Skoda Karoq 2022 Review

Much has changed in the four years since the original Skoda Karoq launched in Australia. However, it seems the recipe for a successful mid-size SUV has not.

In the face of volume-selling options including the Toyota RAV4 and Mazda CX-5, Skoda has sought to broaden the appeal of its quiet achiever, with fresh styling, new technology and purportedly more value.

Let’s see if the claims stack up…

Skoda has made evolutionary changes to its two-model 2022 Skoda Karoq range, coinciding with moderate pricing increases.

As such, the range now opens at $42,990 drive-away for the entry-level Style and $49,990 drive-away for the punchier Sportline 4x4.

Even at that money, Skoda Australia claims the updates add more than $4000 of additional value compared to the models they replaced (previously priced from $39,990 and $46,990 drive-away respectively).

Standard equipment highlights include keyless entry and start, rear privacy glass, an eight-speaker sound system, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control, virtual cockpit, rear privacy glass, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, removable VarioFlex rear seats, powered tailgate with kick sensor, footwell lighting, rain-sensing wipers and adaptive cruise control.

Infotainment is taken care of by an 8.0-inch centre screen in the base Style variant, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, digital radio and Bluetooth. It is matched standard to a digital instrument cluster.

Buyers requiring satellite navigation will have to rely on smartphone mirroring on the base model, or opt for the $5900 Tech Pack which bundles in a bigger 9.2-inch touch-screen, sat-nav with gesture control, Matrix LED headlights with adaptive high beam.

The Tech Pack also adds automatic parking assist, lane assist, a surround-view camera, traffic jam assist, rear traffic alert, emergency assist and ambient lighting.

The $10,900 Premium Pack, meanwhile, adds leather-appointed seat trim, power adjustment and memory function for the front row, heated front and outboard rear seats, a heat-insulated windscreen, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters and headlight washers.

Then there’s the safety suite. Officially, the Skoda Karoq is armed with a five-star ANCAP safety rating backdated to 2017.

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB), nine airbags and two ISOFIX attachment points in the rear seat are included.

However, upon thumbing through the optional extras brochure it’s clear just how Skoda managed to get to such a competitive price – making items including blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and lane keep assist additional cost.

The Karoq is offered with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty, and servicing intervals are spaced every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

The Czech brand offers bundled ‘servicing packs’ at the point of purchase in Australia, priced at $1550 over five years.

As before, two drivelines make up the Skoda Karoq range in Australia.

The 2022 Skoda Karoq Style driven here is powered by a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine (110TSI) developing 110kW/250Nm and bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving just the front wheels.

At the top rung there’s the Karoq Sportline 4x4: a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine (140TSI) that channels its 140kW and 320Nm to the road via a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch auto, all-wheel drive and drive mode selection.

The base car notches 0-100km/h in 9.2sec claimed, while the flagship whittles down that time to 7.0sec.

Skoda designates the Karoq models run on minimum 95 RON premium unleaded fuel. The front-driver consumes 6.5L/100km on the official combined cycle, while the all-wheel drive version returns 6.6L/100km.

The Karoq offers a 1500kg braked towing capacity in front-drive form, and 1900kg braked for the Sportline.

The 2022 Skoda Karoq picks up exactly where it left off from a practicality and driveability perspective.

The changes made in terms of design and technology certainly spruce up the mid-size SUV both in terms of its visual appeal and sense of occasion.

Subjectively, we are particularly fond of its restyled front-end; it’s a cleaner, bolder face that is likely to win more widespread praise.

Inside, small changes to the seats and dashboard centre fascia also go a long way in keeping the Karoq up to date with rivals for tech integration and presentation.

Unlike Volkswagen and Cupra offshoots, the Skoda continues to offer conventional switchgear in its centre fascia – and frankly, we reckon it’s a better option.

If you want to use the climate control, you press the button right in front of you, instead of wading through multiple menus on a screen. Clean, simple, legible. It’s easier for everyone.

The Karoq offers moderate outward vision and space is sound in its first row. It gives away a little more in the second row, with the vehicle’s 4.39-metre overall length imposing some rear-seat knee-room compromise compared with segment rivals.

That said, both rows are replete with excellent incidental storage and there are plenty of Skoda-isms present, including rubbish bins integrated into the door pockets and, of course, umbrellas.

The base car again features removable seats (dubbed VarioFlex in Skoda-speak). Doing so liberates up to 1810 litres of luggage space, and even with the second-row seats upright there’s still an ample 588 litres to play with – a space further complemented by luggage nets, bag hooks and a space-saver spare tyre underneath.

A small caveat is that the Sportline 4x4 foregoes the VarioFlex seats on account of its 4x4 underpinnings.

On the road, the 2022 Skoda Karoq again lives up to the virtues of the original car launched in 2018.

The 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine fitted to the Style offers tractable and dependable performance in regular conveyance, with peak torque materialising from a lowly 1500rpm.

The torque-converter automatic transmission fitted to the Style lacks the expediency of VW’s better-known dual-clutch units in shifting, but makes up ground in low-speed amenity, largely avoiding the lurchiness of the 4x4 Sportline.

The Karoq also offers strong real-world efficiency on test, happily matching the claim in a mix of conditions including a lengthy stint on dual carriageway from Sydney to Bathurst.

On the circa two-hour journey, the ride and handling mix feels spot on for most Aussie duties, ably balancing a predictable handling package with well weighted controls and taut chassis reactions through changes in direction.

Ultimately, the base Karoq is a middle-ground balance for its ride and handling and won’t strike enthusiasts as particularly awe-inspiring.

But at least Skoda gives you the option of the sportier and more athletic 4x4 Sportline.

The 2022 Skoda Karoq makes incremental improvements in all the right areas.

The caveat to that is probably the lengthy optional extras list, which could necessitate a lofty additional spend in order to get to the specification you’re really after.

Otherwise, the Karoq offers broad appeal and practicality, and a drive experience that still stands up strongly among its peers.

How much does the 2022 Skoda Karoq Style cost?
Price: $42,990 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 110kW/250Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 147g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)

Ratings:
Price & Equipment (16 out of 20)
Safety & Technology (16 out of 20)
Engine & Chassis (15 out of 20)
Driving & Comfort (15 out of 20)
Editor’s Opinion (16 out of 20)