguised prototypes we’ve been driving in Estonia tell us it’s all change. The Kodiaq has had a clear influence on the Karoq - and not just on its name; scaled-down versions of the wide front grille and headlamps are just about visible at the front, while sharp edges to the bodywork can be picked out on the flanks.
The Karoq is now based on the same MQB chassis as the Ateca and shares an almost identical footprint, measuring 4,382mm long, 1,841mm wide and 1,605mm tall. Those are significant gains over the Yeti and as a result, boot capacity has increased by 105 litres to 521 litres. Dropping the rear bench boosts load capacity to 1,630 litres, too, making the Karoq potentially the most practical crossover in its class.
Four engines will be available from launch: 1.0 and 1.5-litre petrols, and 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesels, with power outputs ranging from 115bhp to 187bhp. The models in Estonia included the 148bhp 1.5-litre turbo and 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel, which featured four-wheel drive.
Even before we got behind the wheel in Estonia, the Karoq had been through a meticulous development process to ensure it’s ready for mass production. Initial assessments began in the lab with crash test simulations, before hot and cold climate testing with temperatures as extreme as minus 40 and plus 80 degrees Celsius help eradicate any electrical gremlins.
By now, prototypes have covered around 1.2 million miles collectively. And sure enough, aside from a few niggles regarding fit and finish, the Karoq feels ready for the showroom. We’re not able to show you interior pictures yet, but take our word for it; the new 9.2-inch infotainment system is what catches your eye first. It’s slick, intuitive to use and loaded with Skoda Connect features such as Wi-Fi hotspot and Apple CarPlay. A smaller 6.5-inch display will be fitted to entry-level models.
On the move, the 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo is extremely quiet, and even a boot of throttle to up the pace does little to upset refinement. There’s also a noticeably softer edge to the Karoq’s ride compared with the Ateca’s; it feels supple and forgiving, but as a result there is more body roll. Adaptive dampers will be made available as an option.
As is the case with most models on the MQB chassis, there’s little in the way of steering feel, but aligned with the Koraq’s more relaxed nature it’s not a huge concern. The seven-speed DSG gearbox slurs gears smoothly, while the engine is also able to shut down two of it cylinders under light throttle loads to save fuel. For every 62 miles Skoda claims this function helps save around half a litre of petrol.
The 2.0-litre diesel feels immediately more potent, thanks to its superior torque advantage of 340Nm. Yet despite this, Skoda claims it’s actually slower from 0-62mph, taking 8.9 seconds – half a second more than the 1.5 petrol. As with the petrol, the diesel motor is well isolated from the cabin and the ride quality on the four-wheel drive version even better. That’s because it gets a multi-link set-up at the rear, whereas front-wheel-drive models make do with a less sophisticated torsion beam.
Climb in the back and there’s also far more space than you get in a Yeti. Even the tallest of adults won’t struggle for head room, while knee room is pretty generous, too. One thing that has been carried over from the Yeti is the innovative Varioflex seating – the rear bench can slide, tumble and even be completely removed for maximum flexibility.
- Model: Skoda Karoq
- Price: From £17,000 (est)
- Engine: 1.5-litre four cylinder Turbo
- Transmission: Seven speed DSG, front wheel drive
- Power/torque: 148bhp/250Nm
- 0-62mph/Top speed: 8.4s/122mph
- Economy/CO2: 55.4mpg/118g/km
- On sale : Late 2017
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