Facelifted Skoda Karoq teased again

Skoda has continued to tease the updated 2022 Skoda Karoq ahead of its November 30 launch, releasing a video preview that shows more of the mid-size SUV's fresh styling.

Facelifted to fend off far newer rivals like the Hyundai Tucson and third-generation Nissan QASHQAI, Skoda has already released design sketches that clearly show how the restyled Karoq will be injected with more Kodiaq DNA as part of the update.

These include a new front bumper that gets a wider and lower air intake, plus a pair of reshaped slimline LED headlights that sit above square fog lights.

Up front there's also the addition of a new radiator grille that mimics the latest Skoda Octavia.

Other changes include some special aero alloy wheels that look borrowed from the pure-electric Skoda Enyaq iV.

At the rear, there's a bumper that incorporates a black diffuser, plus a large tailgate and a pair of redesigned tail-lights that feature C-shaped graphics.

New paint and wheel options have also been introduced.

Inside, Skoda has yet to reveal what changes have been made, but expect the Volkswagen Group's 10.25-inch infotainment system to become standard across the range.

Under the bonnet, Skoda is likely to add a new iV-badged plug-in hybrid that will combine a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. Combined, the new electrified Karoq should produce around 180kW and feature a 50km pure-electric range.

Elsewhere, the 140kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and the 110kW 1.4-litre turbo are expected to be carried over, along with the more advanced 110kW 1.5-litre mild-hybrid four-cylinder that's available in Europe.

Just four years since it was introduced, the Skoda Karoq has become the brand's second-best-selling vehicle globally after the Octavia, with more than 500,000 sold worldwide.