Skoda Kamiq 2024 Review

The 2024 Skoda Kamiq line-up has been condensed from four model grades to just two: the base-spec Kamiq Select, priced from a competitive $32,890 plus on-road costs (or $33,990 drive-away), and the top-spec Kamiq Monte Carlo that opens at $42,690 plus ORCs ($44,990 drive-away).

Skoda has also taken customer pricing options a step further with a transparent weekly pricing product dubbed Skoda Choice. By leasing the car instead of buying it (a bit like a novated lease), owners pay a deposit, enter into a lease at 6.99 per cent interest and have a guaranteed future value for their vehicle at the end of the three-, four- or five-year contract.

The Kamiq Select costs $82 per week and the Kamiq Monte Carlo is pegged at $108 per week, both based on a five-year contract with a 20 per cent deposit and a 15,000 annual kilometre limit.

Owners have three options at the end of the lease – trade it in for a new Skoda, return it to the dealer or keep it and pay off the guaranteed future value with another loan or cash.

Skoda Australia knows this sort of contract will be a tough sell, noting that most customers distrust dealer finance. However, the company cites the popularity of these leases in Europe, the transparency of the contract and the fact that weekly repayments are quite low in the Kamiq Select’s case – similar to a week’s grocery shop.

It could provide a viable alternative for those looking at car ownership but unable to take out chunky loan, especially younger buyers who may prefers the subscription-style model with capped weekly repayments.

Rivals for the Skoda Kamiq include top-selling small SUVs such as the Hyundai Kona (from $32,000 plus ORCs), Toyota Corolla Cross (from $36,480), Kia Seltos (from $29,780), Mazda CX-30 (from $33,140), Subaru Crosstrek (from $34,990) and even the Volkswagen T-Roc (from $36,890), but none of them offer national drive-away pricing and only Subaru, Mazda and Toyota offer guaranteed future value with financing.

Like all Skoda vehicles, the new Kamiq is backed by a strong seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Capped-price servicing is also available at $379 per annum or $2650 up front for a seven-year all-inclusive package.

The Kamiq comes with one-year complimentary 24/7 roadside assistance, which can be extended on an annual basis if serviced at an authorised Skoda dealership or service centre.

Not attempting to compete on price with the most affordable SUVs in this segment, the 2024 Skoda Kamiq Select nonetheless has plenty of value on its side in the price-versus-equipment scale, rolling on 17-inch grey alloy wheels and fitted with black roof rails, LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, front cornering lights and LED tail-lights.

Keyless entry and push-button engine start is part of the deal, as is a gorgeous leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, a leather-clad gear shifter and manual park brake along with an 8.25-inch central touch-screen and an eight-speaker stereo.

Automatic headlights/wipers, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, comfortable (manual-adjust) front cloth-trimmed seats and a secret umbrella hidden in the driver’s door are welcome too.

Despite costing $1000 more than the previous price-leading and cunningly-named Kamiq Run-Out , Skoda has added extra equipment not previously offered at this level, including dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8.25-inch digital instrument cluster, front parking sensors, LED high beam headlights and a drive mode selector with eco mode.

Handy gear shift paddles are included, along with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and dynamic rear LED indicators/turn signals.

One option package is available on the base-grade Kamiq Select, the Signature Pack ($4200), adding 18-inch alloy wheels, a larger 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, tinted rear windows, adaptive cruise control and autonomous lane guidance, a powered tailgate, red and white LED ambient cabin lighting and upgraded ‘Suedia’ cloth upholstery.

The bigger-engined, top-spec Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo gets everything found in the Signature pack along with black exterior accents, powerful Matrix LED headlights and adaptive suspension.

Inside, you’ll find heated cloth sports front seats with eight-way power adjustment for the driver, a bigger 9.2-inch central touch-screen with satellite navigation, a 10-speaker audio system with subwoofer, heated steering wheel and a massive panoramic glass roof with electric sun shade.

And if you want leather seats, bad luck – Skoda doesn’t offer them on any model or even as an option.

The 2024 Skoda Kamiq has a relatively strong safety suite, starting with seven airbags, full-length curtain airbags and a driver’s knee airbag.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian detection is in there, but the Kamiq Select misses out on semi-autonomous acceleration, braking and steering via adaptive cruise control and active lane guidance – unless the Signature pack is added for $4200.

No real-time speed limit updates (traffic sign recognition) are provided, nor is there a 360-degree parking camera or electric park brake with auto-hold function.

But the Kamiq does have a rear-view camera and proximity parking sensors front, side and rear.

The Kamiq carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted back in 2019.

Despite getting a little long in the tooth at more than five years into its current lifecycle, the 2024 Skoda Kamiq has a suitably high-tech feel, with dual digital screens and a multi-function steering wheel fitted with classy controls.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be the go-to operating system for most owners, which can be operated wirelessly. The native infotainment system is quite good, with intuitively layered menus and reasonably good in-built satellite navigation.

Two USB-C ports have been upgraded (to 45W) for faster device charging but there’s no wireless phone charger and no head-up display.

Considering how good the digital instrument displays are, with loads of useful driving data and plenty of customisability, it’s no great loss.

Two turbo-petrol powertrains carry over unchanged in the 2024 Skoda Kamiq – a 1.0-litre three-cylinder (85kW/200Nm) for the Kamiq Select, and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder (110kW/250Nm) for the Kamiq Monte Carlo.

Both are paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.

Despite their small capacity, both donks deliver remarkably zippy performance and generate significantly more thrust than many of their Asian rivals.

Very fuel efficient, it turns out. The trip computer readout confirmed fuel consumption of 6.2L/100km in the 2024 Skoda Kamiq Select across a range of driving scenarios, including urban, freeway and fast-flowing mountain roads.

It’s a fair way off Skoda’s official fuel use claim of 5.5L/100km, but is still impressive.

The bigger, brawnier Kamiq Monte Carlo managed to undercut its sibling across similar driving conditions, returning 6.1L/100km. During a two-hour freeway cruise it dropped to 5.2L/100km. That compares to the official combined-cycle average of 5.6L/100km quoted by Skoda.

Given its 50-litre fuel tank, a cruising range of just over 950km wouldn’t be difficult to achieve. That said, the VW Group engines are into fine dining and will only consume premium unleaded, preferably 95 octane or higher.

Long story short, the 2024 Skoda Kamiq is hard to fault.

It’s remarkably polished in almost all respects, from the way it handles and steers through corners – both around town at slower speeds and on fast, flowing country roads – to how it deals with rough roads, speed bumps and potholes.

Fair dinkum, the Skoda Kamiq is way more composed (and more fun to drive) than most rivals when pushed, the front-drive SUV tracing through corners with steadfast resolve.

Not everyone will need or want such capabilities, but it is nice to know the Czech whipper-snapper is an accomplished athlete nonetheless.

The Kamiq Monte Carlo with its adaptive shock absorbers that can be set to Normal (soft) or Sport (stiff) offers a wider range of chassis performance at both ends of the dynamic spectrum, but the entry-level Kamiq Select still shows a clean pair of heels in both regards.

Ride quality is good, the suspension of both models absorbing most of the cruddy road surfaces encountered, with all but the deepest and sharpest of potholes thumping through the small SUV’s suspension and body.

Refinement levels are pretty good for a car at this price point, thanks to the quiet engines, smooth gearshifts and a lack of significant tyre and wind noise, in turn creating a relaxing ambience in the cabin.

Both engines are spritely when you’re in a hurry but pleasingly docile and very efficient when pootling around.

The larger-engined Monte Carlo feels more muscular when you flex your right foot and is more engaging to drive due to its sportier chassis (when in Sports mode), but also tends to spin the front wheels more easily when pulling out of T-intersections.

The VW Group’s DSG transmission feels pretty good in these two vehicles, with barely any low-speed lethargy when accelerating from standstill, although there is a notable hesitation when shifting from reverse into drive, especially on an incline.

If I had to sum up the drive experience in one word, it would be ‘polished’. The gearbox isn’t perfect but almost every other measurable driving metric is either class-leading or very close to it.

The 2024 Skoda Kamiq has a decent ground clearance of 188mm – which, along with big windows, helps provide good outward vision – but its front-drive configuration and brusque power delivery would be sub-optimal on tricky off-road terrain.

Dirt roads could be fun if a little frenetic, but anything more demanding would be overambitious.

There are some cheap plastics in the cabin, but the 2024 Skoda Kamiq – including the entry-level Kamiq Select, which does without the fancy Signature pack – has an upmarket look and feel via judiciously placed leather touchpoints and curious Scandinavian-inspired fabric dash accents.

Together with the twin digital screens they add a little more spunk.

Ergonomics are sound, with all controls falling easily to hand, and the firm seats deliver very good support and reasonable comfort in the Kamiq Select. The sports seats in the up-spec Monte Carlo look fantastic with contrasting stitching and sporty pinstripes, although only the driver gets power adjustment.

The rear seats are comfy, with nicely contoured outboard seats, and it’s surprisingly roomy for a small SUV with oodles of legroom and headroom. Amenity is good too, with twin USB-C ports, rear air vents and lots of thoughtful storage options.

Dual ISOFIX and triple top tether child seat anchorage points are included, while the boot is unexpectedly large for a tiny 4.2-metre-long vehicle, with 400 litres of cargo space increasing to 1395L with the rear seats folded down.

You only get a space-saver spare under the floor but the boot features better amenity than most small SUVs, with two separate shelves, an adjustable strap and a pair of jumbo shopping bag hooks.

This perky little Czech runabout makes a compelling value proposition, especially the base-grade 2024 Skoda Kamiq Select.

That it offers a civilised ride, engaging drive dynamics and one of the strongest warranties in its class certainly don’t hurt either.

It remains to be seen whether Skoda’s new pricing strategy with capped-price weekly payments finds favour, but at the very least the company has a transparent alternative to conventional financing and de rigueur car loans.

Skoda has always done things a little differently, and while the Kamiq doesn’t push the envelope, it’s a convincing European alternative that won’t break the bank.

2024 Skoda Kamiq Select at a glance:
Price: $32,890 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 85kW/200Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 125g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

2024 Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo at a glance:
Price: $42,690 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 5.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 126g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)